This was the debut from the band that had just been assembled around the regional success of "Runaway". A song written by rocker wannabe John Bongiovi, who had left everything behind to learn everything about the music business in his uncle's recording studio in NYC. Having a hit and a record deal on his hands John urged to assemble a band with which he could start a carrer. After calling his teenage friend David Rashbaum to take the charge of the keyboards, experienced drummer Tico Torres and his bass player friend Alec Such were hired. The guitar spot was due to another teenage friend: Dave Sabo, who was shortly thereafter replaced by a more experienced guitarist who stood up when seeing the band play in a local bar: Richie Sambora had the blues in his veins and needed only one shot to prove he was the right person for the job.
Recorded in Jon's familiar Power Station studios in NYC, with his uncle Tony on the produiction, the album consisted mostly on tracks Jon had been recording in the previous years, some of them rearranged by the band. The goal was simple: to have a record out to promote so they could book as many gigs as they could and capitalize on Runaway's success.
"Runaway" is a FM Rock cut whose catchy keyboards and loud guitars echo in your ears. Jon's dramatic interpretation combined with a distinguished guitar solo, high background vocals and a contagious rhythm were ingredients more than enough to make this a hit in 1983/1984. The sound is very dated but the essence of the band was already there. The remaining 8 tracks were attempts to replicate the formula of "Runaway". The subject of songs, as Jon would admit later, was not Love as they thought at the time, but Lust instead.
Along "Runaway" they released the single "She don't know me", a song they hadn't written themselves (something that would not be repeated during their career), and watched as it became a hit during their live shows, specially in Japan, making them keep it as a regular on their shows until their breakthrough album.
"Roulettle" and "Shot through the heart", which now could be seen as a prophetic title to one of their biggest hits, are other catchy dramatic numbers grounded on repeating keyboards and dated guitar riffs.
"Love Lies" is the keyboard driven ballad that was another perfect example of the album's subject: "Lust". The high notes were used as the weapon at their disposal to show off their capabilities.
"Breakout" is another live favorite from early days, driven by a steady rhythm on top of which keyboards and guitars build the atmosphere for cheering backing vocals to repeat after the lead singer the song's title. Simple and effective.
The speed increases with "Burning for Love", yet another "Lust" song with a brilliant guitar work, that would reach its peak during live shows.
"Come Back" doesn't let the pace go down and the loud amplifiers back up every sentence on the lyrics with a contagiously simple riff.
The album reaches its end with "Get Ready", along "Runaway" the best track on the album. Well crafted, driven by a contagious guitar hook closes the album with the good vibes of a song about having fun - something the band perhaps knew better at the time than the so proclaimed Lust Love that was too repeated in other songs and eventually fails to sound honest. This is the band at loose, talking about what they knew and doing the best they could: plain rock and roll with hints of the time it was recorded. For some reason this was one of the few songs from this album that was able to make the set lists even in 1987 when the Bon Jovi's revolution had already taken place.
The band was trying too hard to fit in a music genre that made sence then. Something that would not only influence their music but the whole aesthetics of the band. Definitely a dated record that represents well the FM Rock movement of 1984 but has no expression outside that endeavor.
This was the first step for a band that was still taking their lessons, trying to adjust and find their place in the music scene. Something nowadays new bands have few room to do: to be given time to mature, releasing a couple of albums to learn and make their own mistakes. This album gave Bon Jovi the opportunity to tour with ZZ Top, Kiss and the Scorpions, making them play in several venues around the world, something that would be essential to the band's growing up process and would eventually write on their DNA the foundations of what a good live band is.
Without a doubt not a classic, but an essential stepping stone in the band's way to the top. 6/10
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