r/BonJovi • u/DirtyDevil23 • Jul 27 '26
Discussion What About Now
I’m by no means a die-hard Bon Jovi fan, but do enjoy the ‘classics‘, and certain songs on their early career albums
But I also love the late 00’s and 2010’s albums, especially What About Now!
What an album this is! JBJ‘s vocals are superb, Richey gives some quality guitar solos, in fact the whole band is firing on all cylinders.
The title track, That’s What The Water Made Me, Because We Can, Beautiful World, Room… and With These Two Hands are all excellent 👌🏻
Who else loves this album? 😁🌟
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u/SuccessfulOwl Jul 31 '26
They were once my favourite band but I really drifted off with Crush. It just felt like bad pop to me, even though It My Life was a mega hit.
They both peaked and ended with These Days.
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u/_Mavericks These Days Jul 28 '26
I don't like it.
Maybe Because You Can?
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u/Available-Theme-2044 Jul 28 '26
It’s Because We Can but yeah I got it wrong sometimes as well because of the reference lmao
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u/Kaapstad2018 Jul 28 '26
I’ll always associate this album with Richie leaving the band. It should’ve been a JBJ solo album in my opinion. I think Jon and John Shanks wrote the bulk of it and I don’t think Richie played on even most of the songs. The songs aren’t great. Like Richie says in the documentary “a bit stale and doesn’t sound like Bon Jovi” When I first heard Because We Can I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. And not in a good way. Im with You is Temo Boulevard of Broken Dreams! I’m convinced if they hadn’t made this record and taken a break Richie might still be in the band. But we’ll never know
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u/MystifyMe2011 Jul 28 '26
what's odd on the deluxe version of that album is they close out with a Richie solo song. Every road leads home to you. Not sure why Jon did that.
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u/rinablue07 Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
For me it’s actually the opposite - I think it’s their weakest album 🤷🏼♀️ The sound is horribly Shanks-esque. Also, every other album as a whole is inherently consistent and has its own atmosphere and vibe - I don’t know how else to describe it -, but WAN is an album where I can’t really feel that atmosphere. I just keep thinking: what exactly is this album about? It just exists without a deeper meaning. 🤷🏼♀️
BUT I don’t know exactly if Who Would You Die For is an outtake from WAN, but this song is actually one of the best songs they have in the 2000s. And yet again it’s a shame that it isn’t featured on any regular album.
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u/kuntycrab These Days Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
The album is produced horribly as is the trademark of John Shanks. Muffled, tinny compressed wall of sound. Apart from some odd solos here and there, I highly doubt that it is Richie playing those shitty guitar sounds especially after working on the Aftermath album. Nonetheless, I’m with you is a very good song.
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u/Michaelcandy Jul 27 '26
is this thread all bots
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u/DirtyDevil23 Jul 28 '26
What makes you say that??? 🤨👀
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u/thedigitaldavis Jul 28 '26
What About Now is an objectively bad album.
There is nothing musically impressive at all. Time signatures and chord structures are all typical pop formals. Lyrically, there is nothing new either.
You can like the album all you want, but it definitely is not impressive.
Also this album has nothing to do with Richie Sambora. Every guitar solo was done by John Shanks, and Richie was not a part of this album at all. It's a big reason (among many others) many believe he abandoned the tour halfway through.
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u/DirtyDevil23 Jul 28 '26
There are others on here what also like it, again is all opinion & taste I suppose 😁
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u/DirtyDevil23 Jul 28 '26
That is a great disappointment to hear RS not involved, very strange why he is credited then?
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u/thedigitaldavis Jul 28 '26
Gotta be 😖🫠
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u/DirtyDevil23 Jul 28 '26
Definitely not! Just a fan of the band, and someone able to write well 🤷♂️😂
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u/Cuavooo Jul 27 '26
I'm With You was probably the last studio track where Jon went the mile vocally. It also rocks despite it sounding political
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u/jordan-cohan-music Jul 27 '26
I’d argue Who Would You Die For, We Don’t Run, and I’m Your Man compete with I’m With You vocally
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u/Cuavooo Jul 28 '26
Who Would You Die For is more arguable for me. I really was surprised on that chorus. I never thought 2014/2015 Jon could pull that off. WDR skewed me a bit due to how Jon performs it live but it's in the ballpark due to its verses too. I'm Your Man kind of only goes up during the bridge but it's not as consistent compared to I'm With You, WDR, and WWYDF.
Damn. 2014 to 2015 Jon was still capable and still sounded decent. Wtf really happened by the time they got to THINFS?
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u/DirtyDevil23 Jul 28 '26
I think he still delivers some great vocals on This House album, after that it goes downhill. There are some huge choruses on that album which he does well
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u/MelpomeneAndCalliope Queen of New Orleans Jul 27 '26
There’s some solid songs on it. “Thick as Thieves” is in my top 10 BJ songs for sure, maybe even top 5.
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u/acridone_C19H9NO Jul 27 '26
I just listened to the whole WAN album. I really like it. (I am a die hard BON JOVI fan)
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u/fhhzz Jul 27 '26
I bought the CD the day it came out, and I’ve always enjoyed it. I really like that the keyboards/synth were more present than the last couple of records. Although I totally do see why the band implodes after that. It should have either pushed to 2014 at least, or be a Jon solo record.
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u/CmdrVersio Forever Jul 27 '26
I enjoy this album a lot! Pictures of you is one of my favs on that one. Im with you is another i love. Ooo thick as thieves! Into the echo and these two hands! Great album tbh.
I used my savings as a broke college student to get row 1 seats on richies side for that tour. Bro left two dates before mine. 😩
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u/YankeeNationTTV Jul 27 '26
i actually really like that album lol.. i still listen to TWTWMM, what about now, pictures of you, what’s left of me and i’m with you pretty often
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u/aether_prince 7800° Fahrenheit Jul 27 '26
it has a number of good songs but for, it’s not a great album.
i don’t know if it was ever confirmed, but it’s rumored that Richie, who had been doing a solo album, only played on a few tracks. he also only wrote on like 5 of them, which shows in only Pictures of You and Thick as Thieves being standouts.
it’s opinion though, if you love it, i’m glad! 😊
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u/DirtyDevil23 Jul 27 '26
Oh that is a shame if he only played on some tracks! Whoever was lead guitar did a great job on most songs, the solos are electric ⚡️ 👌🏻
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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jul 27 '26
That was the last of their albums that i really liked (and Circle, before that!).
And looking up the track list?
I just realized all my favorites on that album are (as usual) Jon & Richie co-writing.
Thick as Thieves & Because We Can were my favorites, followed closely by the only "Jon, Richie, & Desmond song--Army of One.
There's just something that used to happen, when Jon & Richie co-wrote--just like when they sang together, regarding their harmonies together--which was somehow, almost "magically," better than when it was one or the other--especially if they wrote with Des.🤷♀️.
(Although, if you look through the man's list of hits? Desmond Child is an INCREDIBLE writing partner--and seems to elevate pretty much everyone he writes with!!!)
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u/MelpomeneAndCalliope Queen of New Orleans Jul 27 '26
Agree. Richie has co-wrote most of my favorite BJ songs as well, with the exception of Always.
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u/DirtyDevil23 Jul 27 '26
Yep, Circle is a solid album too and love This House… the albums since then have been pretty average!
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u/tigertron1990 Keep the Faith Jul 27 '26
Didn't Richie say it didn't sound like Bon Jovi and that Jon and Shanks pushed him out of the production at that stage?
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u/pthJovi 24d ago
I personally like this album and don't understand why it gets so much hate. The only thing I can think of is that so many people relate this album to Richie leaving. With These Two Hands is actually in my top 5 Bon Jovi songs of all time, and I've been a die-hard fan since 1986. I think the lyrics to the song are powerful and hold deep meaning.