We are now on the 13th Studio album by Bon Jovi and the first without Richie Sambora. And this one has an interesting story behind it. Bon Jovi was at the end of his contract with Mercury and had been with them for 32 years. They could not come to agreement and this was the end of his relationship with the label. This album, ‘Burning Bridges’, is the final album to fulfill his contract with the label. And to say Jon was a little pissed is an understatement. He didn’t sit down to write a whole album because he was so pissed (as you will hear on the title track) and only wanted to end this deal and move on. I believe the label kept the rights to the masters and that didn’t sit well.

He grabbed a bunch of unfinished songs and actually finished them. He did write a few new songs, but most were leftover songs that needed to be finished. As a result, of the turmoil between Jon and the label, neither cared about the album. Heck, the label put cheap packaging on it (my copy is a cardboard sleeve and no liner notes) and didn’t even really promote it. And I will tell you that is a complete shame as this is the first album in years that I actually felt was a good Bon Jovi album.

The last three albums were so boring, but this one felt fresh to me and interesting. The reason I think this is better is because Jon didn’t sit down to write a full album and follow his paint-by number formula he had been using for years now. He grabbed from his archives left over tracks that created more variety and surprisingly the whole package struck a chord with me and I truly love this album.

Here is the funny thing to me. He left Mercury, which is owned Universal Music Group, and was signed by Island Records, which is owned by Universal Music Group. Hmmm….did he technically change labels then. It all seems for nothing to me. Anyway, on August 21, 2015, Bon Jovi released ‘Burning Bridges’ and it did go to #13 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart and after a whole year of release, it had only sold 67,000 copies in the U.S. Is this the worst performing album in their catalog? Quite possibly. All I will say is that people are missing out!! Let’s get to it.

The album kicks off with a haunting tune called “Teardrops in the Sea”. If you listen to those lyrics it is a dark, heartbreaking song and a little anger thrown in. I think it is about Jon’s departure from the label and how they stabbed him in the back despite all his loyalty. They kept his masters and he feels that lost and is quite angry. Musically this song could have easily fit on an album like “These Days” as it is the most serious, most touching he has written since that time period. Not a song you’d expect to open the album, but one that really says this isn’t the normal Bon Jovi album.

You would’ve expected this next song to open the album is it is a carbon copy of “It’s My Life”, “Have a Nice Day” and songs of that style…but in a very good way! “We Don’t Run” is the most exciting, anthemic track of all the types he has written on every album in the 2000’s. They had been getting tiring, but I really connected to this one, it lifted me up and made me miss a band that had lost its way. This is another newer song and showed me there is still a little life left in this band despite no more Richie!! The energy level is off the charts, the bass work is killer, the drums are pounding and Jon gives nothing but attitude backed with a great gang vocal on the chorus..love it!!

Richie might not be in the band, but since they used some older tracks that were laying around, he does get at least one writing credit. “Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning” is another old school Bon Jovi vibe. It is an earworm of a song that I usually find myself singing that chorus all day after I hear it. There is something about it that I can’t get enough. A breezy vibe to it and some more great Tico drumming, it is a fun track and they haven’t been fun recently.

“We All Fall Down” feels more like the recent albums, very AOR with a slight country tinge, but that chorus will grab hold. Where these type of songs would’ve lost me on the prior three albums, here in this package of songs, it hits me differently and I thoroughly enjoy it. There is a gentleness to it, I don’t even mind the positivity in it when only one album ago that positivity was annoying as hell. Here it is welcome and embraced. This was a Jon only penned track and I wonder if it was going to be a solo project as it is more that style then a band song. Love it regardless.

Next up is “Blind Love” and beautiful piano based ballad. Bon Jovi’s ballads on the last few albums have been a little less than stellar. Here, it is stunningly beautiful, heartfelt and touching done with this quiet, sensitive tone. I feel it. And that has not been the case recently. If this is one that was left unfinished until now, hard to believe.

“Who Would You Die For” is another haunting track, but this one is a little sexy, seductive even. This is like nothing else they have done since the 90’s. This is another that would’ve fit on “These Days”. There is a break that sees a tribal type drum as Jon spits out the lyrics with a purpose with full on effects on his vocals. The chorus is big, the guitars are striking and Jon’s deliver is sensational. One of me favorite tracks on the album.

Now it is time for another slow song. There are a lot of those on here and you think that would get old, but not when they are written as well as these are. Throwaway tracks my ass. “Fingerprints” is mostly acoustic and lots of character in the guitars. And the solo towards the end…wow…perfect for the song. There are some nice melodies and there is something special about it. This is one that you need to really listen to the lyrics as it is a just different and unique.

“Life is Beautiful” has a very familiar gang vocal opening, a very country twang and should’ve probably been on “Lost Highway”. Here it is a little out of place and despite a damn fine chorus, it is the only song I have hesitation with as it reminds me too much of the crappy three albums prior to this.

Next is a song that Jon has played live before and there is even a video of it on YouTube from 2013. The song is “I’m Your Man” and is solely written by Jon. A fun, upbeat song that has some fine moments, including a weird guitar sound, or is keyboard, or vocal effects, I’m not sure. but you could hum along with it. Not the best song on the album, but enjoyable enough.

The final track is the title track, “Burning Bridges”. This one is another old school Bon Jovi song that harkens back to a time when they would throw a fun, nutty song at the end of an album. This one is sort of a singalong and it cuts deep and harsh in those lyrics. This is Jon giving a massive middle finger to a) the Record Company or b) Richie Sambora. I’ve heard both arguments. A lot of the lyrics do lean towards the record company especially with the line “here is one more song to sell” and “But I’ll give you half the publishing / You’re why I wrote this song”. But the end of the second verse has a line that says “Call this chapter Shooting Stars”. This one site (can’t find it again, sorry so probably shouldn’t steal it but it was interesting) that strongly felt this is a Richie dig as “Shooting Stars” is the song Richie was playing when Jon saw him singing in the bar before he got in the band. And the “Ciao, adieu, goodnight, guten abend / Play it for your friends in Saint-Tropez” is a slap at Richie because he was spending so much time down in Saint-Tropez. Maybe it was a slap in the face at both. Interesting though. Oh, the song itself, I love it for the reason I stated at the beginning of this long paragraph.

Track Listing:

1. Teardrops To The Sea – Keeper
2. We Don’t Run – Keeper
3. Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning – Keeper
4. We All Fall Down – Keeper
5. Blind Love – Keeper
6. Who Would You Die For – Keeper
7. Fingerprints – Keeper
8. Life is Beautiful – Delete
9. I’m Your Man – Keeper (1/2 Point)
10. Burning Bridges – Keeper

The Track Score is 8.5 out of 10 Tracks or 85%.  For a so-called throw away album, it really is awesome.  Since Jon just threw together old songs and a few new ones and he didn’t care about hits or promoting it, we finally get some decent songs that are interesting, catchy and enjoyable.  This is the first album since ‘Have a Nice Day’ that I actually like and I like it a lot.  Maybe Jon should spend less time worrying about hits and write songs because he wants to write. There is no set direction for this album and that is awesome.  There a lot of slower songs, but they are finally good and some of these songs are sensational and the best in years.  This album is HIGHLY UNDERRATED and if you haven’t spent time with it, you are missing out. My Overall Score is a 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars…yes, I like it that much!!  I am not sure what I’m hearing that everyone else isn’t, but damn, I’m glad I’m hearing it!!

NEXT UP: BON JOVI – ‘THIS HOUSE IS NOT FOR SALE’ (2016)

THE BON JOVI COLLECTION SERIES:

1. Bon Jovi – The Albums Box Set (2017)
2. Jon Bongiovi – The Power Station Sessions (1980-1983) (2001)
3. Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi (1984)
4. Bon Jovi – Shot Through the Heart: Live in Cleveland, OH March 17, 1984 FM Broadcast (Bootleg)
5. Bon Jovi – “Burning For Love” – 12″ Single – Japanese Edition (1984)
6. Bon Jovi – 7800° Fahrenheit (1985)
7. Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (1986)
8. Bon Jovi – “Borderline” – 12″ Single – Japanese Edition (1986)
9. Bon Jovi – New Jersey (1988)
10. Bon Jovi – New Jersey: Super Deluxe Edition – Disc 2/DVD (1988)
11. Bon Jovi – “I’ll Be There For You” – Cassette Single (1988)
12. Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory (1990)
13. Jon Bon Jovi – “Blaze of Glory” – Cassette Single (1990)
14. Richie Sambora – Stranger in this Town (1991)
15. Bon Jovi – Keep the Faith (1992)
16. Bon Jovi – “Keep the Faith” – CD Maxi Single (1992)
17. Bon Jovi – “I Believe” – 7″ Single (1992)
18. Bon Jovi – Cross Road (1994)
19. Bon Jovi – “Please Come Home for Christmas” – CD Single (1994)
20. Bon Jovi – These Days (1995)
21. Bon Jovi – Live From London – DVD (1995)
22. Jon Bon Jovi – Destination Anywhere (1997)
23. Richie Sambora – Undiscovered Soul (1998)
24. Bon Jovi – Crush (2000)
25. Bon Jovi – Live From Osaka E.P. (2000)
26. Bon Jovi – “Thank You For Loving Me” – CD Single (2000)
27. Bon Jovi – The Crush Tour – DVD (2000)
28. Bon Jovi – The Love Songs E.P. (Promo) (2001)
29. Bon Jovi – Tokyo Road: Best of Bon Jovi (2001)
30. Bon Jovi – One Wild Night Live: 1985-2001 (2001)
31. Bon Jovi – Bounce (2002)
32. Bon Jovi – Unauthorized: Rock ‘n Roll Legends – Bootleg DVD (2002)
33. Bon Jovi – Target E.P. (2003)
34. Bon Jovi – This Left Feels Right (2003)
35. Bon Jovi – Wild in the Streets: Unauthorized – Bootleg DVD (2003)
36. Bon Jovi – This Left Feels Right – DVD (2004)
37. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Part 1) – (2004)
38. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 1, Part 2) – (2004)
39. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 2, Part 3) – (2004)
40. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 3, Part 4) – (2004)
41. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 4, Part 5) – (2004)
42. Bon Jovi – 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Disc 5 & 6, Part 6) – (2004)
43. Bon Jovi – Have a Nice Day (2005)
44. Bon Jovi – Live from the Have a Nice Day Tour (Walmart Exclusive) (2006)
45. Bon Jovi – Lost Highway (2007)
46. Bon Jovi – Lost Highway: The Concert (2007)
47. Bon Jovi – The Circle (2009)
48. Bon Jovi – When We Were Beautiful Documentary DVD (2009)
49. Bon Jovi – Live at Madison Square Garden – DVD (2009)
50. Bon Jovi – Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection (2009)
51. Bon Jovi – Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Video Collection – DVD (2010)
52. Bon Jovi – Inside Out – DVD (2012)
53. Richie Sambora – Aftermath of the Lowdown (2012)
54. Bon Jovi – What About Now (2013)
55. Bon Jovi – Live E.P. (RSD – 2013)
56. Bon Jovi – Live 2 E.P. (RSD – 2014)
57. Bon Jovi – Burning Bridges (2015)
58. Bon Jovi – This House is Not For Sale (2016)
59. Bon Jovi – This House is Not For Sale – Live From the London Palladium (2016)
60. Bon Jovi – The Albums Box Set – The Extra LP (2017)
61. RSO – Radio Free America (2018)
62. Bon Jovi – 2020 (2020)
63. Bon Jovi – Forever (2024)
64. Bon Jovi – “Legendary” – 7″ Single (2024)
65. Bon Jovi – 40th Anniversary Box Set (TBA – I Hope it is out by the time we get here)

We’ve reviewed a bunch of pieces already over the years and won’t review again. They are as follows:

1. Bon Jovi – The Brotherhood Tour Book (1988-1990)
2. Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi Tour 2011 – Tourbook
3. Bon Jovi – The Rock History – Bootleg CD
4. Bon Jovi – “You Give Love A Bad Name” – 12″ Single
5. Bon Jovi – “You Give Love a Bad Name” – 7″ Single
6. Bon Jovi – Red Hot & 2 Parts Live E.P. – 12″ Single
7. Bon Jovi – “Wanted Dead or Alive” – 7″ Single
8. Bon Jovi – “Bad Medicine” – 7″ Single
9. Bon Jovi – “Born to Be My Baby” – 7″ Single
10. Bon Jovi – “I’ll Be There For You” – 7″ Single
11. Bon Jovi – “Lay Your Hands on Me” – 7″ Single
12. Bon Jovi – “Living in Sin” – 7″ Single