New Jersey

●’88年英国榜冠军专辑收录美国冠军单曲 "Bad Medicine"、"I’ll Be There For You" 与 TOP 10 劲作 "Born To Be My Baby"、"Living In Sin"

由 Jon Bon Jobi 所领军的 Bon Jovi 乐团成立于 1983 年。从在 Pub 演唱的无名小团到球为全球巡迥的超级摇远乐团，这些年来的起起伏伏，虽然当年的五人同台演唱 (包含主唱Jon Bon Jobi，吉他手Richie，鼓手 Tico，贝斯手Alec和键盘手David)的景况不再，然而当我们回顾这些专辑，仍深深的为他们的勇于突破和不断创新而感动， Bon Jovi 绝不随波逐流，从以前到现在蜕变成的四人组合，一路走来，他们只坚持一个简单的信念--以摇滚为乐，做自己的音乐。

相隔了十四年， Mercury 公司为乐迷们再版了自 Bon Jovi 1984 年出道以来的前四张专辑以及一张精选辑，这次 Bon Jovi 融合了上一张专辑『Slippery when wet』的 pop-rock和最爱的hard-rock，虽然第三张专辑的成功，让 Bon Jovi 成为全球瞩目的焦点乐团，摇身一变成了超级巨星。但是他们并没有沉溺在之前的成功，反而肯定的向前又跨了一大步，全神贯注在整个乐团成员的合音部份，你可以一再的发现 BonJovi 的合唱成了他们强调的重点，粗旷的嘶吼甚至用叠录的方式，因而展现出像是回荡环绕的立体音场，好像你就在演唱会的现场，仔细听歌词，多了些迂迴的浪漫情怀，虽然 Bon Jovi 本身似乎并不愿太刻意，但是如 "Lay Your Hands on Me" 和 "I’ll Be There for You" 所表露出的感情，却一点也不逊于前几张专辑所带给听众的感受，甚至可以说像是重贴近了 Bon Jovi ，可说是前所未有掳获了乐迷的心，当然，还有让人无法抗拒狂野奔放的 "Born to be my baby"! 以及 "Blood on blood"中 Bon Jovi 对手足之情的称颂。在『Slippery when wet』如此成功之后，不要以为他们会做出像 "Slippery Part2" 这类的东西，这张『New Jersey』绝对证明 Bon Jovi 与众不同!!

by William Ruhlmann

Bon Jovi had perfected a formula for hard pop/rock by the time of New Jersey, concentrating on singalong choruses sung over and over again, frequently by a rough, extensively overdubbed chorus, producing an effect not unlike what these songs sounded like in the arenas and stadiums where they were most often heard. The lyrics had that typical pop twist -- although they nominally expressed romantic commitment, sentiments such as "Lay Your Hands on Me" and "I'll Be There for You" worked equally well as a means for the band and its audience to reaffirm their affection for each other. The only thing that marred the perfection of this communion was Jon Bon Jovi's continuing obsession with a certain predecessor from his home state; at times, he seemed to be trying to recreate Born to Run using cheaper materials.