Review: Jonas Brothers' 'A Little Bit Longer'

By Glenn Gamboa | glann.gamboa@newsday.com

August 12, 2008

Joe Jonas, lead singer of The Jonas Brothers, on stage of the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater. (Ari Mintz, Newsday / August 9, 2008)

What The Jonas Brothers accomplish on their third album, "A Little Bit Longer" (Hollywood), is nearly impossible: Tweaking their songs enough to sound like upstanding pop-rock adults without losing the signature style that won them millions of Disney-loving fans in the first place.

So many teen heartthrobs have gotten the pop-star calculus wrong, moving too fast in one direction or not moving quickly enough. But Team Jonas gets everything just right on "A Little Bit Longer" and they manage it without relying on sappy ballads or trendy songwriting collaborators. Aside from the somber title track about Nick Jonas' diabetes diagnosis, the album is essentially one long pure pop buzz.

The first single, "Burnin' Up," does Maroon 5's faux-funk even better, with a better hook and a bouncier groove, while the latest single, "Tonight," is sleek, adrenalized good-time pop in the Fall Out Boy vein. Both are already Top 10 hits and they're not even the album's best tracks, which means the New Jersey trio is looking at a blockbuster year.

Even more impressive, though, is the crafty "Love Bug," which crosses the brothers' sweet harmonies with a laid back Jack Johnson vibe before kicking into a massive guitar anthem ending.

Sure, "A Little Bit Longer" targets the Disney crowd with fluffy little tales of noncontroversial teenage life piled on top of dreamy delights. But they are so well-crafted only the grumpiest of grumps can resist a little Jonas-sanctioned slice of happy-happy.

JONAS BROTHERS

"A Little Bit Longer"

THE GRADE B

BOTTOM LINE This time, Joe, Kevin and Nick really give their fans something to scream about.

JANELLE MONAE

Metropolis: The Chase Suite

THE GRADE B

BOTTOM LINE The best futuristic neo-soul rock opera ever.

Janelle Monae's ambitious "Metropolis: The Chase Suite" (Bad Boy) sounds crazy on paper - an epic journey that starts with a sci-fi musical explainer about how Monae's alter ego, Cindy Mayweather, has been marked for death for falling in love and ends with a moving version of "Smile" from the Charlie Chaplin classic "Modern Times."

With help from co-producer OutKast's Big Boi, and a whole lot of inventiveness, the flashy newcomer pulls it off, though, especially on the frantic Gnarls Barkley-meets-B-52s dance pop number "Many Moons" and the stunning "Mr. President," a timely indictment of greedy politicians set to a timeless soul groove where Monae pleads, "Times are hard and we need you to be like Moses and lead your people through."

IN STORES

Yung Berg's "Look What You Made Me" (Epic)

New Kids on the Block's "Greatest Hits" ( Sony Legacy)

New Orleans legend Irma Thomas' "Simply Grand" (Decca/Rounder)

Bassist supergroup S.M.V.'s "Thunder" (Heads Up)

"Songs for Tibet - The Art of Peace" (Art of Peace Foundation) compilation, featuring Sting, Damien Rice, Jonatha Brooke and others