SONG REVIEWED: "It's My life"
WHEN I FIRST HEARD LAST YEAR THAT THE MEMBERS OF BON JOVI WOULD BE RETURNING TO THEIR "SLIPPERY WHEN WET"-ERA SOUND, I WAS EAGER TO HEAR MORE OF THE ARENA ROCK, BIG HAIR ANTHEMS THAT THEY'RE KNOWN FOR. "IT'S MY LIFE" IS PRETTY MUCH ON TARGET IN THIS RESPECT. BIG GUITARS, BIG CHORUS, BIG OPENING (IT'S THE FIRST TRACK ON THE DISC).
ONE LISTEN WILL HAVE YOU HUMMING THE LYRICS, AND THAT'S THE SIGN OF A GOOD SONG; MAKE IT MEMORABLE, AND DO IT FAST. BON JOVI IS GOOD AT JUST THAT. LYRICALLY, IT'S STANDARD FARE FOR THE JERSEY ROCKERS, AND THAT MEANS THAT MESSAGE OF "STAND UP IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY" MESSAGE IS BLAZING THROUGH. ALSO, THE THROWBACK LINE TO "TOMMY AND GINA" FROM THEIR SONG "LIVING ON A PRAYER" IS ANOTHER SIGNAL THAT THESE GUYS ARE AWARE OF WHAT THEY DO WELL.
I'M STILL SEARCHING FOR CONFIRMATION ON THIS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE GUYS WORKED WITH THE BACKSTREET BOYS' PRODUCER ON THIS TRACK. YOU'LL KNOW WHAT I MEAN WHEN YOU HEAR THE CHORUS. THE LAYERED VOCALS SOUND IDENTICAL TO THE LATEST BACKSTREET OR N'SYNC SINGLES.
THIS ISN'T EXACTLY A RETURN TO 80s BON JOVI, BUT IT'S PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THAT THIS AGING BAND IS GOING TO GET TO RECAPTURING THE SOUND THAT PUT THEM AT THE TOP OF THE CHARTS.
