New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi exploded onto the music scene with their self-titled debut album in 1983. Singer and band leader Jon Bon Jovi (who, incidentally, had a brief stint in New York based band Scandal) helmed an outfit of New Jersey area musicians whose debut album, the self-titled Bon Jovi, hit record store shelves in January 1984. While the band, following a pivot toward a more middle of the round power pop style, would eventually go on to become superstars, this inaugural effort shows them at their hungriest: still commercial, but less polished and more generic in their sound than much of what would follow. The original compact disc release in 1984 (early in the CD era) was eventually suuplanted by a digitally remastered version fourteen years later. How does the remaster compare to the original?
Runaway
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
Roulette
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
She Don't Know Me
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
Shot Through the Heart
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
Love Lies
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
Breakout
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
Burning for Love
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
Come Back
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
Get Ready
Original 1986 CD release
1998 CD remaster
And the winner is: Original 1984 CD release.
This result likely comes as no surprise given the differences in the waveforms above. With the original compact disc having been released so early in the CD era, one would expect a decent chance of the remaster eclipsing it in audio quality even accounting for the compression. What we actually get, however, is a much louder copy of the album that's more muted in its visceral impact when listening to volume matched samples (or at whatever standardized volume one prefers when indulging in a listening session). There are a couple things that are improved: the bass clarity is inarguably better and less muddy sounding on the remaster, and to some extent, the high end is actually better despite the compression. The actual extent to which this is the case depends on the individual song, but I'd say that the audible high end is overall more pleasing to the ear on the remaster than on the original release. Honestly, if the 1998 disc didn't have the compression, this would be a blowout win. As is, the compression really wears on me with extended listening, especially on selections such as "Burning for Love" and "Come Back," songs which are heavily driven by the beat and where the effects of the compression are the most egregious. Ultimately, I'm giving this one to the original 1984 CD release.
