For those who are mindful, Nick has long been known as the most progressive of the Jonas brothers – the de facto bandleader, whose outward ambitions drove them to the peaks late, and then over the edge until their break in 2013. As an adult. , Nick is definitely the most ubiquitous of the three: Catch the big place settlement, on the small screen go out pop star wisdom to competitors on The Voice, on Broadway, in your local liquor store peddling brand tequila, and, of course, in the studio. Incorporating Spaceman, his latest single, Jonas has four singles records to his name. Between the two of them, his brothers have only one.
Jonas is a rich, famous, outspoken – a member of a class whose behavior over the past year has raised many eyes. Through an earthquake, celebrities have tried to boost confidence, and have failed to reduce the ways in which wealth – and the health care, buildings, mobility, etc. it provides. need to change their lifestyles for the public good. Cheers. However, resilience is a feature in pop music, so Jonas came close Spaceman with a view to shared experience. When, on the first single and the title of the album, he sings, “Mask off minute I get home / All safe now that I alone,” it is clear that he is not speaking metaphorically.
Spaceman divided into neat quarters, each with a specific theme: speed, adventure, euphoria, and enthusiasm. Jonas has written poetry about the importance of the chapters, keeping an eye on each one for the wide-ranging spread of knowledge. The first three pathways explore the emotional tax of social isolation; the next two, the techniques he used to deal with it. The section “euphoria” suggests counteracting the pain, and the final chapter, “Enthusiasm,” doubles down on that antidote (spoiler: it’s love). This is all a bit self-help-y. He also scans as an attempt after the fact to make the album more contemporary, when his material is very simple, and does not deserve this kind of explanation. Using Nick’s web notes to encode them Spaceman feels a bit like cheating on a crossword puzzle Monday.
He doesn’t have to try so hard. There are plenty on this record, at least initially. Featuring co-writer and executive producer Greg Kurstin – an entertaining, unchallenged pop champion, whose previous clients included Maggie Rogers, Maren Morris, and three-fifths of One Direction – Jonas combines a swollen gaseous synth-pop sound with reverb, punctuated with a Phil Collins-style drum filling, and enhanced by a falsetto liberal soundtrack. The subject of space enters the mix through future blips and scattered radio signals. Gracefully altering synths bridges gaps between songs, showing interest in the format of the album beyond its potential as a vessel for singles (although continuity is out the window) Spacemanthe “Classics Edition,” which combines the four biggest hits from Jonas ’previous albums into the new material).
There are certain obvious places in the “indulgence” chapter, which deny the full self-weight of the record. “Delicious” is a funny slice of blue-eyed funk, the kind Jonas could have had when he hired founding members of The Prince’s New Power Generation to support him in 2010 Nick Jonas & the Administration. “2Drunk” lies lightly, and with a wink; Jonas sets a pleasing scene (“Now I’m dancing in the kitchen / Breaking all the flavors / Breaking all the rules I set out to do”) and playfully making a joke of it for himself (“I think I hit my step / ‘until I wake up and hate my life”).
It can’t keep up the excitement, though. In the grandeur of the second half of the album, we find “Deeper Love,” a song that, despite the title, doesn’t understand the strength of a lifelong commitment. “I want to find out what it would be like to find out what I believe in / I want to find in your eyes,” Jonas sings, skeptically. He’s 28 and married, but still relies on eye contact as a place of permanence, as he did on Jonas Brothers ’break“ When You Look Me in the Eyes ”- written for his first debut album, which he was released at the age of 12. If he tries to light a fire with “Sex,” he smokes it with the upper hand lyric, “You put the sex to sex. The song is named after Marvin Gaye, but has no place next to “Sexual Healing” or “Let’s Get It On” in the sacred canon of horny jam (although the electric sitar is a nice nod to Bollywood roots bean Priyanka Chopra).
The dud parade marches on: The placid sync of “If I Fall” is quiet, but the song doesn’t hold water conceptually. Jonas seems to be singing about his current and eternal love, but he reveals the basics by looking forward to the next one: “If I fall again/ This was the last time. ” What? The album’s most sexy song is “Death Do Us Part” – Jonas’ delivery is cool and calm, with ad libs additive – but verses compare a married flavor to mixed snacks (watermelon , Cool Whip, Pringles, caviar) on edge.
“Wife guy” is a prominent part of Jonas’ public figure these days, as was once a “Disney kid”. While there is nothing wrong with that, he connects his identity with another heavy pop culture, throwing his music under the shadow of their famous man. To cut through and leave a lasting impression of Nick Jonas, the artist, would require a stronger view than what Spaceman to be offered. The interspecific concept of the record is interesting enough to bring it down, but too soon Jonas returns to his domestic comforts, without exploring the relationship that is so inspiring to him, or recording any new land in the pop universe. It’s hard to imagine anyone who wasn’t already a Nick Jonas fan playing this record again. His brand may be selling, but this music is not so desirable.
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