Back from the corners of pop music obscurity, Nick Jonas released his second studio album last week, and it is sure to be one of the most interesting records of the year.
Jonas has been in the public eye for almost 10 years now, after gaining fame with his brothers and captivating the hearts of teenage girls worldwide. If there’s one thing Jonas knows how to do, it’s sell himself. He has done a fantastic job of rebranding himself as an adult pop artist who dominates music charts and dance floors alike.
Jonas brings a suave flair to his new era of music. From racy photoshoots and interviews, to exploring sexually explicit material in his music, he has embraced the coming-of-age narrative similar to stars like Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez. All around, he should be applauded for his efforts — but his latest LP falls flat and is at times underwhelming.
Jonas makes a serious return to the pop music scene in the single “Jealous” — a track which has received decent airplay and offers a fun pop-R&B crossover. The album offers several other great tunes, but sadly, none are particularly deep or introspective. “Jealous” is the closest Jonas gets to packing an emotional punch. It seems unfortunate that a seasoned artist like Jonas is unable to produce more engaging or thought-provoking material.
Mellow ballads like “Avalanche” (featuring Demi Lovato) are more pleasing. Though adding powerful female vocalists to pop records has become an overused trope in recent years, the chemistry the two share makes the track a highlight.
Since they co-starred in Disney’s 2008 TV movie “Camp Rock,” Demi and Nick have fostered a strong working relationship which is on full display in "Avalanche." Jonas was also Lovato's creative director for her Neon Lights Tour this past year, and the two spent much of their childhood together on the Disney Channel.
Other standout tracks include “Teacher” and “Numb.” The former evokes a discotheque feel, and will make any listener want to strap on their old inline skates and roll down the street while bopping to the tune.
“Numb,” on the other hand, is the dubstep track no one knew they wanted. Though fun, “Numb” loses creativity points for its similarity to Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse.” Nevertheless, the song captures Jonas’ more mature tone with lyrics like “You don’t know what it is you do to me/ Yeah, you stole my heart/ And all I have is a hole where it used to be.”
He is definitely not the same kid who spent his summers singing at “Camp Rock.” It is clear he is trying to mold a new image for himself, and become a certified popstar once again.
It seems as though Jonas means business when it comes to his career, but does he have a number one hit under his belt?
His singles have been doing moderately well, but not as well as his fans probably expected. The album has plenty of mindless pop tunes to satisfy the casual music listener, but an album needs more than just a few good tunes to be standout. As it stands, Jonas lacks a sense of cohesion and focused musical direction.
Fans are likely to enjoy listening to the album, but then quickly forget it. Perhaps Jonas should look to revisit the mindlessly catchy, unforgettable “Year 3000,” and less on the smoldering sex appeal. Or maybe not.
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