| Jonas Brothers A Little Bit Longer |
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Full Review | User Ratings (39) |
| Summary: While the record is clearly not intended to draw in adult listeners, you'd be surprised how well it holds up against more mature contemporaries. |
Maturation creeps upon us in unassuming ways. There isn't some threshold crossed at the age of majority after which point you can no longer listen to teen pop or read the Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. Yet the passage of time allows for reflection on individual maturation. As a teen, the daily tribulations of Britney Spears seemed to matter. As an adult, the same transformation the world witnesses in Miley Cyrus seems immaterial and invasive. Perhaps then, it explains why the Jonas Brothers phenomenon has passed by me on a level of irrelevance heretofore reserved for Solange Knowles and BBMak, despite the fervour apparent in today's youth. But what does it say if the Jonas Brother's latest release "A Little Bit Longer", is not as alien as expected?
Ostensibly comprised of an Evangelical Christian trio of siblings, the Jonas Brothers were thrust into the international spotlight thanks to pervasive Disney marketing and a boy band void. Known equally for their relationships with under-aged television actresses as for their musical efforts, the trio reached a popularity peak in the summer of 2008, with the release of the made-for-tv Arthur Miller adaptation Camp Rock (possibly untrue), and the fiery single "Burnin' Up".
With the focus apparently on branding through all media imaginable, the Jonas Brothers do little to produce confidence in the musical validity of their third studio album, A Little Bit Longer. Surprisingly, this is not the case. While not a masterpiece, the Jonas Brothers present a cohesive and amusing, if overproduced, summer album. The soaring chorus of "Shelf" could vault it to the top of the charts; mellow "Lovebug" rivals anything written by Jack Johnson. "One Man Show" is an uptempo number, in which lead singer Joe Jonas bitterly snipes, "you can call me but I won't pick up the phone, I'm a one man show". "Video Girl" is a punchy rebuke to talentless famewhores, where Jonas sings, "move to LA, got not talent/not even like you won a Miss Teen Pageant, Daddy pays your bills but you still whine". Their ballads, "Can't Have You" and "Sorry" are whiny and indistinguishable, and the Jonas Brothers' strength clearly lies in uptempo numbers - namely, the funky lead single "Burnin' Up". Though its rap bridge is gratuitous, and not in a good way, the song holds merit to being the best of the summer, helped by its surprisingly original lyrics: I'm stepping into the lava, but I'm trying to keep from going under", sings lead vocalist Joe Jonas, "who turned the temperature higher, 'cause I'm burning up for you baby". Simply put, the Jonas Brothers present an unexpected number of quality pop songs, even if the slower tracks are dull.
Lyrically the Jonas brothers are unremarkable, but it's more than standard for their genre and age. If the biggest criticism presented is their lack of lyrical sophistication, it puts them on a level with most popular groups, the majority of whom are far more aged and experienced. It is unfair to criticise teenagers for writing like teenagers.
The brothers alternate lead vocal duties, but Joe Jonas fronts most tracks and has established himself as the clear leader of the trio. While the voices of all three suffer from teenage mewling, they are clearly confident singers whose talents will grow with age. And, while their approach to some subject matter comes off as inauthentic, on the whole their material is well presented - an album for teenagers, by teenagers. While A Little Bit Longer is clearly not intended to draw in adult listeners, you'd be surprised how well it holds up against more mature contemporaries.
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dude yes
Digging: Counting Crows - August And Everything After
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Quote:
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'cause I'm burning up for you baby[/i]"
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yeah.
other than that, great review, almost swayed me to listen to some of this.
Digging: Mr. Bungle - California
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
I went into this blind expecting the album to be horrible. It's not close. Whether it has much staying power is doubtful, but these guys are ones to watch for the future.
Digging: Kathleen Edwards - Asking for Flowers | | |
I don't think I could find this to get a 3 from me and I rated S Club pretty high. But yes, what everyone else said although I never really knew they were all brothers.
Digging: Innerpartysystem - Innerpartysystem
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This album is terrible. No, I'm not saying that because they are a pop band, its just awful.
Digging: Madlib - Beat Konducta Vol 1-2: Movie Scenes
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My 13 year old sister loves this band.
Interesting review.
Digging: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
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While they have potential as a pop group, to call this anything above average music is sort of stretching it a great deal.
Digging: Mesa Verde - The Old Road
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disney is so evil
Digging: Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Quote:
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While they have potential as a pop group, to call this anything above average music is sort of stretching it a great deal.
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when I was inputting the album 3 was listed as average. I assumed that things had been adjusted in my absence. I just now realised that it is not the case.
This Message Edited On 08.27.08
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No its always been listed as 3 being average on the submittal page, it is really stupid that problem is still there.
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review more!
i buy that this album is decent. Jonas Bros don't bother me at all.
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The album title = Young boys' pubescent hopes
I quite like these guys tbh, they're cool and catchy and straight up.
Digging: Queen - Queen II
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This spelling mistake gave me a high school like chuckle: "gratituous"
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Wait wtf??? SOS has only been releases here in the UK about 4 months ago, I'm confused!!!!! :S
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omg their such babes
Haw haw. Nice write-up.
Digging: The Drones - Havilah
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they're good looking boys, no one can deny that
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srsly?
Digging: The Flashbulb - Soundtrack to a Vacant Life
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yes.
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Disney ruins good music. All Jonas Brothers will ever be good for is musically uneducated teenagers on Singstar video games.
This album is bad.
Digging: Slipknot - All Hope is Gone
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No, you're bad, MrHell. YOU'RE BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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