Review
'Crush' rolled in after Bon Jovi took a breather for five years following 'These Days,' and boy did they come back with a bang! That signature sound got a fresh coat of paint under the production team of Jon and Richie alongside newcomer Luke Ebbin. What really shot this album into the stratosphere was 'It's My Life,' a track that not only became an anthem for a new generation but earned those Jersey boys a Grammy nod. The way that song balanced their classic sound with that turn-of-the-millennium energy reminded me why these fellas have staying power.
When you stack up the tracklist, you're getting the full Bon Jovi experience - from the fist-pumping rock of 'Say It Isn't So' to the kind of sweeping, emotional journey you hear in 'Next 100 Years.' There's something mighty special about how they can deliver a heart-tugger like 'Thank You For Loving Me' without losing an ounce of their rock credibility. Their seventh studio effort proved these guys hadn't lost their touch, climbing to number nine on the U.S. charts and topping charts around the world.
What struck me most about 'Crush' was how it bridged the gap between their hair metal heyday and the more mature sound they'd been cultivating. The production sounds clean and full without losing that essential grit that made them legends in the first place. I remember spinning this disc and thinking how seamlessly they'd managed to stay true to themselves while still sounding relevant in 2000. Even after all these years, when 'It's My Life' comes on the radio, I still crank it up - that's the mark of a solid record that's aged like fine whiskey, not just another flash in the pan. - Rex
