New Jersey (1988)

How to follow up a massive successful album? This was the question on everybody's minds after Bon Jovi ended their 18 month tour by the end of 1987. The band was exhausted from touring, and even Jon, the charismatic front man, was forced to drag himself towards the end of the tour with shots for his voice.

So by the beginning 1988 the band set to record their breakthrough's follow up. This time they could afford all the luxuries money could bring and so they not only invited Desmond Child to compose with them, but also other major names in the composition industry like Diane Warren or Holly Knight. They replicated the proven successful process of the previous record in terms of composition, song selection, production and video promotion. Like 2 years before they composed and demoed about 30 tracks, making the band consider to release not 1, but 2 albums. In fact Jon's intentions were to release a commercial record and a more introspective one, however the record company didn't approve the move and so they were forced to compress all the material to a single album.


Having so much material worth releasing, the band chose not to entirely replicate Slippery, but to make the new stadium anthems to be accompanied by some more introspective material, not only in terms of melody and arrangements, but also in terms of lyrical content. Once again producer Bruce Fairbain knew exactly how to take the most out of the song's potentialities. The album's title was meant to be "Sons of Beaches", due to their optimistic and hot sound, but eventually was changed to their home state name "New Jersey", since the former could be easily misinterpreted.

The album starts with one of Rock's most famous introductions in which drums and synthesizers heat up with a church like atmosphere. After the title is repeated a few times everything explodes and we are back to "Slippery When Wet"'s finest moments: loud guitars, infinite choirs and an easy chorus to sing along.
Having roots on songs like "Let it Rock" or "Raise your Hands", this was the perfect evolution of such songs since it has a lot of energy and proved to be one of the highlights of their live shows. The lyrics are probably one of their dumbest, but who could blame them, since their egos were rightfully at the top of their game after the success they had experienced. This is one of the finest rockers of the Hair Metal era, rightfully released as a single (which reached the Billboard top 10) and being promoted with their most brilliant live video ever.

The album's first single "Bad Medicine" replicated the success formula of "Bad Name" with the chorus in the beginning, simple but well defined riffs and endless choirs echoing a catchy chorus about notty things. However this was a longer song than "Bad Name", much due to the fake ending that gives it a live component. Not being their master piece, it was effective to put them back on the number 1 slot, providing an electrifying finale for their live shows, where they would extend the song to a 10 minute version and include a cover of the popular "Shout" in the middle. A staple that would endure in their set list for decades.

"Born to be my Baby" was the second single and their attempt to replicate the "Livin'on a Prayer" formula, although structurally it resembled more of "I'd die for you". The song is extremely energetic, having a very good rhythm section, while the lyrics provide the eternal love promise of a boy to his sweat heart. Live the song was enhanced by a brilliant harmonica solo towards the end that really highlighted the main melody. It was instantly a hit, reaching number 2. However, it failed to follow its predecessor's footsteps, much to the fact that it was too artificial to be real. While "Livin' on a Prayer" was a unifying love struggle, this was a blind love shout, sounding like too much of a cliche.

"Livin in Sin" was the 5th (and final) single of the album and was Jon Bon Jovi's first solo composition to reach the top 10. With this one we finally can see the band's progresses, since it is a step forward from everything they had tried before. In this semi acoustic love ballad, about a couple who follow their passion despite their parent's disapproval, Jon shows his skills of story telling and making the listener feel inside the scene. Of course the musical aspect of the song also captures the emotion and all the other musician's work do really give a cinematic atmosphere to the song.

The band hits the gas again with "Blood on Blood" a rocker with an incredible melody and probably the best lyrical content of the album. The song is about growing up with friends who become brothers. During live shows Jon used to give a speech about how important those teenage shared experiences were for his character definition. The guitar and keyboard work are superb on this one, since they (much like in Prayer) work together to reach a higher level that is far beyond the sum of the two components. This is in fact the center piece of the album, since it unifies rockers and intimate songs with deep lyrical content. It was not released as a single, but it still remains as a fan favorite, being constantly requested during live shows.

"Homebound Train" despite not being a commercially driven rocker, is neither an intimate song. It is definitely an album track in which the band tried to play with lyrics and music to achieve a global effect of a rush towards home after being messed up. Not a highlight, but an interesting exercise that fits in the "gray area" of the album, working as a connector between the more commercial first 5 tracks and the remainder of the album.

"Wild is the Wind" is probably the beginning of the second album Jon wanted to release, and it is based on a guitar work that slowly turns to a slow tempo in which we hear a confession of a broken heart. Much like "Livin in Sin" it is an acoustic driven ballad but more on a western style and in stead of a struggling couple, the blues are sung. A very introspective tune that starts talking about a relationship, but ends up mentioning the flip turns of live, using the wind as a metaphor to illustrate it.

The western mono recorded "Ride Cowboy Ride", credited to Captain Kid and King of Swing (Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora's nick names) is nothing more than a perfect intro to an epic. This very short country song is characterized by the live sounds, rawness and intimacy of being able to make the listener feel the songwriter whispering in his ears. "Stick to your Guns" kicks off with emotional chords announcing a guitar driven melody about having the guts to be coherent and defend our points of view. The 2 songs have actually some roots on the success of "Wanted Dead or Alive", although the lyrical content differ. The band again proves to be willing to step on new ground, not simply replicating their previous record successful formula, but taking risks to experiment new ways of delivering their messages. An excellent combo that merges feeling, message and melody.

"I'll be There for you" is the power ballad of the record and probably one of the 80's signature rock ballads. Its quintessential riff starts a perfect ballad about a broken heart who cries when seeing his love one to depart. It was the album's third single, its second Billboard nr. 1 and Jon and Richie's first composition to reach the top of the charts. An essential Bon Jovi song that brings back the album to a more commercial direction.

If the pace was too slow "99 in the Shade" brings back the party atmosphere of the rockers. Grounded on likes of "Wild in the Streets", this is a fast rhythmic track aiming nothing more than to provide the listener a good time. It is the perfect soundtrack for a hot summer day at the beach, much due to its fun lyrics, catchy riffs and easy sing along chorus. "I got a party in my pocket and I know I just got paid/ And I'mmmm feeling fine, it's 99 in the shade oohhhhh yeahhhhh".

The good vibes make it to the album's final track, "Love for Sale", a live recorded acoustic tale, fresh and capturing the intimacy of a bar in which the audience clap their hands to the songs bluesy rhythm. The perfect ending, capturing the band at home: playing live.

Being a mix of intimate and commercial songs this is an album that is not as coherent as its predecessor. It has however some transitional songs that provide a mechanism to soften the polarity of the album, making it enjoyable for the listener. It was able to keep the momentum created by the previous release, showing, at the same time, the band didn't want to stop evolving as song writers and musicians only because they had reached the heights of success. Perhaps this aspect was the one which saved the band in the following decade, preventing them to be completely forgotten, just like their peers from the Hair Metal era.

The album was a commercial and artistic success, leading the band to perform a 200+ date tour, during which they headlined the first official show in Russia; the Milton Keynes Festival in the UK; not forgetting one night in their home state's Giants stadium, where 80 000 people saw them; or the multiple performances in London's Hammersmith Odeon, where they developed the creative idea of stripping songs from all the production, delivering acoustic renditions that they had initiated during 1989's MTV Music Awards (allowing them to be credited to be one of MTV's Unplugged series originators).

If "Slippery When Wet" represents loud Rock, "New Jersey" is none the less important as it is a statement of how fun songs can go along deep full messages and intimate emotional songs. A double sided album with very distinct sides (remember this was still released originally as a vinyl) that captured the band developing while staying at the top of their toes, enjoying all the things success could bring them.
A classic album that defined an era and sucked all the band's energy, almost leading them to rupture after a never ending tour. 10/10