Blaze Of Glory: Songs Written And Performed By Jon Bon Jovi, Inspired By The Film Young Guns II [SOUNDTRACK]

This album feels like a western. No doubt. Jon Bon Jovi may be from Jersey but he knows what the old west is about -- dirt, spit, blood. Big emotions and big voices. That's what this album provides. When this album was written Jon probably didn't know how to write a bad song.

But there is one song that is truly unforgettable. It is called "Santa Fe" and it is probably the pinnacle of songwriting for Jon. He delivers a vocal performance that he could probably never duplicate in a song that lies itself bleeding on a dirty rock and roll highway. Listening to this song is exhausting, I can't imagine performing it.

The rest of this record may not reach that pinnacle but it gets close. And how many records can say that?

No, I'm not a 35 year old who's been into Bon Jovi since the Runaway and Farenheit days (though I was quick to catch up), but I can't do anything about that. At the age of 10, I saw the Blaze of Glory Video on TV, and that is the reason for everything I have chosen to do to this day.

Yes, I guess I am slightly biased, being a hardcore Jovi fan for a good 12 years and counting now, but... I'll do my best here to try to put myself on the level of all the "Ew that is cheesy hair metal" people that I have had the misfortune of being surrounded by all my life, if just to try to reach them somehow. (Is that possible?)

Please forgive me if this review doesn't seem to the point, but I view it as necessary. The bottom line is, although Jon Bon Jovi is not Beethoven (though I foolishly tried to draw some parallels to that earlier this evening), he has "it." What is "it?" It's not a selloutcheezyleaterpantslonghairspandexpretensious element that most people my age seem to see in him (or the band for that matter). But it is an element that has evolved and perfected itself in the form of Jon Bon Jovi. He is not fake. He writes, sings, and plays from the heart, I swear to God. I don't care how much of a Jazz, Beatles, Techno, Nirvana, Bach, or Rap (or Def Leppard, for that matter) lover you are. When you put this album on and you are engulfed by the surreal power of "Sante Fe", "Miracle", the title track, and "Justice in the Barrel", you learn (or are vividly reminded) why music exists in the first place. And what else do you need? "It" is had by few, but if you let it in, who knows, it may just save your life at some point, or atleast get you through some tough times. I am very serious about this. With the possible exception of the leadoff "Billy Get Your Guns" and the awesome Little Richard Romp "You Really Got Me Now" (which are great songs, btw), every other song on this album was given to us from God himself. No, I am not saying Jon Bon Jovi is God. But I am saying that music connects with the human soul in such a profound way, that some other force, or SOMETHING, let Jon into the "stream of light", or whatever you will call it, so he could tap some of that great energy and call it his own, on this album. No, he isn't the greatest musician in the world. On the band albums, Richie and Dave are what make that so remarkable. But although some classical buffs (and I'm sure many others) cringe at me saying this, the emotion evoked on the "So I save a prayer..." bridge of "Sante Fe" is NOT out of league with that found in the Beethoven 9th or the Rachmaninoff 2nd.

So from one little video from 1990, where Jon Bon Jovi lip-synchs on the top of a beautiful cliff in the middle of nowhere, comes atleast one "impressionable" life, that being myself. With a degree in classical piano, I myself will now be trying to be the "next biggest thing" or whatever euphemism one must call such a blessing/curse. Hopefully, it will be something that makes some sort of a bridge between openminded classical people and rock enthusiasts. I don't like Jon only for his appearance, as is the case with most crazy people who stand in line for 1st row seats that don't know half the lyrics. I like him for his MUSIC. What a novel concept! The terms Bon Jovi and HIGH LEVEL OF MUSICIANSHIP used in the same breath! Well, the critics never cared to state anything like that, so let me be the first. I really appreciate you reading this, and though you might not be the gullable 10 year old that I was (of course I'll admit there was and is commercialism in it, you can't play the game without it), I don't care who you are. If you are a legitimately decent human being, you will buy this album, listen to it with great focus, and find Jon Bon Jovi bleeding his heart out in every NONCLICHE (that's right) lyric he puts forth. I think I'm a bigger fan of the album than he is, but ... so what?

Thank You All For Your Time and Rock and Roll will never die,
Doug...