CCM Magazine Flashback: The Jonas Brothers InReview, September 2006
THE JACKSON 3?
With tight harmonies, quirky lyrics and good looks, this band of brothers is sure to have parents of tweens smiling and young girls swooning. A cross between a young *NSYNC and the Jackson 5, Kevin, Joseph and Nicholas Jonas are already winning the hearts of young girls across America. And, when you see their live performance, you will understand why; the energy from their live show translates well onto their studio recording.
While almost all 11 tracks on the album talk specifically about human relationships, the lyrics, though tongue-in-cheek at times, reflect a positive, moral viewpoint. That said, only one song—the Jackson 5 dead-ringer, “Time for Me to Fly”—remotely touches on the spiritual.
Nevertheless, there’s one word you can’t avoid that perfectly describes this album: FUN! One can’t help but smile as the CD begins with the catchy crooning of the three siblings discussing “
what they go to school for”—namely, a girlfriend who happens to be a senior. Amusing themes like these extend to “Year 3000,” where the boys take a time machine into the future and discover that they have sold more records than Kelly Clarkson.
First single, “Mandy,” has an irresistible hook that you will find yourself singing whether you are a tween, a teen or a twenty-something. This Relient K-twinged number is named after the brothers’ lifelong friend who inspired several songs on their debut. “Underdog” is another tune about a girl who doesn’t realize her self-worth and is one of the more serious songs with lyrics such as “
Everyone sees her/But nobody knows her/She screams in her pillow for a better tomorrow/She hates it/But she makes it/Watch out for that girl/One day she may change the world.”
Songs such as “One Day at a Time,” “6 Minutes” and “7:05,” center around more mature relational themes, with the boys singing them with such emotion that it almost makes you giggle. However, the innocence remains, and the listener is brought back to what it is like to be 16 again. One must remember, though, the primary listener to this CD will be 16 (and under).
While, lyrically, some songs may seem trite to older audiences with more relationship experience under their belts, the tight harmonies and insane hooks make up for all the lyrics that take place in a middle/high school setting. Altogether, the Jonas Brothers hit their target audience dead-on.
--Lindsay Williams