Album Review: "The Album" - Jonas Brothers

Photo Credits: The Album/Republic Records

1. Miracle

2. Montana Sky

3. Wings

4. Sail Away

5. Americana

6. Celebrate

7. Waffle House

8. Vacation Eyes

9. Summer In The Hamptons

10. Summer Baby

11. Little Bird

12. Walls (with Jon Bellion)

When I was around 7 or 8, I remember watching the Jonas Brothers’ music video for “Hold On” on Disney Channel. I also remember seeing them in concert with Hannah Montana (my first concert ever). In 2019, I was excited when I heard that they were getting back together. I sat in my dorm room as a college freshman and listened to their upbeat new song, “Sucker.” The trio has come a long way since then. On May 12, 2023, they released The Album, their second studio album since reuniting and the sixth altogether. Joining forces with singer/songwriter Jon Bellion, the brothers use this project to tell their fans about a variety of times in their lives, from the hardships they experienced growing up in New Jersey to the joys of getting married and becoming fathers.

1. Miracle This track was a great way to kick off the album. It starts out with an upbeat piano paired with a flute riff. You then hear a jazzy guitar paired with Joe’s strong vocals. Nick then comes in with equally strong vocals on the first verse. The song talks about facing struggles. The lyrics exaggerate them a little with lines such as “the devil had my hands tied.” Even so, the song has a great theme, as it is all about how powerful love can be. It can keep you grounded and pull you out of hard times. Even though this song is about a romantic type of love, I think the overall message can be applicable to other contexts. We all have important people in our lives who keep us grounded and lift us up, romantic or not.

2. Montana Sky This is another upbeat track. On the verses, the instrumentation consists of an upbeat bass line and drums. The chorus is even brighter with a great acoustic guitar. Similar to “Miracle,” this song is all about how love is a reminder of home. In the first verse, Nick sings about all the distractions that he and his brothers face while on tour and away from home. These range from mindless parties to beautiful sunsets. After reflecting on all these things, the chorus talks about the love that they stay focused on. I think this song is really sweet because it shows just how family-oriented they all are.

3. Wings

I’ve loved this song ever since it was sampled on TikTok. It is about the light and airy feeling of being in love. The instrumentation consists of a jazzy keyboard and a groovy bass line. In the verses, there is also a little tone that repeats over and over. To me, it sounds dreamy, like it’s imitating flying. I know this is a subtle detail, but I think it goes really well with the title of the song. This is the same with the progression from verse to course that takes place on the words “you gave me a reason, you’ve got me believin,’ you’re makin’ me say…” The instrumentation sounds like it is revving up, as if it is about to sprout wings. When it finally gets to the chorus, there is a big burst of energy. This is one of my favorite songs on the album.

4. Sail Away This track is similar to “Wings” because it is about falling in love. It also consists of a groovy guitar and drums. The verses touch on the all-consuming thoughts that love brings with lyrics like “I’m lit on fire, riding some kind of wave” and “can’t get you out of my brain. I also liked the progression of verse to chorus. It starts with Nick very quickly sings, “leave the mental need to just let go.” The music then slows down with the phrase “When I’m in your arms, I sail away.” All the nagging thoughts from the beginning are now quieted by love.

5. Americana This particular track is a great summer jam. The combination acoustic guitar and drums make me think of lounging on the beach. The backup vocals give it a great pop sound, especially on the phrase “ If your mama don’t care about it.” The lyrics touch on wholesome American traditions, such as working hard, listening to good music, staying out late, and being around people you love. Make sure to take a break from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine to enjoy these simple pleasures.

6 . Celebrate!

This is another song I heard sampled on TikTok. The instrumentation definitely matches the title, as it is very celebratory. I liked how the bass line blended in with the horns. There is also a gospel choir for background vocals which is a nice nod to their background in the church. While I know the trio gives it their all on the whole album, this particular song is sung with a lot more emotion. One line that stood out to me was when Joe sang “we’ve made it through all of the years and all of the tears” at the beginning of the second verse. I think this line is referring to having to break up the band and getting back together. It was hard, but the trio has come back stronger!

7. Waffle House

This is another one of my favorite songs on the album. Despite its upbeat-ness, it is a song about going through struggles. In the Jonas Brothers’ documentary, Chasing Happiness, it was revealed that their dad lost his job as a pastor after Kevin, Joe, and Nick got signed by Disney. The family would work through struggles, such as this one, through “deep conversations at the Waffle House.” The upbeat instrumentation, which is a blend of keyboard and drums, matches the positive outlook that the song has. The family knew they would get through it if they stuck together!

8. Vacation Eyes

The honeymoon phase is where the love in a relationship is at an all-time high. When you’re together for a long time, it’s easy for the spark to fizzle out. In this song, the Jonas Brothers have a different take. That is, the so-called honeymoon phase never has to end. The track is less upbeat compared to some of the others on the album, but it is a power ballad. There is a great piano solo at the beginning which fades into a great bass line at the start of the first verse. My favorite part of the instrumentation, though, was the harmonica solo near the end.

9 .Summer In The Hamptons

This track is another great summertime jam about being in love. My favorite part was the instrumentation. It is very beachy with a smooth bass line, echoing background vocals, and sounds of seagulls. These elements also make the tone very euphoric and dreamy. A line in the first verse sets the tone by saying “your body takes me to some kind of place.”

10. Summer Baby

I feel like this song is a follow-up to “Vacation Eyes,” as it describes a never-ending honeymoon phase. The chorus has the tell-all line “still catching feelings for you.” It has an upbeat instrumentation to match these happy lyrics. The verses are backed by a groovy keyboard and drums. The chorus is just as bright with a catchy guitar riff in the beginning. It becomes even brighter when the guitar and drums overlap later on.

11. Little Bird

This song is recorded in front of a live audience. It is a powerful reflective ballad about one of life’s greatest joys, becoming a parent. The instrumentation is very simple with a repeating guitar riff that sounds like a bird. I think this was a good stylistic choice because it allows the emotional lyrics to shine though. You can hear it in the vocals as well as in the lyrics. My favorite line was, “so please just keep me in your heart when you fly into somebody else’s arms, little bird.”

12. Walls (With Jon Bellion) We have all heard the phrase “if walls could talk.” The last song on the album is a ballad about the sadness of lost love. The instrumentation is unique because there is a blend of an organ and a guitar. The lyrics are emotional and talk about how the walls would cry as a result of lost love. This is because of all the happy memories they hold. Another aspect of this song that I liked was the gospel choir background vocals. They were powerful and really contributed to the emotion of the song.

Reflections: Overall, I enjoyed this album. It can be hard to break out of the Disney Channel scene, but I think the Jonas Brothers did a great job doing so. This group of songs are far from bubblegum pop. The recurring theme of love in their songs is sweet because it shows how much family means to them. The fact that the album is mostly upbeat is an indication of how much fun the brothers have working together. I am so happy that they decided to reunite and continue sharing their musical talents with the world!

*Article was originally published on Pop Passion Music Blog*