Crush

Performer: Bon Jovi
Engineer: Joe Chiccarelli; Obie O'Brien
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Bon Jovi: Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan, Tico Torres. Additional personnel: Hugh McDonald (bass); Michael Dearchin, Melissa Russo, Meredith Russo (background vocals). Producers: Luke Ebbin, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora. Recorded at Sanctuary II Studio, New Jersey. CRUSH was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album and "It's My Life" was nominated for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Personnel: Jon Bon Jovi (vocals); Richie Sambora (guitar); Michael Dearchin (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Bob Clearmountain. Recording information: Sanctuary II, NJ. Photographer: Olaf Heine. Even if it was classified as pop-metal, Bon Jovi never really was much of a metal band, relying on big, catchy melodies and not guitar riffs to make their songs memorable. That's why, in 2000, they're able to make an album like Crush, which strays far enough into pop/rock to actually stand a chance of getting airplay (which it did, with the hit lead single "It's My Life"). The guitar crunch on the uptempo numbers keeps Bon Jovi from becoming a full-fledged pop/rock band, but in addition to the typical hard rockers, there are nods to heartland rock, Bryan Adams-style adult contemporary balladry ("Thank You for Loving Me"), the Beatles (the surprisingly effective "Say It Isn't So"), and even British glam � la T. Rex or David Bowie ("Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen From Mars"). Occasionally, it sounds like the band is attempting to cover as many bases as possible for multi-format appeal, but for the most part, the variety -- coupled with the consistently polished songcraft -- makes for a surprisingly listenable album. The production is a little more electronic-tinged, but not obtrusively high-tech, so the band doesn't come off as desperate to sound contemporary. Aside from a couple of missteps (the soppy, aforementioned "Thank You for Loving Me" and the mawkish posturing of "Save the World"), Crush is a solidly crafted mainstream rock record that's much better than most might expect. Even if Crush is more measured than Bon Jovi's early work, "Just Older" sums up the band's acceptance of their status nicely: "The skin I'm in is all right with me/It's not old, just older." ~ Steve Huey When Jon Bon Jovi went into the studio to record his band's seventh studio album, he went from budding actor to Jersey rocker to remind the world where his bread-and-butter was. After the initial plan to team up hard-rock production gods Bob Rock and Bruce Fairbairn fell through due to the latter's death, an audition process was set up with alt-rock engineer Luke Ebbin (Splender) winning the job. The choice was a fortuitous one as here Bon Jovi updates its sound with a smattering of loops and impressive arrangements, without losing the pop crunch of its heyday. Along the way, Bon Jovi tips its collective hat to the teen brigade invading the charts and the glory days of "Livin' On a Prayer" (the talk-box laden, Max Martin co-written single "It's My Life"), while still writing songs about blue-collar characters full of optimism (the Springsteen-flavored "Two Story Town"). CRUSH also contains the requisite power ballads for Bon Jovi's starry-eyed female fans ("Thank You for Loving Me," "Save the World") along with glam (the Elton John-inspired "Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen From Mars") and grimy ("One Wild Night") rockers.

Rolling Stone (7/20/00, p.142) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Jon does a fine job of shaking his Bon-Bon to the blow-dried, rockish tunes...especially...'It's My Life' which sounds like a Britney track shot through the heart with Ritchie Sambora's voice-box guitar..." Entertainment Weekly (6/16/00, p.90) - "...CRUSH - for all its sappy ballads and suburban pop fairy tales - is classic Bon Jovi. And that's not an oxymoron." - Rating: B'

In the early 1980s, aspiring New Jersey musician John Bongiovi assembled a rock band, secured a record deal, and changed his name to Jon Bon Jovi. By 1986, Bon Jovi's brand of melodic hard rock was a runaway hit, with the band's third album, SLIPPERY WHEN WET, achieving massive international success. In addition to the catchy singles, the singer's chiseled good looks only led to more adoration and, eventually, movie and TV roles. By channeling the earnestness of his hero, Bruce Springsteen, and reining in his glammy look, Bon Jovi outlasted his hair-metal peers for decades beyond their '80s heyday.

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