Their story's perhaps not uncommon- ordinary kids following their dreams in a little known corner of the country...waiting...hoping someday to stumble onto fame.
Who hasn't heard that tale before? In many ways, it's a part of who we are. It's the seedling of the American dream, waiting to sprout.
But it is rare for the new plant to survive the seasoned winds of world. Often, it withers away, never to be seen again. And yet, we continue to chase these dreams, competing with and helping each other in turn, and applauding those who succeed.
For some, these identical stories are too identical. For others, the stories are their own...and they find themselves right where they feel they're supposed to be.
The latter is the story of the Jonas Brothers. A little more than three short years ago, they were merely three brothers, and, Nick and Joe both appeared in Broadway shows as kids, they mostly just lived ordinary lives. Since the trio got signed as a group act, however, the calm waters began to stir a bit.
With the release of their first album behind them, and a small group of fans rallying to them, they nullified their original contract and jumped ship to Hollywood Records. When their self-titled album blared across the players of the world, their fanbase skyrocketed, and the album sold platinum.
Just a few months after the premiere of their debut movie, Camp Rock, the band released their third record, A Little Bit Longer. The first single, Burnin' Up, melted the charts and eventually went on to get the trio nominated for a Grammy. It remains their most popular song to this day.
And now, a year later, the fourth made its way into the world. Throughout the years, the boys have expressed that they are always growing as musicians and improving their style. Such statements are backed by this album. While retaining that unique blend of raw, soft, and passionate vocals that define just about any Jonas song, the boys seem to be reaching out in all directions, from the rocky beat of World War 3 to a song with a hint of country, What Did I Do to Your Heart. Much Better- a song that Joe claims they used to give back to the fans- welds modern pop skilfully to that of the eighties. On two of the songs, they have special guests- Miley Cyrus (Before the Storm) and the rapper Common (Don't Charge Me for the Crime).
Although the album might lack a serious show-stopper such as Burnin' Up or Lovebug, I would still suggest you purchase it because it captures a beauty none of the others seem to quite grasp. It's as if the boys are telling us to forget the fantasies- that this is how life is, but just hang in there...we'll be all right.
Now, for my ratings of the songs:
World War 3- 5/5. AWESOME song! Who doesn't feel like someone's attacking them unfairly sometimes?
Paranoid- 5/5. By now, ya'll should know what I think of this one. My personal fave JB song!
Fly With Me- 5/5. If Paranoid can be considered the best song on the album, then Fly With Me should come very close. Originally written for Night at the Museum 2, this song beautifully expresses the simple feeling of wanting to be with someone forever.
Poison Ivy- 4/5. Although Mom and I regard to differing degrees this song as dumb, it treats the traditional Jonas fans to a blast from the past- a fun beat to irresistibly catchy lyrics (literally, we go around singing "Everyone's allergic to poison ivy")!
Hey Baby- 4/5. This song makes you want to DANCE!!! A great one to have on hand for a party!
Before the Storm (featuring Miley Cyrus)- 5/5. When I first heard that Miley sang with Nick on this album, I'll admit I was like "Oh dear...." but surprisingly, I ended up really liking this song! It's well-written, has a great tune to match, and vocals actually complement it (and each other) quite well.
What Did I Do to Your Heart- 3/5. I used to love country, I know, but this has to be my least favorite song on this record. Sorry guys, country just ain't your style.
Much Better- 5/5. Omigosh! Could this song get MUCH BETTER?!?! Not lacking in notes that just beg you to listen, it also doubles as the perfect comeback for Taylor Swift's Forever and Always, in which she uses lyrics from JB's When You Look Me in the Eyes to mock Joe, who's her ex-boyfriend.
Black Keys- 5/5. Nick- one of the most beautiful pieces you've written. I absolutely love the message, and the fact that you thought of it while trying to write a song using solely the black keys of a piano lends it a very unique twist.
Don't Charge Me for the Crime (featuring Common)- 4/5. This song really doesn't have too deep of a meaning. It's tough-guy sound rasps of an innocent despair, giving a great example of a person thrust at a crossroads and who needs to make a choice, however.
Turn Right-5/5. This song is so sweet. Using the analogy of life as a racetrack, it tells us that it's okay to take the chance of turning right, instead of taking the regular left, and that it's all right to make mistakes.
Don't Speak- 4/5. Not entirely sure what all the lyrics mean, but the basic sketch is a love that you know won't last, and so you don't even want the person to speak to you so that you can keep your mind off them.
Keep it Real- 4/5. From the TV series JONAS comes this little ditty about being a star and not letting it change you.
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