Customer Reviews

Better Days

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes have been a staple in my house since they released their first LP over two decades ago, and Better Days insures that the tradition continues. The weariness and despair in John Lyon's voice is a perfect match for the mature insight of Steven Van Zandt's writing and production. Life, love and loss blend with the soulful horns the Jukes are noted for, to make a CD that stands up to repeated play.

Listen to "Daddy drank real hard late at night/ He'd say without love life's a long fight," from "All I Needed Was You." Lyon's vocals are showcased in "The Right To Walk Away", pleading his case yet understanding that sometimes love isn't enough to stay together. And anyone who's sat in a bar near closing time can relate to the fear of loneliness in "All The Way Home," a gem written by Bruce Springsteen, and my personal favorite on the CD.

Much has been made of the appearance by Bon Jovi and Springsteen, but the contribution of E Streeter's Gary Tallent, Max Weinberg and Van Zandt add a depth and richness to the music. Hard-driving songs like "Coming Back" and the title track show that the Jukes can still rock with the best, while the slower numbers make your heart ache with despair.

This is a great disc, probably second only to Hearts of Stone. Do yourself a favor and add this to your collection.

I can count the number of credible blue-eye soul singers on one hand - Southside Johnny being one. I doubt that he ever gave a second thought to the fact that he's not black. Southside Johnny has more soul in his little finder than Mariah Carey has in her entire being.

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes may as well be called Southside Johnny and the E-Street Band. The Jukes are Max Weinberg, Garry Talent and Little Steven (AKA `Miami' Steve, AKA Steven Van Zandt). Even The Boss drops by to jam. With the Asbury Jukes, Better Days can't help but sound similar to Bruce Springsteen. It does. Springsteen with a soul attitude. `Coming Home,' `All I Need Is You,' `It's Been A Long Time' and `The Right To Walk Away' are Motown treasures. And a touch of Delta Blues is added on `Better Days.' The raunchy lead guitar work of Little Steven permeates every composition. I'd match Little Steven against Keith Richard any day (`Ride The Night Away' stands tall against the Stone's `Start Me Up'). Better Days rocks with liberated soulfulness.

Hot pick: `All Night Long' will light up your world. If it doesn't, I'm afraid that you have taken on room temperature.

I love this album from start to finish. It has all the great elements of blues-based rock & roll.... great back beat, horns, harmonica, strong guitar, & great hard-drivin' vocals. The lyrics are well though out and not just thrown in as an after-thought. I have 4 kids (15-5), they love it too. I have used this album to teach them what good rock is supposed to sound like. It is tough these days, (a lot of crap out there)...we play it everytime we cross the Walt Whitman Bridge and head to the shore. If you like Southside, I would think you already own this...if you never heard Southside before, it is a great intro to an underappreacited band that had held on to its roots. The best of the Garden State.

I played this album in my car on the way to the beach today...I hadn't heard it in a while. What a record! Every track just smokes. Like the great Disciples of Soul, (with Southside replacing Stevie's vocals), it's just a great collection of songs and performances. Max Weinberg is an incredible drummer; and the rest of the band just jams around his beat. A truly underrated album.

BETTER DAYS is a hot comeback for Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. Little Steven is back on board, with a whole bunch of great songs. "Coming Back", "All I Needed Was You", "It's Been a Long Time", and the title track are the best-known songs, but there are numerous other gems on this, one of Southside Johnny's best ever. The whole album has a reflective tone, looking back to a glorious past and forward to the road that lies ahead.

A very strong album with top notch production by Little Steven. If you are a Southside fan, shame on you for not already owning this highly underappreciated disc. If you are a Bruce fan with only passing acquaintance with SSJ, or a fan of the bar band / soulful / brassy side of rock, then spring for the 6 bucks and you won't be disappointed with this record.

To say this album is in the vein of other great Jersey bands would be a sad understatement. If the song "Coming Back" doesn't fire you up and "All The Way Home" doesn't settle the soul then my friend you are clinically dead. In the past 15 years of listening to music off all kinds, I can honestly say that this is the most underrated, least known group/album in existence.

This is Southside's best work since "Hearts of Stone." The quality of the songs is good to excellent. "It's Been a Long Time" is as good as anything SSJ and the Jukes have ever done. And "Shake Em Down" is as rousing an album-closer as I've heard. Also, the guest artists make noteworthy contributions: Steve Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen on "It's Been a Long Time" and Jon Bon Jovi on "Workin' Too Hard," among others. This isn't my favorite Southside cd, but its not far behind. This one was good enough that Time Magazine noticed it and gave it a very positive review when it was released.

This is timeless, soulful rock'n roll.

I know I'll get into trouble for saying it, but this is how Springsteen was supposed to sound, and without the insulting attitude.

Great collection that takes you anywhere you want to go.

Been looking for this CD for many years. Thank you Amazon!!! I love the sound of the good old Jersey Boys, Bruce, Southside, Little Stevie and Jon

Bon Jovi. All together it's like magic. Everyone should own this cd. Thanks again. :) I love it!!