Destination Anywhere in Bloomington, MN

Jon Bon Jovi
's first official solo album,
Destination Anywhere
(apparently
Blaze of Glory
doesn't count because it was a
soundtrack
) finds the hard rocker attempting to simultaneously make his signature sound more mature and more contemporary. Producer
Stephen Lironi
tones down the sample-driven rhythms that characterized his work with
Black Grape
, giving
Bon Jovi
a laid-back and modern musical bed. Of course, the singer chooses to write melodies and lyrics very similar to those of his full-time band, only less bombastic. And that's the key to
-- it really couldn't have been made by the band, because there are too many subtle sonics and melodies for the group. So, in a sense, it's a breakthrough for
, because it is the first time he sounds like he's come to terms with adulthood. That doesn't mean
is a complete success -- it, like his other records, is hampered by filler -- but none of his contemporaries were able to age this well, and the record is a fine example of late-'90s mainstream
pop
. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine