Bon Jovi – The Circle/When We Were Beautiful

Bon Jovi’s album, The Circle, was originally released on October 30. However, this week a Deluxe Edition—which includes the documentary When We Were Beautiful—came out. I’m not going to lie, I’m not usually a huge Bon Jovi fan. Of course, I like the classics like “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.” But overall, not so much.

I have to say, though, that “We Weren’t Born to Follow,” the first single off the album, has totally grown on me. Here’s why: the song plays during nearly every single commercial of NFL football games (and maybe even college games, I can’t really remember). When you hear a song that much, you begin to form a kind of bond with it to a point when you find yourself really enjoying the song (even if you didn’t care for it to begin with).

Maybe that can be said about any song/band. Well actually that’s not true. You couldn’t pay me to enjoy a Creed song. But, I digress.

I came into listening to The Circle with an open mind and found myself liking it as it progressed. The album is well-balanced between fast-paced rock songs and ballads. Bon Jovi hasn’t lost its touch, it seems. Smart move to put their stuff during sporting events, though. Can’t go wrong doing that. Right, Faith Hill?

Check out The Circle/When We Were Beautiful! I really do think it’s an enjoyable experience.

Tori Amos – Midwinter Graces

Midwinter Graces is Tori Amos’s second album in 2009 alone, and is her eleventh studio record overall. It is her first seasonal album and contains songs dedicated to winter and Christmas. It seems like a lot of artists are releasing holiday music these days (even Bob Dylan).

In the album, there are six traditional Christmas songs, five new songs written by Amos herself, and one song by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. Listening to the album, I was surprised by Amos’s original songs. Usually when I listen to holiday albums I get annoyed by their cheesiness and rushed feeling to them; on this album, however, the songs are actually well-written. They seem to have the potential to be successful in the future, instead of just trendy for one year. I especially like “A Silent Night With You.” It makes me wish I lived where it snows in the winter…

If you get the Deluxe Edition of Midwinter Graces, you get three additional songs, including two new songs for 2009 and one traditional one (“Good King Wenceslas”). Check out the album today, just in time for the start of the holiday season!


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