Ahh, growing up. It happens to everyone, but it seems each star to catch the finally-mature bug is just as special. Take Joe Jonas, of the Jonas Brothers, and former Disney star, for instance. The world is a buzz of his coming of age. But it’s not just teenyboppers who have “Joe Jonas” on the lips these days; it’s Britney Spears (who he will tour with in Europe), Chris Brown, and Lil Wayne. A different mix than just the Miley Cyrus’ of the world.
It is the fans, old and new, R&B and Pop alike, who will determine if Joe Jonas has a lasting solo debut. Out today, the singer's Hollywood Records release is called “Fastlife.” Featuring production from Rob Knox, Brian Kennedy, and Danja, the album is a lot of synth, bass, and keyboard. With songwriting credits from Kevin Cossom, Claude Kelly, Chris Brown, Joe Jonas, and more, the album shows Joe’s deeper side. All of these tracks are about Joe's past relationships (ring a bell?). Yup, Justin Timberlake came to mind, for there are some break-up tracks to be heard. In addition, Joe is creating the R&B-Pop image, the white boy with soul, and expanding his fan base. He could be the next JT; he could be the first Joe Jonas; decide for yourself.
If you haven’t bought it yet, here’s what you're missing, on GB’s Album Release Day Review (10/11/11).
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An almost ballad-ish start comes from “All This Time” in which Joe wants to be the one to turn it all around for this girl, who has been hurt before. He tells her to look into the future. It is about taking chances, as he says, “There’s nothing to be scared of, just grab my open hand.” "See No More" is about broken promises and not being able to get a girl out of his mind. "All I keep seeing is your picture/I don't want to See No More." “Just In Love” is a seamless move from teeny-pop, to real pop. What Joe Jonas has kept, though, is that easy-to-sing along to catchy tunes, with the guessable lyrics (you can tell what the next line is from the last line). You can see this in “Love Slayer,” “I came to do my dance, I’m bout to touch the town, I came to lift my hands, I came to shut this thing down.” Yet the song is a dance magnet.
“Fastlife,” the title track, proves to be the best song on the album, and production of Rob Knox could be to blame. The term “fast life” has a positive and negative connotation, though, and Joe chooses the positive. With the metaphor of driving a car, Joe uses phrases like, “you need to fit in my lane,” and “I’m speeding,” before asking to “Turn the lights off/ Pull the top down/ Are you ready for the fast life?” The titles leave no room for interpretation here, as one can tell what “Make You Mine,” is about. “I wanna make you mine tonight/ I wanna rock with you til sunrise…we can do all the little things you like.” And there is that subtle way of using an MJ line to say “shacking up.” In “Sorry,” Joe admits that he has done wrong, and asks “What can I do to show you I’m sorry?” He sounds solemnly true here.
One can sense what the quick-tempoed “Kleptomaniac” is about as soon as it starts, with the first line being, “Oh, that girl can kill you with a smile.” It's inferred she didn’t steal the latest skirt from Melrose Blvd, CA; she stole a heart (what if Britney Spears collaborated on this song for a remix?). In "Not Right Now" Jonas says that he and his girl can't give up, over a club-pop beat. The heart-throb tells his lady in the next tune that he wants to show her things; in a once in a lifetime time opportunity, Joe tells his lady that they must "Take it and Run." “Lighthouse” is another highlight on the album, though Joe felt like a stationary lighthouse, he used it as a metaphor to say, “Remember when I asked you just to stay, said you’d be gone for a while you'd be back someday/ Suddenly the truth doesn’t feel so safe / You made a promise you didn’t keep.” The remix for “Just In Love” culminates the work, with a Lil Wayne verse that, though tame for Lil Wayne, will still make parents cover their child’s ears.
Joe Jonas’ album is like three parties, the pre-game, the real party, and the after party. For anyone who wants to shake it up, play it on shuffle.
Photo Credit: j-14.com
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