What is the phenomenon known as the Jonas Brothers all about? Good question.
If we take what they’re about from their latest album, Hollywood Records’ A Little Bit Longer, we could only imagine that they’re teenage guys that want to love girls and not love them at the same time while dealing with diabetes and video vixens.
A Little Bit Longer is expected to be the best-selling album this year among pre-teen females because of the brothers’ supposed good looks (how am I supposed to know?) and catchy lyrics. I bought it out of pure curiosity and was somewhat intrigued by the radio single “Burnin’ Up.” What I got was an OK record that I don’t recommend for everyone. If you want the Backstreet Boys attempting to be Queen, then you have your answer in the Jonas Brothers.
A Little Bit Longer begins with “BB Good,” which seems like a stereotypical teenage guy-likes-girl song. “Every scene will have a meaning but you’ll be the one that moves me,” Joe Jonas sings in reference to him and his girl watching a movie.
Next is the previously mentioned “Burnin’ Up.” It is a really fun song, I must admit. It reached the #5 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s a very entertaining song featuring a rap from their bodyguard. Hmmmm…not normal…
“Shelf” follows, making a slight impression because of the High School Musical scene transition opening. It’s not that great.
Fourth is “One Man Show,” a song about a guy being able to go at life alone. This is an alright song. It’s decent enough, not super, not horrible. In its similar vein is “Can’t Have You.” Guess what its about.
Next is one of my personal favorites. “Lovebug” is supposed to be a Jack Johnson-inspired tune that turns into a Queen-inspired tune. Very interesting, but it makes for good music. Here we see a bit of the things that show the Jonas Brothers different from other popular music acts: “You’re beautiful but you don’t even try/ Modesty is just so hard to find.”
“Tonight” is another one of the singles released before the album came out. There are too many songs named “Tonight.” Seriously. I have 5 songs on my iPod titled “Tonight” including this one (the others are songs from The Afters, FM Static, Jeremy Camp, and Plus One). It is one of Nick Jonas’ favorite songs on the CD. But not mine.
“Video Girl” and “Pushin’ Me Away” are my two favorite songs on the album. They’re both fun songs that are driven by guitars heavily. Apparently these guys are growing up, because I have heard that they’ve come a long way from last year’s Jonas Brothers. There are more guitars, apparently.
“Sorry” and “Got Me Going Crazy” are polar opposite songs, but they’re typical teenage love songs. “Sorry” is a guy begging his girl to stay with him. “Got Me Going Crazy” is a guy begging a girl “to get away” with him. Whatever that means.
That is the main reason that the Jonas Brothers to me have little creditability. Nick is 16 next month, Kevin is 20, and Joe is 19. Considering that all three brothers have contributed to songwriting, it’s tough to accept that these guys really know what “true love” is. While they might be “the hottest band on the face of the earth,” they still can’t legally buy alcohol (which they don’t intend on doing, according to the boys themselves). But that brings up a completely different topic that doesn’t have meaning here (when do you know that you’re in love?), so we’ll continue.
Lastly is “A Little Bit Longer.” I have read that this is supposed to be about Nick’s struggle with diabetes, and that it has moved people to tears. Hmmm… Yes, I can see some things that reference diabetes, waiting on a cure, etc. But tears?
C’mon! These guys are probably about as rich as you can get before the age of 21.
Grade: B-
