ILE UNDER: Hanson ’06.
CORPORATE LINE: “Music on Red Bull.” Without hesitating, that’s how 17-year-old Kevin Jonas describes the hyper-adrenalized sounds he’s created with his two brothers, 13-year-old Nicholas and 16-year-old Joseph, on the Jonas Brothers’ debut album, It’s About Time. And it’s no wonder since the boys’ influences include an eclectic mix of artists ranging from the Ramones to the Jackson 5 to the Modern Lovers–all purveyors of tight, catchy anthems. One thing is for sure, the Jonas Brothers are all ready to keep the momentum going strong. “We go crazy on stage!” says Kevin. “It’s so much fun!”
Music always played a major part in the brothers’ lives growing up in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Their parents are both musicians, so gathering around the piano for sing-alongs was an essential part of regular family bonding, yet each brother found his own musical calling in a different way.
THE GOOD:
“Dear God” – This song is a shocker. It’s pretty and inspirational.
“What I Go To School For” – There is no doubt this could be a hit single.
THE AVERAGE:
“I Am What I Am” – The high-pitched refrain of the Jonas Brothers can make one cringe. No one is going to confuse the Jonas Brothers with The Clash.
“One Day At Time” – Although it might make many teenage girls’ heart flutter this barely registers. It’s a sappy teenage love song without depth. Even with a decent hook—Hanson did it better ten years ago.
THE BAD:
“6 Minutes” – The Jonas Brothers don’t help themselves with this ska song.
FRANKLY: The Jonas Brothers are following the Hanson formula without the huge hooks that sold multi-platinum records. Hanson’s first record was purely formulaic bubble-gum pop, but it was a huge success. Whether the Jonas Brothers can reproduce that same success—we’ll see—but they don’t have a single song as catchy as the addictive “Mmm Bop”.
+ Rae Gun
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.