The band Bon Jovi is known for creating bangers, but unfortunately, their newest album Forever (Legendary edition) does not pass this standard. It is just a rerecording of the 2024 album, Forever, that came out the previous year. Comparing the two albums, this remaster is a major letdown.
It is safe to say this is the worst album Bon Jovi has published. It’s just bland. Almost every song includes collaborations; some of the more memorable ones include other world famous rock singers like Avril Lavigne, Bruce Springsteen, and Robbie Williams. But all these collaborations almost remove and waters down the Bon Jovi flare that we know and love.
“My First Guitar” is the worst song I’ve heard to date. Nothing about this song is appealing, besides the fact that it eventually ended. The beat was dreadful, combined with the slowness. Everything about the song was irritating and uncomfortable to listen to. The fact the vocals were just moans doesn’t help. It was uncomfortable, and unpleasant to say the least. Lyricism is another huge part of Bon Jovi’s career. With the song repeating the same five verses, it felt dense. I don’t think anyone can defend this song.
In an album full of trash, only the singular new song stands out: “Red, White, and Jersey” is the most “Bon Jovi” song on this album; everything else feels recycled. But with “Red, White, and Jersey,” it feels refreshing and new. There are also certain lines that make it so recognizable. “Yeah, we held on tight, lookin’ up all night. At the lights of New York City when you’re 17, those are crazy dreams, but you dreamed them right there with me.” That line hits incredibly hard. When the melody, and chorus are combined, it makes it an experience to listen to. It can almost make up for the trainwreck of this album!
The amount of collabs on this album makes my ears screech. Bon Jovi rerecording this was a major deal for fans, considering this is also the first tour they’ve done since Jon Bon Jovi’s throat surgery. In the original, it was clear that some of the songs lacked passion. They felt empty and worn out. So when you can hear the differences in their voices, and the song gets ruined by someone like Jelly Roll singing off key.
Jelly Roll being a feature on “Living Proof” was such a bad move on everyone’s part. The original almost sounds like Bon Jovi’s hit song “Livin’ on a Prayer,” but a cheap knock off. Bon Jovi and Jelly Roll do not mesh well on this song. It makes me so peeved, because the original was so good. They shouldn’t have tried to fix what wasn’t broken. Adding Jelly Roll on this song, let alone this album, makes everything sound cheap.
The song“Legendary” is the only example of a “good collaboration” for this album. James Bay as the feature for “Legendary” was the right choice. Their voices harmonize well during the chorus. Not to mention that within the first few lines, you can notice the shift between the original and new vocals.
Bon Jovi has been singing since ’83. It’s time they took a permanent break. If you are a fan of their previous music, or a new fan, skip this album. The original songs are so much better. This rerecording doesn’t do it justice.
