Instead of holding back or walking the well-trodden path, Jonas Brothers swing for the fences on their 2023 full-length LP, The Album. The GRAMMY® Award-nominated powerhouse trio craft sky scraping anthems with widescreen scope, wild personality, and palpable intimacy. Following arguably the comeback of the decade and the biggest season of their career with 2019’s Happiness Begins and its ensuing tour, the musicians—Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Kevin Jonas—opt to challenge themselves. By doing so, they amplify their individual identities and collective energy over the course of these twelve new tracks. This time around, the brothers found a kindred spirit and creative north star in producer Jon Bellion. Nothing was off the table. There are moments of unabashed dancefloor-ready funk that could’ve been lifted right from Studio 54. There are synths galore, channeling seventies FM radio bliss with wide-eyed enthusiasm and wondrous panache. There are enough sticky hooks to keep any stadium anywhere singing along, all night. Under the influence of the Bee Gees, The Doobie Brothers, and other old school staples, they conjure a classic spirit from an entirely modern perspective. It’s no wonder Vanity Fair hailed this outing for its “feel-good ‘70s-inspired songs.”
Talkbox and wah pedal give album opener “Miracle” a Saturday Night Fever swagger punctuated by a hypnotic high register and glossy harmonies. Of the song, Joe admitted, “‘Miracle’ got me really excited. We can’t wait to play this live.”
Elsewhere, the sweeping sonic vistas of “Montana Sky” informed the expanse of this record, breaking open the boundaries once and for all. As the story goes, according to Joe, “Jon went to Nick’s house, and they really created the whole world of the album based on ‘Montana Sky’.”
Lead single “Wings” lifts off to the skies on the fumes of analog synths and slick bass with an uplifting hook, “You are the wings I need to fly away.” As an added bonus, self-proclaimed Jonas Brothers diehard Haley Lu Richardson [White Lotus] starred in the big screen-worthy music video captured during the band’s sold-out three-night residency at Park MGM.
Nick elaborates, “The sonic world for this album is really organic to what those records sound like back in the sixties and seventies, so Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire. ‘Wings’ was very inspired by that instrumentation. The rhythmic element is electrifying. It takes you back to the good old days.”
Then, there’s “Waffle House.” A groove as thick as maple syrup pours over the scrumptious beat as the chorus fondly recalls, “Deep conversations at the Waffle House.” It holds a deep meaning for the guys as Kevin mentions, “The brotherhood we talk about also references our friendship. Not all brothers are friends, and it says a lot about how far we’ve come.”
“Vacation Eyes” glimmers with a candid memory over lush instrumentation. “As much as it’s about the fact my wife Danielle and I met on the beach in the Bahamas, it’s really about the fact you continue to have the same feeling of vacation, happiness, and joy every time you’re together,” Kevin states.
Acoustic guitar threads around the bopping bounce during “Summer Baby” where the bridge swoons, “Still catching feelings for you.” Elsewhere, “Little Bird” flutters with a father’s love in a heartfelt crescendo.
The Album reaches its apex on the powerful and poignant finale “Walls.” Organ dissolves into acoustic guitar beneath lovestruck musings such as, “‘Cause time is a doorframe, I want to go through. As long as it leads me back to you. If you ever left me, I would die. And even the walls would cry.” Nick reveals, “‘Walls’ is very heavily inspired by Oasis. It’s done in a really modern way in the verses, which is signature Jon Bellion, which is why it was so important to have him as a feature. Lyrically, it was a poetic way of saying a sentiment we’ve heard a lot in songs—if someone left you, it would be soul crushing. It’s the final stamp on the album of that idea. We’re including people in not only our personal experiences but inviting them into this space.”
This space proved to be the band’s most immersive as Jonas Brothers overtook every facet of culture in 2023 leading up to the release. They delivered stirring and showstopping performances of “Walls” and “Waffle House” on Saturday Night Live, while they sat on the couch for an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Impressively, they headlined Royal Albert Hall in London and a five-night sold-out Broadway Residency at Marquis Theatre—of the latter Variety enthused, “They brought a rock swagger to Broadway, keeping the crowd on their feet for the entirety of the show.” It all preceded two sold out summer shows at Yankee Stadium in New York—their biggest North American headline dates yet.
Ultimately, Jonas Brothers have made a statement. They’ve leveled up and created what may just be their most definitive body of work.
“I hope people feel like they’re part of our journey for a moment in time,” Nick leaves off. “One of the things I always say about Jonas fans, which I think is the greatest honor ever, is that I think they’ve really allowed us to be a part of their journey. We’ve stayed true to ourselves, most importantly, and who we are as artists, what we want to say, and what is authentic to us. I hope people feel a part of our journey and know we’re honored to be a part of theirs.”
“Just go for it,” smiles Joe. “Sit down with it and listen to it from start to finish. Please don’t skip any songs.”
Welcome to The Album.
