It’s been almost two decades since we heard the boys from New Jersey for the first time. In an era that was dominated by a pop sound, we saw these rockers with their scarily large hair and outrageously tight trousers take the world by storm. It’s just one of those bands that can lay claim to the fact that every one knows a Bon Jovi song! I don’t think it’ll actually be possible to find someone who has never heard one of their many hits. In fact, it’s quite indicative of the band’s popularity when the station receives more entries for the first ever Bon Jovi Weekend within the first 36 hours of calling for entries than some other artists receive in a full week leading up to a weekend dedicated to their musical output.

But “You Give Love a Bad Name”, “Bed Of Roses” and “Livin’ on a Prayer” was then and 10 albums later we have a new one called “Lost Highway”.

The key to real longevity for any artist is innovation and reinvention which is exactly what has happened to the rockers. They’ve made what is essentially a country album. No, you read right. Yes, it still has that contemporary rock influence, but is much smoother, as the first single “(You want to) Make a Memory” suggests.

They have also migrated largely to a new Country audience which has shown their support for Lost Highway by buying 292,000 albums in the first week of sales helping them debut at number 1 on the Billboard chart for the first time since 1988. Leann Rimes also features on “Till we ain’t strangers anymore” which is very nice. It’s probably the group’s first Grammy earlier this year for "Best Country Collaboration" for "Who Says You Can't Go Home" that kind of spurred them on to do more of the same.

Lost Highway is a good record by a great band and if you’re a fan, Jon and Richie can’t do anything wrong, but it’s a far cry from Slippery When Wet. A more mature record if you will. Easy listening and definitely good for a few “Summertime” spins. But if you’re hoping for an anthem like “It’s my Life” or “Bad Medicine,” you might walk away a tad disappointed with this album, cursing the whole metrosexual movement and belief that guys have to get in touch with their feelings. Maybe you will blame it on Jon’s short-lived acting career. Maybe it was Ally McBeal who softened up him and his band. Maybe you’ll wish they were rather recognised for their earlier efforts at the Grammys. But maybe, if you give this album a second or third spin, you’ll discover a new, yet familiar sound that fits like that favourite pair of slippers.

Of course, if you’re a lady and you’re planning a girls’ night at home, there are far worse ways to spend the night than hunting down a forgotten copy of Moonlight and Valentino at the corner video store and slipping this CD into the player while preparing the snacks and opening the wine. If you’re one of the guys, you might be in the garage experiencing a shot to the heart blaming this album for giving love a bad name.