Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)4.5 stars
Here I am, surprised again by the Jonas Brothers. What an outstanding offering.
Before I go any further, I want to explain my ranking system. I'm not comparing this CD to Abbey Road, Dark Side of the Moon, or even Thriller. I'm placing it into its intended category: young boy bands making pop music. Then I assign it a rating, 1-5 stars, based on how well I believe they represented their genre of music.
And boy (pun intended), are they making good pop music.
I came upon the Jonas Brothers last year when I saw their last CD debut in the top 5 on Billboard. As always with a group or performer of whom I'm unfamiliar, I checked them out and saw that they were "Hanson-ish". As Hanson, mostly full grown, had released a terrific and highly underrated CD (Underneath) not too long ago, I was interested to see if Jonas Brothers was another Hanson in the making. I sampled a few tracks, liked what I heard, downloaded it, and instantly loved it. I was, and still am surprised by the maturity evident in their music (if not always their lyrics).
When they announced a new album, so close upon the heels of Jonas Brothers, I was worried that they were moving too quickly, especially as I read that they had been on tour, filmed a movie, and apparently did at least one hundred million different things between then and now.
When they announced that that they would be releasing four singles off the CD prior to its release, I thought they were insane. Most bands have one commercially appealing single, if they're lucky, and if they're phenomenally talented, they'll have several. I hadn't made the jump yet to thinking that the JBs were quite that talented.
The first song, "Burnin' Up" was a great song, musically, though again the lyrics were suspect, and the video (sorry guys) was really, really cheesy. "Pushing Me Away" was a good song, but it didn't elicit the number of listens that "Burnin' Up" did. Still, I thought it was a commercially viable single. The third was "Tonight," and while that wasn't my favorite of the bunch, I still liked it. It has good guitar work, and a strong, driving beat. With that driving beat, though, I was somewhat concerned that they were leaning toward that style. We've seen it on a few of their songs already. "A Little Bit Longer" went a long way toward quelling any concerns I had, as it was very different from anything I've heard from them in the past (I am not familiar with their first CD, and wish it would be re-released). It seemed strange to listen to Nick singing a song about his diabetes, especially with the clichéd line, "you don't know what you've got until it's gone," normally reserved for human relationships, but that strangeness wore off quickly, and I found the song very touching - especially after I found the lyrics online (being a bit hard of hearing, I rely on seeing the lyrics, and often tend to judge music first on the music, second on lyrics - odd because I'm a writer...).
And now the whole CD is here.
My other concern, that they would be releasing the only songs worth listening to, thus making the CD a downer, was blown away with the first chords of BB Good. Really excellent song, amazing beat, silly but fun lyrics, and the guitar work reminiscent of some of the 70s stadium bands like Queen or Journey, with great keyboard accompaniment. And their ability to craft insanely addictive hooks is so evident here. I haven't been able to get the chorus of this song out of my mind all day.
Lovebug, too, was a standout. It had a touch of bluegrass to it, reminding me somewhat of Michelle Shocked combined with the calmer sensibilities of "Anyone Else But You", from the movie Juno. I thought the talking in the song was funny - unlike others, it didn't throw me off, but felt organic.
The rest of the CD is strong too. They've really grown, musically, and that's good to see. They're not relying on old hooks or tricks, and are, for the most part, finding new ones.
Now my concern is that they're over-saturating the market with everything JONAS, especially with the upcoming sitcom on Disney. Flames that burn too brightly when they're first lit sometimes are the quickest to die. It didn't happen to the Beatles, though, or their solo careers, so let's hope it doesn't happen with these guys. They're still very young, and they seem (well, Nick's the leader, and he seems) to have an innate ability to write music people want to listen to. I hope that they're able to stick to what they seem to best at: making great music that's easy to love.
Click Here to see more reviews about:
A Little Bit LongerProduced by John Fields (with Jon Lind and Kevin Jonas, Sr., serving as executive producers), "A Little Bit Longer" covers much musical and emotional ground, kicking off with the joyful jam "BB Good." Says Joe of the track, "It's a big sing-along song, and it's fun." The funky and danceable debut single, "Burnin' Up," keeps the party going, with Big Rob, the brothers' hefty security guard, rapping midtrack. "It's about this girl," adds Joe. "Maybe she's at a party, and you feel that immediate connection. You both know it's there." Though relentlessly upbeat, most songs on "A Little Bit Longer" explore star-crossed standoffs and missed romantic opportunities. Songs like "Shelf," the hard-rocking "Pushin' Me Away" and "One Man Show" survey love's unequal playing field, bad break-ups and the defiant isolation that follows. "'Shelf' is one my favorite songs on the record," says Nick. "Basically, it's about a girl that has a gallery of hearts."Other songs take a light-hearted look at the craziness of fame and fortune. "Video Girl" paints a portrait of the shallow wannabees dotting the entertainment landscape (" Move to L.A., got no talent/Not even like you won a Miss Teen pageant"), while "Lovebug" starts out as sweet-tempered acoustic love song before ending up a crashing Queen-like rocker. Of course, the brothers made sure the album breathes. The power ballad "Sorry" features classic JB harmonies and an eternal message of forgiveness. But the song that will have people talking is "A Little Bit Longer," Nick's stunning account of his struggle with diabetes. With strings underscoring a plaintive piano/vocal, he sings about his battle ("A little bit longer and I'll be fine/Waitin' on a cure/But none of them are sure").Recalls Nick, "I was having one of those days where I was discouraged. So I went into this empty hotel ballroom and wrote this song." Adds brother Kevin, "Nick sings this song every night and it brings people to tears. It's amazing." The brand new album from the Jonas Brothers includes a 30 page CDVU+ experience including: Exclusive Video Performances 60 Printable Photos Complete Album Lyrics Downloadable Graphics Hidden Links Package Made from 100% Recycled Materials!
Click here for more information about A Little Bit Longer
