These Days with Anthony Kuzminski

So I don't know how many of you read Anthony's articles, but I've been following his blog for awhile now. I enjoy his take on albums and music in general, and he is a big fan of Bon Jovi - and likewise one of the best writers on their work I've ever read. He just gets it - both from a critic's and a fan's point of view.

In June, he published a review of These Days - a piece of work, he said, he had been working on for quite some time, but needed to find the right way to express his thoughts. He called the article "Part 1", specifying that it would be the album/work review, while "Part 2" would consider his personal thoughts and journey through the music it encased. I read Part 1, but I believe he posted Part 2 while I was in Europe, so I just recently read it last night.

I thought I would post and share it here, because I believe anyone who likes These Days needs to hear what he has to say. He not only analyzes the lyrics and music from a logistic perspective, but his personal emotions, thoughts, and feelings associated with the album as a whole are downright intriguing. He sheds lights on the band's progression with the album: how they developed and transitioned from the days of Keep the Faith to the darker, edgier, and world-questioning mood exhibited in These Days. He pinpoints specific traits in each of the band members, and how they, together, created an album that actually tested their musical profile -- and ultimately succeeded.

I think everyone who has ever heard the album - or even just the title track, really - can relate to Anthony in one way or another. We all, at some point in our lives, have struggled with doubt, depression, or hardship, and we all have faced adversity while being down on our luck. Anthony proves, through a parallel dive into the music and personal reaction, that the album's themes are universal and speak to every Tommy and Gina who ever wondered what the hell is going on with the world These Days.

Read it. I think you'll enjoy it.