Album Review: The Jonas Brothers - Lines, Vines & Trying Times
Let me start by quashing any potential flamers ahead of time with a few sincere statements. These brothers’ obvious status as fodder for cynical hipsters removed, they please their key demographic. The band’s image as family friendly and the boys’ insistence on wearing abstinence rings have garnered them numerous jabs from media outlets decrying such cleanliness a gimmick. The brothers Jonas are philanthropic and not without a sense of humor (search “Jonas brother single ladies”), and so The Jonas Brothers as a purely successful pop act for a new generation should go down easier. After moving past their rare first album and signing with Hollywood Records, the Disney-backed performers are on to Lines, Vines & Trying Times and continuing to apply sticky sweetness to tunes for tweens.
Believe it or not, this album is mildly better than past releases, but while differences and slight improvements do exist, real progression in songwriting appears scarce. Lyrics ride the same tangent of good fun and donate occasional sparks of real world experience. The brothers do show off more experimentation with a variety of instruments, leaning more towards BBMak than ordinary “boy bands”, and in turn earning them some respect. That is to say, I always feel more inclined to appreciate pop groups who can actually play music.
Speaking to musical diversity, there are elements of bluegrass, swing, and big band here that really add a mature texture to an otherwise sappy record. Key examples here include the opener “World War III” as it describes a fight between two lovers. Considering recent news of Kevin Jonas’ engagement to Danielle Deleasa, it seems there has been a little growing up beyond the recording studio making this track feel sincere. While some critics have been displeased with the instruments present on Lines, Vines & Trying Times, claiming they bog things down, it actually brings better definition and enhances the albums dimensions.
Another positive element involves the presence of three notable guest appearances. Blues guitar star Jonny Lang adds a little adult swagger to “Hey Baby”; Common throws his two cents into “Don’t Charge Me For The Crime” (though this song feels a bit out of place among the rest); and predictable tag-along Miley Cyrus chimes in on “Before The Storm”. The real treasure in this trio resides in Lang, who blends well into this pop culture fold, contradictory to expectations. By record sales, one gets the feeling this more mature take on The Jonas Brothers sound has caused a mild rift in fandom. Is this unexpected? Not really. Sometimes pop music for acts like this can still be hit or miss regardless of fan base. Trends change constantly and between a new TV series and a dabble in charitable foundation politics, no one can really argue that the bubblegum charm is beginning to morph for this trio.
For those who would drive this review into the ground via remarks about mainstream radio and the irrelevance of covering a Christian-oriented pop band, nothing could be more juvenile: Jonas jokes and jabs are a dime a dozen. Love ‘em or leave ‘em, but there is no question these boys are serious about their music. Despite how much we all enjoy mucking about dispensing silly quips regarding cheesy songs, in the end, some trends still impact the industry and thus merit some observation. Lines, Vines & Trying Times is one of those albums that only the fans (and their parents perhaps) will truly appreciate for what it is; however, it could have been much much worse. I give The Jonas Brothers one star for each sibling and a “B” for sheer effort.
Pop music in all of its incarnations remains a blessing and a curse — remember this when you catch yourself accidentally dancing to “Burnin’ Up” or God forbid “Genie In A Bottle”.
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Lines, Vines and Trying Times
Well buddy i can assure you that the Jonas Brothers are really talented and I’d like to see you write a better song! And dude seriously that album deserves way more than 3 stars! I would give it 5 stars and they worked really hard on it and i think it’s really personal and is awesome. I think that other’s other than their fans can enjoy the album… they are amazing people and this album is way better than a lot of crap that’s out there. Every song on that album has a catchy beat and is amazing! You are way too harsh on them. Way too harsh!!
Yo, sorry, B Long, that some of us enjoy a bit of spectacle. It’s not just about “looks”, but good live performance which requires a range of qualities. If they sounded terrible, like a ton of other acts, their looks wouldn’t matter a bit.
Sorry if I find their shows more electrifying than the Wilco show I went to last week, a band I LOVE in the privacy of my home, but who bored the CRAP out of me live, made worse by the insipidity and homogeneity of the crowd they drew. I’m not a teen, I’m not middle aged, but I’ve learned that I prefer the company of precisely those people at a show, people who show some freaking enthusiasm and bring a good vibe by making a show a gleeful collective buzz, rather than just an exercise in parallel lame, drunken, individual self-congratulation for being there.
Idiot.
Why should you be ashamed? Because you have a Jonas Brothers review that says nothing bad about them. If you all love the Jonas Brothers, which you clearly do, then by all means pop-on. But as you can see your positive response is coming from middle aged mothers and their teenage daughters. You should be ashamed because you are trying to defend the musical credibility of something that is not music, and not talent. If teenage girls didn’t think they were fun to look at, they wouldn’t make a dime. Just because they have a target audience of mindless idiots doesn’t mean they deserve musical recognition. That is all, you may now continue with your praise of the jonas brothers, and again, let me know when you’ll be reviewing the next hanna montana album, im sure it will be a smash hit.
I merely chose to point out that while they have their share of detractors, every genre gets the microscope and The Jonas Brothers are part of that examination.
My entire point here is that they aimed for a bull’s eye and struck pretty damn close in terms of fan base. I might not be a listener personally, but the band obviously succeeded how it chose to. I like to think of The Jonas Brothers as the next Hanson - only less “super seriously” indie rock oriented.
Despite images projected, this band is another shining example of why honesty is the best policy. These brothers are unapologetic in being who they are, which is an admirable quality regardless of your target audience.
@dig Thanks for the recommendation but I work in docfilmmaking, I’ve seen that movie. In my opinion, the Jonas Brothers are not part of the problem. There is a lot of garbage in the corporate system, of course - but there are some real artists in the mainstream system as well, suffocating under an avalanche of marketing, et al. They owe a lot to many previous eras, but they don’t sound like everyone else now, and they have an honest POV. They deserve to be supported as the artists they are, and I think they will prove themselves as such in the future, with the freedom of their success. Clint Eastwood made a few movies with an orangutan before he had the freedom to make “The Unforgiven”. OK?
P.S. SO glad so many people agree about Joe! He’s become such a great vocalist.
This is a fantastic review! I love these guys, they are truly genuine for their love for writing and performing. Even though people make countless assumptions/jokes about these guys, they stick to what they love and try to make themselves better instead of letting criticism get the best of them.
If you usually don’t listen to Jonas Brothers listen to “Much Better” off of their new album… it might surprise you how much they have grown musically! (plus its my favorite song from them of all time)
Oh, Ginger. I couldn’t have said it better myself! Joe is their shining star and they don’t seem to realize it. All the focus is on Nick (who is very talented) and Joe is overlooked for his true talent. I was also disappointed with LV&TT because Joe’s voice was utilized much less than in prior CD’s, but when you do hear Joe he sounds incredible.
Joe’s voice and vocal style is the whole reason I was attracted to JB in the first place. It saddened me to hear him quoted in the Rolling Stone interview that he doesn’t see himself as being as talented as his brothers. I mean, are you kidding me? They would not be where they are today without him by a longshot. He performs with such emotion and has an incredible range that he’s only just beginning to master. He is extremely good-looking but that wouldn’t carry him far if he had no talent.
Joe seems to be catering more toward the older audience/fans recently and I think JB can manage a cross-over to an adult fanbase. It will help when Nick is no longer a minor. And if they quit acting like he’s the sole talent in the band.
Please know that my calling them “good role models” was not meant as an insult to them in any way. But for those of us with kids, it’s nice to be able to enjoy JB’s music together without all the trappings of having to explain bad behavior, trashy lyrics, etc.
It’s great to see a review of a Jonas Brothers album done fairly and with an open mind. I am a 37 year old woman with no daughters to blame my love of this group on. I just think they are incredibly talented and have so much to offer. I won’t insult them by talking about them being “good role-models”. That is not their goal in life. They are who they are, and are completely unapologetic about it. Their sense of humor about themselves far surpasses any jokes, digs, and off-color comments that have been made about them. They think it’s all hilarious, from South Park to Russell Brand. Many artists could learn a lot from these three young men who are so comfortable with who they are that they welcome criticism as completely as they welcome praise. They don’t need to be liked or respected, yet they are, and by some of the biggest names in the industry, at that.
Liz, I agree with your assessment of the strengths within the group. Joe should be pushed to the forefront much more. Nick is a natural musical prodigy, playing any instrument seconds after picking it up, but vocally, he doesn’t have it. When he was a very young boy and recorded his solo album, he sounded like an angel. Unfortunately, his voice developed a very nasal, somewhat whiny tone after puberty, and can come off as thin and tentative, especially live. Not only that, but he lacks the charisma to be a true performer. Cardboard has more personality. Joe, however is the true gem. He has a powerful, yet smooth voice full of range and emotion. He is an incredible frontman, absolutely riveting to watch onstage. At only a few weeks away from 20 years old, he can claim a broader audience than the 16 year old Nick. Adults generally want to watch other adults, so Joe is much more of an asset than I think they realize. Also, our society is very appearance-oriented, so the fact that Joe has movie-star good looks doesn’t hurt matters, either. Thus, my one criticism of Lines, Vines and Trying Times is that they did not utilize him nearly as much or as well as they have on past albums. Hopefully, his aspirations to branch out into acting are successful, because I see a big future ahead for the middle brother.
FogHorn LegHorn!
Liz, I couldn’t agree with your comments more. I, too, am a parent/fan with a life-long love of rock’n'roll. I’ve been watching/listening for years and I love their music. Not every song is golden but there are some really good ones if you truly take the time to listen. And most of it is better than a good bit of what I hear on the radio today.
The Jonas story is intriguing and I’m glad they’ve been good role models for their fan base. But they are growing up and will continue to move away from the more mainstream stuff. Nick is truly talented but I think if they focused a little more on Joe’s abilities, they could go a long way toward musical credibility. The songs don’t have to be complicated but sung in a way that makes you feel the words - that’s what Joe has to offer and it’s what it’s all about in my book.
I was glad to see favorable comments on “Hey Baby” as I think this is their best song yet. It’s simple but speaks to my soul and the way it moves from funky to fast to slow without missing a beat totally works.
There are too many people out there that just want to hate Jonas Brothers without really giving them a chance. What is so awesome about them is that not all their music sounds the same and different things about it appeal to different people. They aren’t afraid to try new things. If you look back at all the best bands in history….same story. Personally, new music has mostly sucked for the past 20 years with few exceptions and I find JB to be a wonderful breath of fresh air.
I really admire the fact that CoS has the balls to review something that isn’t by the coolest indie band of the moment. While we would all like to pretend that all we listen to is Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective, perhaps with some classic rock thrown in there for good measure, we all have our guilty pleasures. And even if we don’t, or we wont admit that we do, there’s a great deal of value in looking at popular records and fleshing out the reasons why so many people love them. Music and all arts are ultimately a matter of personal taste, so to dismiss a record as inherently awful without even having listened to it is elitest and unfair.
Keep up the good work!
don’t take offense david. people will always have loud opinions and they will go both ways. i for one can’t stand these guys and not because i don’t like pop music, i actually find myself listening to a lot of pop music. i just don’t enjoy this particular brand. i’m surprised reading this though that common and jonny lang were on the record. please keep reviewing whatever comes out on the shelves. think of it this way even though people are complaining they’re still looking. i said when you guys reviewed circus just because it’s pop music doesn’t mean it’s not worth talking about.
Everyone please go and watch the film “Before the Music Dies”.
Just read the comments below. 0_o
David Buchanan, you are a better person than I to even dignify those people with a response. And you’re doing your job better than most - you’re being honest.
This thoughtless compartmentalization of music since the eighties (which the indie music scene is heavily responsible for) has been terrible for music. For me - so much began sucking in the 90s - when pop seemed to lose its rock. The Jonas Brothers are bringing back an aspect of pop that has been hard to come by in years and years - simple, well-made pop music that is well-played live as well, that isn’t too narrow/R&B for my taste. (If a bit overproduced in the studio.) They’re bringing the funk, some diversity in sound…didn’t Michael Jackson teach us anything? I missed all that, personally.
Flamers who can’t see that are just lame. And the ones quoting South Park like misinterpreted ,gospel better not be older than 16 because otherwise…sad.
So impressed you’re reviewing this album and with such fairness! They are a lovely young band, and a really interesting musical story to follow. Anyone who refuses to see why is just being ridiculously stubborn.
They really shine live, and have evolved incredibly over the years in that respect. I got into the Jonases in spite of my past as a hipster-sheep, my aversion to commercial pop, and my assumptions about Christians, the whole bit…I’ve found them to be really refreshing. And I am proud to be an adult/parent fan who has watched these boys come up from their amusement park days, I have no doubt their music will continue to be enjoyable and their story intriguing.
P.S. Despite common critical wisdom and Nick’s obvious, prodigious talent and lead-taking, Joe’s the real revelation to be had from this band…just watch.
What a breath of fresh air to have a reviewer who listens to the music they are reviewing. Most people who review these musicians base their review on their biases against them simply because of their age, the age of many of the fans, and the fact that they have values. Great review.
I am repeatedly impressed by the utter immaturity of some readers.
It appears that the majority of those who commented either completely ignored my first paragraph or assumed no one would notice your toddler-esque rapport.
I see no need to defend myself or my musical taste so I refuse to negate these trivial statements by regaling the masses with my personal play list details. Music journalism does have multiple perks, but sometimes you have to review less than favorable bands/artists and in doing so remain unbiased.
I’m willing to bet that if assigned this album, most of you who commented would have stuck less than one star in the ratings portion before even listening to it.
That is not my job.
I refuse to placate your impossible fantasies of every CD being ripe with cryptic metaphor lyrics that merely boost one’s “indie cred”. You should be happy to see how open-minded this site is instead of pissing and moaning every time I review an album you deem “unworthy”.
Thank you for your time, and to quote Marcus Brigstocke: “Letters to the usual address.”
PS - Mickey Mouse can kiss my ass, long live Bugs Bunny!
you should be ashamed of yourself.>>>
And why should we? One thing we strive to do here is look at everything in music, or at least try. We’re not going to turn our backs on aspects of the music industry, and like it or not, the Jonas Brothers are a big part of that.
Here, lemme help you…
http://www.kleenex.com
Folks, I don’t think we’re the only outlet reviewing this album. That’s all say about it.
I sincerely hope you don’t get paid for what you do on this website. Are you honestly defending the Jonas Brothers as musically credible? Are you serious? this page is going downhill quickly… although one upside it appears you’re at least not follwing the daily life of kanye west for the moment. im waiting in anticipation for your miley cyrus review… you should be ashamed of yourself.
Jesus Christ, I dont come to CoS to read about how The Jonas Bros make little girls ginies tingle. How much did Mickey pay you?
Why is Common on a Jonas Brothers album??
Your review is mildly re-inventive of the band but you still miss the point. They suck balls. You say they are serious about music and you manage to fool yourself. I don’t mind your writing about music but stop trying to be real about shitty tunes.
I skimmed to the stars… not having heard the album and still seeing anything over two made me question my very existence.
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