en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/meLOVESrichie/journal The Last.fm journal for meLOVESrichie. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/meLOVESrichie/journal/2010/10/15/3zbis4_what_changed_my_life_(and_music_tastes_too!) Fri, 15 Oct 2010 01:24:18 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/meLOVESrichie/journal/2010/10/15/3zbis4_what_changed_my_life_(and_music_tastes_too!) Ok, the title isn't so great. But the role that record played on me in that period of my life - I was in what is said "the end's beginning", with troubles of all sorts- surely gave me something to help me keep standing through all that crap.
It all started in a very accidental way. At the time I was a mostly die-hard Clapton fan, and one day just got to know that he was playing the solo in a Richie Sambora album. I just went a double "hmmm" - first, because it took me such a long time (it was January 2008) to discover this, second because I always liked Bon Jovi, and was really startled to hear about a solo work from Richie.
Anyway, I just downloaded the whole record and, full of excitement, got ready to listen to it. I mean, listen only to Mr. Bluesman. And couldn't really imagine what came next. In just one play and a half, I've been completely SEDUCED by Richie's voice... you know, in Bon Jovi's albums he's pretty hard to be clearly heard vocally. It was my very first time considering him apart from his guitar work... well, it has been probably also one of the fist times I've searched the Net looking for some images, as I didn't even knew how he looked like. Obviously, that was my second wonderful surprise of the day!
I really couldn't be impressed more positively by him. But I was deadly wrong.

Yes, bucause there was still the rest of the album waiting to be examined. I have to admit that I was able to appreciate it at his fullest only two or three months later, as it's so rich in atmosphere, changing sounds, lyrical content and that thing I define "Richie's magic"- that was just too much to be assimilated all at once. But after this cautious start, I now look at it as my best record of all times.
Stranger In This Town is a superb album, the only one which has everything I usually seek in music: good and meaningful lyrics, without rude words; equal good and well-played music, along with at least "properly said" vocal performance, decent arrangements... well, something that's pleasant but not easy to listen to. And dear Richie led my basic expectations to the highest degree... just take the opening and ending tracks, and that's already HALF of it. The perfect example of how music has to be arranged and how deep a song can be is in these two pieces.
The title track, One Light Burning and Mr. Bluesman are something that can't really be defined in a clear way, unless using long and confusing sentences: in my own little statement, all I can say is that they're the best blues songs I've ever heard (with due respect, my 16 years spent consuming Eric Clapton's records were blown away in five minutes!)... they just have such intensity and passion, it's pure heaven listening to them.
Oh, and now come the more rock tracks. I like them, mostly because they're so alike but different at the same time. The lyrical and yet orchestral-sounding Father Time is such a fine and sophisticated work, well refined but not resulting in something heavy or difficult to hear, while Church Of Desire reminds those first Bon Jovi songs in the '80s, with solos reflecting Van Halen's influences. And Ballad Of Youth simply rocks!

An authentic must-have not only for Bon Jovi fans, but just for everyone who appreciates great music and great artists. Yes, mostly the latter, because I'm talking about one who's pretty unknown as a solo artist. And it's a complete shame. Even the author of this review was one of those people who grew up listening to Bon Jovi songs on the radio, and all I knew about the band was Jon Bon Jovi (name, face and voice), and the guy on guitar (just his name and unmistakeable sound). No mention for poor Dave and Tico, although I knew there were four boys. So it was a complete shock for me bumping into Richie's first work, as well in himself. And he's the greatest gift Fate could give me, as my life was in danger at the period and no doctor could have been able to give me a better cure. Especially when feeling down, it's so comforting having Richie's warm voice surrounding me like a hug. And he did this, he hugged me during the most horrible time I had to endure, giving me strength, hope and that sort of tenderness I was desperately missing and struggling to find somewhere else.

He saved my life. And I will owe him many thanks until the end of time.

Richie SamboraStranger In This Town]]>