Bon Jovi

The self-titled Bon Jovi is a vivid debut on which a young band from New Jersey binds straight, powerful hard rock and memorable melody. Jon Bon Jovi’s straight, soaring singing and Richie Sambora’s guitar give the songs a sure momentum born of youth, and the sound, including David Bryan’s keyboards, creates a large expanse in the manner of American rock of the time. The striking, beautiful keyboard phrase of the opening first hit “Runaway” is, so to speak, a trailer for the worldwide success that would later come, while the drama of “Shot Through the Heart” and cuts like “She Don’t Know Me,” “Roulette” and “Breakout” clearly show the band’s sure potential. Precisely because it keeps rough parts, one can naturally feel the initial-impulse heat particular to a starting point from which the band heads toward big stages. While faithfully inheriting the style of 1980s melodic hard rock and arena rock, it is full of sure promise. A fresh, powerful debut that became the origin of Bon Jovi’s brilliant career — an essential record for fans.