Customer Reviews

Stranger in This Town

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was very pleasantly surprised to find that Mr.Sambora is as talented as he is. He is an amazing singer and songwriter, and this will come as no surprise, he's a wonderful guitarist. But what really stands out on this album are the songs. "One Light Burning" is a ballad of intense passion and heart. "Stranger in This Town" is a bluesy, down beat gem with great arrangements and vibe through out it. On "Mr. Bluesman", Richie gives way to his hero, Eric Clapton, and on a song that Sambora wrote about him. It is a magnificent album from first song to closing track, and it explores every emotion of love.. from hurt to joy and wonder. If you ever liked Bon Jovi, then don't hesitate to get this one. Great production, terrific songs, and top notch musicianship are what this album is all about. A MUST have.

Rest In Peace - Slightly uneasy start to the record, has you anticipating bad things.
Church of Desire - Any illusions of this being a bad record are thrown completely out of the window. This is a seriously good song. I've owner the record for three years, and I still listen to this one on a regular basis.
Stranger in this Town - Perfectly captures the feeling of loneliness. A strangely beautiful track.
Ballad of Youth - It's amazing how a song like this can get through to a teenager. It's anthemic with some seriously good guitar licks.
One Light Burning - One of my least favourite tracks, but if it was on any other album, it would be the best on it. Even at his worst, Sambora is better than almost anyone else.
Mr. Bluesman - Absolutely astounding, blues song, and Eric Clapton's guitar solo just makes it even more amazing.
Rosie - The most Bon Jovi-reminiscent track on the album. Jon actually wanted this for New Jersey, but Richie kept it.
River of Love - Dodgy lyrics, but another nice, anthemic rock song.
Father Time - Sharply contrasting to the previous two tracks, it really hits you with despair and angst.
The Answer - A beautiful ending to a beautiful album. Soft, gentle, but with a strange power about it.

Jon may be the focus of Bon Jovi, but with this album, Richie really steps out of the shadows and proves himself a superior vocalist, songwriter, and a truly amazing guitarist.

That sounds grandiose, but it isn't for this CD. Stranger in this Town is a masterpiece. It flows. It is high art. Richie's guitar is weeping, sighing, shouting, ripping, slamming, scorching, shredding, blazing and simply out of this world. Vocally, at times he sounds like Robert Plant, and other times he sounds like an ancient soul reaching in to you where you live.

As a professional musician myself I love the many subtle ways his strings are reverbed and at times makes you feel like you are in outer space with the resonant reflections. The layering of this mix with all the tools of magic used in recording studios is immaculate. I love the artistic treats scattered here and there that amp up the glitter. Do yourself a favor and listen to it the first time with digital headphones. It is a whole different world than listening through room amps.

"Stranger in this Town" is dazzling.

I feel at times like I am seeing sound painting with the way Richie sculpts his sounds. His music is very visual. Wait til you hear "Father Time" it will dig deeeep into your soul. My visual was Dali's melting clock with this wrenching piece.

Richie's CD is a true Masterpiece. It never overwhelms yet is continually evolving like a kalaidoscope of sound morphing into ever fascinating patterns, rhythms, perceptions, moods. Like a fine, rare vintage of, pick your pleasure, his music pleasures the ears. I'm smiling.

Check him out on Bo Bice's hit single "Vehicle". Richie scores again. Incredible work.

I was introduced to this album by my brother. I soon bought my own copy. This album is in my opinion a clear departure from the "Bon Jovi" formula. What grabs you immediately is the vocals. Richie has an awesome range and power behind the mic. For being an album done by a guitarist, it's not really guitar oriented it's more a musical statement and the arrangements have a great deal of sophistication. I've played this album for other musician and non-musician friends of mine and they've all agreed that Richie has some great vocal chops. I had a hard time getting the cd back a few times. Least favorite songs were Rosie and River of Love. Favorites:The Answer, Father Time, Intro+ Church of Desire and Mr.Bluesman. This is a must have CD.

Anyone (and I've only seen one) who says this CD is Bon Jovi without Jon, is sadly mistaken! I think whoever said that needs to get their head examined. Richie was the reason I initially got into Bon Jovi in the first place! He's a gifted guitar player (if he wasn't, Les Paul himself would not associate with him, much less would Clapton play on this CD) and has a fabulous voice. With or without Jon (who I also admire), Richie Sambora is a class act. Buy this CD!

Richie Sambora's first solo effort is excellent!Songs like "Stranger in this town" and "Ballad of Youth" show Richie's guitar talents along with great vocals. Not only is this filled with great music, the words are beautiful and songs like "One light Burning" catch your ear and heart! This CD along with his second solo effort insipred me..thank-you Richie!

"I walk alone in the darkness of the city...I might be dyin but you can't hear a sound"

Good lord. Which album to listen to? Given that both are handed down from God himself. Isn't it ironic that Jon and Richie "parted ways to do their own thing" and then each of them singlehandedly made the BEST ALBUM EVER MADE, completely without the other? Well, that in itself should build on the musically underrated credibility of the band Bon Jovi. Unfortunately this was the artistic peak (so far!!!!) in their career, as recent albums post "Keep the Faith" have been played it a little safe.

But you want to talk underrated? This will go down as the most underrated album of all time, hands down. I cry when I think about Richie's potential. He has so much soul, technique, feel, blood and sweat....

Everyone knows this album is an artistic triumph (which Richie regrets his lack of commercialism (???????) ), but just like Jon's Young Guns Masterpiece, this album is SATURATED with epic lyrics to get you through the toughest of tough times and find emotional muscle, and there's many other great things for all the "commonpeople" out there. AND there's great diversity throughout. Highlights are the title track, "Father Time," and "The Answer", and also the single "Ballad of Youth", though of course the whole thing really is a mega highlight in an otherwise ridiculous music industry. Again, if you consider yourself a lover of music, you BETTER own this album.

Greatness

And Richie, for God's sake get your passion back to play guitar and stop dwelling on being radiominded for atleast 2 songs an album. Is that too much to ask?

I didn't really know about Richie's solo work until seeing a musician's post on a Bon Jovi message board as to what a masterpiece Stranger in This Town was, and that Richie was the most underrated musician in the world, by the public, but not within the music industry. He was hoping that Richie's new album was just as good as Strangers.

So I purchased this CD and "incredible masterpiece" is a very fitting description. I can't believe how great this album is, and the incredible soul and feeling Richie was able to express in his songs.

I'm not sure how I ever founf this album, Guess it was dumbluck but thank god I did. It is truely amazing. his talent is a huge reason for the huge sucess of bon jovi. The best tracks are "Father time" witch you can feel the emotion in his voice and "the answer" is another amasing track that realy makes you think. you just can't go wroug with this one.

I've recommended this cd to at least 15 people that have purchased and fell in love with it immediately. It's not a slick, over-mastered bubblegum piece of fluff. This is a deep, mesmerizing and bluesy recording right down to the roots of rock and roll. Melodies flow smoothly from one to another and Richie's dark smoky voice makes this one perfect experience of listening pleasure. It's from the soul and you feel it completely. Harkens back to those slow evenings sitting at a corner table in a blues bar when nothing is pressing and everything is good and right as the sound flows over you and pulls you into the experience. Buy it--you'll love it!