Bon Jovi's 6th album of originals "These Days" was released in 1995, following their 1992 come-back filled with hits, an extensive tour that took them all over the world and a "best of" compilation that sold millions of copies and kept them at the top of charts as one of the World's most successful bands. The New Jersey band went to the studios in the beginning of 1995 and along Peter Collins in the production, Jon and Richie took over and started recording an album that would explore further on the social concerns of its predecessor "Keep the Faith". The new ingredient added to the timeless sound was the melancholy, a despair that characterized the difficult times the world was living. The positive message of hope was still present, but this time it was kind of covered by an atmosphere of doubts and fears.
The album is the band's most conceptual one, since each of its 14 tracks work as a chapter in a story of love, pain, despair and hope. Despite the strength and importance every song has on its own, it isn't until the very end, that we come full circle and figure it out.
"Hey God" is the first song and with its energetic anger sets doubt and fear in the atmosphere. The song is an open letter to God from people whose life became an unbearable hell, filled with injustices and who have nothing else to lose. Musically it is one of the band's finest Hard Rockers, with a dirty sound lead by a superb guitar work. 6 minutes of hell breaking loose. Right from this moment we know we have a complete new attitude from Bon Jovi, the band who had us used to joyful sing alongs and faith choirs was crying out loud despair with anger.
"Something for the Pain" slows the pace a little bit, while its lyrical content provides some sort of answer to the previous song's doubts. Its catchy melody makes you head bang and, for the first time in the record, the band shows signs of the stadium sized choirs it is well known for.
"This ain't a Love Song" is a Rhythm and Blues Rock ballad that is magnificently performed, describing the pain and doubts of a broken heart in the end of a relation.
"These Days", the album's title track, is the scream of hope that one shouts after having the world against him. "I know Rome is still burning, though the times have changed, but the world keeps turning round and round These Days". The world burns in flames of pain, but still it keeps turning and hope must never die. This is an epic hopeful song that shows exactly what the band does better: lift spirits and make them believe, chase and fight for their dreams, despite the adversities.
"Lie to me" is another desperate cry from a lover who can't believe in no one but his soul mate, and who admits to be able to bare everything, except a lie from the one safe harbor of his life. A touching ballad with superior melody and arrangements.
"Damned" brings back the anguished energy, being an irrational shout from someone who is tired to fight. Featuring a horn section played by the musicians of Southside Johnny's "Asbury Jukes" it resembles the song "Keep the Faith", but on a more dark tone, letting the wound bleed in stead of announcing hope.
"As my guitar lies bleeding in my arms" is one of the most artistic songs and for sure the most humble one the band ever wrote. It describes the fear of a songwriter to wake up one day without having the inspiration to write another song. In stead of letting fear consume the artist, the band took the sentiment and turned it to a statement that shows their humanity. Again the arrangements are brilliant, combining acoustic and electric in a melody worth of a superior song.
"(It's hard) Letting you go" is the atmospheric acoustic ballad that showcases perfectly the sentiment of loosing someone you love. It is stripped down and even the slow, yet strong and well defined, drum beats resemble the heart. Perfect for what it is worth.
"Hearts breaking Even" is a love ballad lead by guitar that describes the time when you are discovering a new love, everything fits together and it seems nothing can slow you down.
"Something to believe in" is another epic striped down number. The song touches the existential questions everybody faces at some point in life. It is in fact about the meaning of Life, and the only answer it provides is the need to have something to believe in. A highlight of the album, showing a matured band whose concerns are no longer the teenage flirts or life's lusts, this time the band reaches Life's most deep questions and try to capture hope in the solution.
"If that's what it takes" represents the strength and determination of one who is willing to do anything for his soul mate in a soulful ballad.
"Diamond Ring" is the song that was reworked again and again, finally making into the third record it was scheduled to be released. An acoustic ballad about commitment with the one you truly love.
"All I want is Everything" is the answer to the then called generation X. A generation that was thirsty for everything, but who had nothing, including the hopes and dreams the older generations were taught to believe in as kids. The third hard rocker of the album is another one filled with the energy and anger of the ones who try to achieve something out of pure willing, since racionally there is no hope.
"Bitter wine" wraps up as a fade out story narrated by one whose glory days have passed, and now everything tastes bitter. An acoustic ballad reminding good old times, fitting perfectly as the book's epilogue.
This record enabled the band to tour extensively all over the world; earned them numerous awards; 3 back to back kick ass performances in London's old Wembley Stadium; being invited to open for their heroes, the Rolling Stones, for two nights in Paris; and return in 1996 to Japan and Europe to perform for almost 3 hours every night, showcasing most of the album's songs.
"These Days" was one of the highlights in Bon Jovi's career, allowing them to come full circle with what they had begun with "Keep the Faith", closing a chapter and, furthermore, to heal a deep wound that was painfully bleeding them to death. With this album the band exorcised all their demons and in stead of succumbing to their fears, doubts and pains, turned them to art, exposing them for what they were, which allowed them to surpass them and go on with their lives.
After touring "These Days" there was nothing left to say as a band and the following 5 years without band recordings were the proof that the perfection with this sort of sound and reflection had been achieved and so they had reached a dead end for that road.
There are records that allow you to feel joy, others filled with passion, and others with infinite energy. Yet, there's others that allow you to go deep and think about Life's most significant questions, reflect upon basic feelings and eventually realize our role in this world. "These Days" is a reflection about Life itself with the 90s Society as its background. Without loosing its touch with reality, it states the questions we have to answer in order to make our life's meaningful. Based upon a timeless Hard Rock sound, the record achieves its ultimate goal: it triggers emotions to everyone who listens to it.9/10
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