Jon Bon Jovi has done exceptionally well since he temporarily went solo for his latest album, "Blaze of Glory." Although he has only had two released hits, "Blaze of Glory" and "Miracle," from this album, every single song on it is, in fact, better than these two popular ones. This album should be doing better than it is, though, for his songs have great meaning to them. I guess in order to completely understand the lyrics, you must see the movie which inspired this album, "Young Guns II."

Unlike some heavy metal and hard rock bands, Jon Bon Jovi sings about "miracles, banging a drum for the sinners," and how "dyin' ain't much of a livin'," instead of about violence and drugs.

"Just the right instruments and beat are put into every song to make it sound awesome. The harmonica in "Blood Money" and the choir singing, "Alleluia, Amen" in the background of "Bang a Drum" give these songs just the right sound and feeling.

Anyone can actually compare his songs to the reality of this world. When I think of the war in the Gulf and the soldiers fighting there, I think of his song, "Dyin' Ain't Much of a Livin'." When I'm in the toughest situations from which I think I'll never escape, I think of Jon's song "Miracle" which we all need sometimes.

Since I have almost all of Bon Jovi's tapes from his first, "Bon Jovi," to his latest, "Blaze of Glory," I can say that he keeps getting better and better, never ceasing to come up with original, good, meaningful songs. In his career as a singer, Jon Bon Jovi has reached his "Blaze of Glory" but in terms of this latest album, he has hopefully just "Sparked" it! n