The five year wait is over! Bon Jovi are back and better than ever with new album, "Crush"! If you're a die-hard fan you'll love it and even if you're not, you may be pleasantly surprised. It's classic Jovi at their finest. Starting with "It's My Life" and updated version of "Livin' On a Prayer" for the new millenium, will get your feet moving and if you aren't singing along by the second chorus, there's something wrong with you!Their ballad, "Thank You for Loving Me" will be the next wedding song for many years to come and with songs like "Save the World" or "Mystery Train", Jon and Richie's harmonies are in top form.They've experimented with new songs,like the humerous, "Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars" or the visual of "Two Story Town", but to great effect. Bon Jovi fans won't be disappointed. This is the album we've been waiting for. I can't stop listening to it! Thanks,guys for the great album! We love you and are glad you're back for the Next 100 years!

After five years of hiatus, solo albums galore and certain *movie deals*, Bon Jovi are back with a vengence! "Crush" is a mixture of classic Bon Jovi at its best, and way more listenable than dreary, mellodramatic 1995 album "These Days".

Please don't be misleaded by the first track - "It's My Life". The song sounds remarkably similar to their big 80's hit "Living On a Prayer" (hardcore fans will notice that Tommy and Gina's story continues), but the rest of the album isn't the same at all. "Say It Isn't So" sounds like something Matchbox Twenty would sing, because it does sound rather, well, young (I myself am still debating who would sound better singing lead - Jon or Rob Thomas..) but Bon Jovi pulls it off pretty darn well! "I Got The Girl" and "One Wild Night" sound rather victorious and will be great for rock parties. "Captain Crash & the Beauty Queen From Mars" is unique (and not just by title!) but enjoyable and fun.

As for ballads, rest assure there are a few, and they're good too! "Save the World" starts off a bit like their '94 hit "Always", but has its own unique sound and will be great for relaxing - with your loved one or on your own, whilst gathering your thoughts. If this song gets released I'm sure it'll be a massive hit.

In a nutshell, Bon Jovi has managed to keep the old sound that we know and love, and adapt it to sound suitable for the fresh new 21st century. The band hasn't gotten *old*, and track 6 explains it well: They're "Just Older".

Crush, the new release from Bon Jovi, is not only one of the best albums in their collection, it is one of, if not THE best album of 2000. From sweeping ballads to energetic rock songs to orchestrated anthems, there's something for everyone on this album. "Thank You For Loving Me" will be a smash hit, and probably the wedding song for the next 5 years. "Just Older" is a song that, if you sing along, will make you feel better about your life and circumstances, no matter what they are. Your feet would have to be firmly cased in concrete if you could listen to "One Wild Night" without moving. And then there are unexpected jewels like "Mystery Train," a romantic lyric with a flowing melody and "Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars," a rocker filled with humor and irony. As always, Bon Jovi is a band that will make you believe, whether it's in a Higher Power or Yourself. Jon Bon Jovi's vocals are mature and diverse, giving each song a character of it's own. Bon Jovi's message is positive and their songwriting and musicianship skills are concise. They are far and above the best American rock band. Do yourself a favor and buy this CD.

It's the one we've been waiting for! 'Crush' shows everyone (believers and non-believers) that the boys still have what it takes to kick butt! Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan, and Tico Torres are (thank goodness) not ready to throw in the towel yet. Musically and lyrically, I feel it this the best album the band has ever released. Their newfound maturity shows through in every song. The opener, "It's My Life", brings back the classic Bon Jovi sound and Richie's signature work on the talk box. The shift then changes to the rocker "Say It Isn't So", which speaks of keeping ones dreams in sight. The call-and-answer chorus is reminiscent of the Beatles era, giving the guys a strong base to work off of. Track three, "Thank You For Loving Me", is the anthem for the hopeless romantic. It tells of honesty, faithfullness, and devotion. "Two Story Town" explores the ups and downs of small-town life. The uplifting final lyric shines some hope into the future. "Next 100 Years" again carries the stroyline of a devoted lover. In "Just Older" Jon sings of his happiness with his life and his position in it. "Mystery Train" is a fantastic ballad about how the love between two people can lead them in unexpected directions and new territories. "Save The World" is another beautiful ballad about how someone's love can inspire the biggest changes in life. My personal favorite, "Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen From Mars", tells the story of a young couple who doesn't let society's acceptance stand in their way. A real tear-jerker, "She's A Mystery" delves into the passion of love that can immerse someone so deeply that even they aren't sure of everything. "I Got The Girl" is a very inspiring song, written by Jon, about the love he feels for his five-year-daughter. The hardest-rocking song on the album, "One Wild Night" is all about having fun, something the boys in Bon Jovi know a lot about. 'Crush' is definitely a top-of-the-line album and a must-have for any true classic-rock-with-a-hint-of-metal-bombast-power-pop fan!

Of the three biggest bands of the 80's (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Poison), only bon Jovi, somehow, someway, was able to maintain a sizable audience into the grunge-n-gloom 90's with subtle shifts in style resulting in slick, adult oriented albums like Keep the Faith and These Days. They were both very respectable efforts but they leaned too heavily on Adult-contempory ballads and half-hearted rock, they lacked that 'fire' that Slippery when Wet and New Jersey kindled. However, after a solo outing, Jon Bon Jovi reunites with Richie Sambora, David Bryan, and co. for the first 'Bon Jovi' effort in 5 years. And it's very well worth the wait.

The best comes first; It's My Life is bound to be the catchiest rock song you'll hear all year. This song is absolutley classic Bon Jovi with an ever-so-subtle modern rock inflection. If the rest of the album borders into Matchbox 20/3rd Eye Blind territory sometimes (You'll almost find yourself singing 'Do do do, do do do do' to the intro of Say it Isn't So), so be it, but the band keeps their feet firmly planted in classic rock territory most of the time showcasing whale-sized hooks and the big, catchy singalong chorus they've always been second-to-none in crafting.

There's at least 5 or 6 hit cuts off this album should radio decide to pick them up in It's My Life, the stellar Just Older, One Wild Night, and the ballads Thank You, Save the World, and Next 100 Years. Every other cut here is well-executed, with enough appeal at the classic rock and modern rock end of the totem to reach just about every listener out there.

Bon Jovi hasn't gotten old, just older (as the song puts it so eloquently). Crush alludes to glories of past (It's My Life) and looks to the future with a bright eye. It also tips it's hat to pure, decadent rock (One Wild Night). This album is on par with Bon Jovi's best, and while it's not quite as good as Def Leppard or Poison's recent efforts (Euphoria and Crack a Smile) it's bound to be more successful, because after all, to a degree, it's still perfectly OK to say you're a Bon Jovi fan. Albums like these show why.