Is this record as good as …? That is the quandary that Aerosmith faces each time
a new release is put out when critics want to know if it measures up to Rocks or
Toys in the Attic. The Stones have Exile on Main Street as their measuring
stick, and Bon Jovi, the world’s most successful bar band, has 1986’s Slippery
When Wet. After the comparison is made, the question must become: is this
material enjoyable? Have a Nice Day is not Slippery When Wet, but it is a darn
good listen from a band that has the ability to still sell lots of records and
fill arenas, unlike the majority of bands that charted when Bon Jovi released
their eponymous debut some 21 years ago.
Lyrically, Bon Jovi still won’t take any shit, and don’t want you to take any,
either. “Have a Nice Day” tells us that:
“I ain’t gonna do what I don’t want to: I’m gonna live my life
Shining like a Diamond, rolling with the dice
Standing on the ledge, I’ll show the wind how to fly
When the world gets in my face, I say..
Have a nice day”
“Last Man Standing” sheds insight into the pride the boys feel about still being
around while shooting some sardonic perspective at the industry:
“There’s no dancers, there’s no diamonds
No, this boy don’t lip sync
Here’s the last man standing,
Step right up, here’s the real thing
Despite having riches and fame beyond imagination, the chip is still on the
shoulder, and the boys feel like they need to remind the world that they have
never forgotten where they came from and the pride they get from still being
relevant in a fickle industry. There is something to prove, even if you are
married to Heather Locklear.
There is nothing terribly original about the sound of the record, in which
several tracks are constructed especially for the arena like the aforementioned
title track, “I Want to Be Loved”, and “I Am,” as well as tear jerking ballads
like “Bells of Freedom,” “Wildflower” (complete with a string section) and a
song like “Last Cigarette,” which sticks in your head and won’t get out. The
most satisfying cut on the disc is the `countrified’ version of “Who Says You
Can’t Go Home” (the song appears on the album in two forms), a duet with
Jennifer Nettles from country juggernaut Sugarland. The New Jersey hair metal
survivors sound as if they are having the times of their lives while mandolins
and steel guitars swirl out the melody. Even though this is the only artistic
stretch on the record, the rest of Have a Nice Day is competent and worthy of
consistent toe tapping.
~R. David Smola
pretendcritic@aol.com
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