In the late 1980s, only U2 and perhaps Def Leppard could have laid claim to being bigger than New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi. With their 1986 pop metal masterpiece Slippery When Wet, the band created one of the "must own" albums of the 1980s, a disc of flawless production and candy like rock hooks. On 1988's New Jersey, the band continued making solid rock tracks with undeniable pop hooks. After nearly breaking up at the conclusion of the tour in support of that album, the band waited 4 years to release 1992's Keep the Faith, probably the band's best all around album.

In 1994, with the Seattle scene beginning its fall from grace, pop punk reigning supreme thanks to acts like Green Day and The Offspring, and visionary acts like Nine Inch Nails finally getting their long overdue commercial respect, it may have seemed a bit of an odd time for the band to release it's greatest hits retrospective. It may seem even odder that one of the new songs on the collection, the overbearing but somewhat emotional if nothing else Always, became a top ten hit and spurred this album to multiplatinum status.

Cross Road: 14 Classic Grooves attempts to sum up Bon Jovi's first five albums in nothing more than 10 cuts, once you get past the soundtrack cut that everyone loved (Blaze of Glory), and the obligatory new tracks (the aforementioned Always, the excellent Someday I'll Be Saturday Night, and the awful Prayer '94, more on that one later). The problem is that there were plenty of tracks that were excluded from this collection. But first, let's cover what is on this disc.

The band's most well known songs are here, from the cheesy if enjoyable Bad Medicine to possibly the band's biggest hit ever, not to mention one of their best all around songs, Livin on a Prayer. Yes, Prayer '94 is a remix or a re-do of that song, and quite frankly, I find it to be boring, un-necessary, and it almost plays down to bands such as Seven Mary Three in terms of its darker, more dense tone.

The other two big hits from the Slippery When Wet are here, first being the weary road anthem Wanted Dead or Alive (featuring the awesome climax line of "I've seen a million faces, and I've rocked them all!"). And then there's You Give Love a Bad Name, which has one of the most easily identifiable riffs of the 80s.

While everyone seemed to be shooting their wad over Bad Medicine, I much preferred the anthemic bombast that was Lay Your Hands on Me. Yes, the first minute plus or so sucks, what with the drums, the keyboards and the over the top "hey!"s , but once it gets going, it's like a freight train that can't be stopped. Ahhhh, childhood memories of rocking out to this song. :)

The title track from Keep the Faith is a decent change of pace, but Bed of Roses is far from the best ballad they could have put on here. Hell, where's Never Say Goodbye?

And one can understand why Runaway is on here, but In and Out of Love is f*cking awful. It honestly sounds so ridiculously cheesy and bad. WHY is this on here?

So What Should Be On This Disc, But Isn't?

There are plenty of candidates to be included on this disc that were left at the cutting room floor. From Slippery, Wild in the Streets, Raise Your Hands, and the aforementioned Never Say Goodbye all would have been excellent choices.

From New Jersey, Born to Be My Baby could've been included, but the REAL headscratcher is how Blood on Blood did not get included. Blasphemy I say!

The band didn't have much to work with with Faith, but I'll Sleep When I'm Dead is a fun and rollicking pure rock and roll number.

So while Cross Road may not be a bad place to start for the most casual of Bon Jovi fans, there's just too many solid songs missing and too many asinine choices for this to be an "essential" buy the way other greatest hits albums are (see Petty, Tom and Miller, Steve).

Tracklist: Livin on a Prayer, Keep the Faith, Someday I'll Be Saturday Night, Always, Wanted Dead or Alive, Lay Your Hands on Me, You Give Love a Bad Name, Bed of Roses, Blaze of Glory, Prayer '94, Bad Medicine, I'll Be There For You, In & Out of Love, Runaway

What the tracklist should be: Runaway, Prayer, Faith, Sat Night, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Dead or Alive, Hands, Bad Name, Always, Blaze of Glory, Medicine, Raise Your Hands, Wild in the Streets, Blood on Blood, Never Say Goodbye



Recommended: Yes