[Yes - I know that you, our readers, don't need this admonition, but please bear with me here...]
Ah, not since Chris Willman stuck his neck out have I had the pleasure of reading such a fun piece of enthusiastic journalistic praise of the Jonas boys. It’s a true treat in advance of our trip to see the guys put on the last of their 3 performances at the Mohegan Sun this weekend.
This is the kind of article that inspires me as a fan - as sexist as it may be to rely mostly upon male, ostensibly heterosexual writers to ignite those embers of hope I harbor – that the future might hold a world of respect and mass appreciation for the Jonases* – I can’t deny that they do just that, I can’t help it. These writers can’t so easily be pushed back with accusations of sentimentality and tides of feminine approval that any reasonable woman can’t deny, when confronted with the Boys.
Male music critics with an open mind and an evenhanded sense of musical history are the best media friends the Jonas Brothers could hope for - they are the most defensible beacon against the Jim DeRogatises of the world, and for that, we as superfans gotta honor them for helping us fight the good fight of supporting a great, young band. So…
Do rush over to read Chris Arnott’s article from today’s New Haven Advocate, “A Jones for the Jonas Brothers:In Defense of Lines, Vines and Trying Times”.
And come back and let us know what your favorite parts of his piece are…mine has got to be this little gem – and I say this as a Cheap Trick appreciator:
Even Kevin, Joe and Nick’s most fervent detractors have to admit that, with several albums under their belts, the worst or sappiest tracks the Jonas Brothers have yet unleashed don’t begin to sink to the depths of cloying commercial desperation and clichéd metal-balladry that the most revered act in the Power Pop firmament, Cheap Trick, did at the same point in their long career. Yeah, I said it; Jonas Brothers’ worst is better than a bunch of Cheap Trick.
Heeheehee. Marvelous. And there’s more. Thanks, Mr. Arnott!
*[Does it "matter" to have widespread public understanding? Well, no. Is it kind of awesome? Um, yes, very.]
[Via: STAN BEHAL, Sun Media c/o Toronto Sun (photo)]
cpaig
mememoi
coolmom823
I JUST read this article and was going to copy and paste it here! Oh how I loved reading this!!
Sensational!
What a great piece!
So refreshing!
W00T!
(sorry – at work – must be brief)
I love this man. WDTFTW!
I think I loved this most of all:
It’s cruel to make their pre-adolescent fame such an obstacle for a band that, unlike true pop jokes like The Backstreet Boys or New Kids on the Block, can write genuinely catchy songs and play their own instruments, louder and faster than I suspect their screeching fans really want to hear.
One of the things I like best about the IAT-era JB is watching Kevin play fast punk guitar. The reviewer is right. I bet they could give us a West Coast punk show to rival any we have seen, but it would significantly decrease their fan base. As Kevin has siad, you use the platform you have. Smart boys.
I like that Arnott can see through the pop and circumstance to recognize that they are true musicians who have smarts and depth and the happy misfortune of being gorgeous enough to be teen idols.
I hope it won’t take a decade and a hip pop power group for them to get the recognition they deserve.
Thank you for finding and posting this article. I think it made my day.
thanks mememoi..I have to agree it made my day too! And it was from a CT paper!! an actual kindred soul not too far away..
This guy really hit so many nails on the head it’s hard to pick a favorite part. I also like the way he separates them fron NSync and the Backstreet Boys because people are so often using those 2 groups as “look what will happen.”
One odd thing though-I’m not sure he realizes Year 3000 is a cover.
It’s still mystifying to me that they don’t get more radio play. E and I heard an ad on Z100 and it said, ” all the hits from your favorite artists: Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, the Jonas Brothers..” and we both said, “huh??” they haven’t played a JB song on the radio since the played Paranoid once or twice.
And yet they are alwasy doing interviews and private shows and charity events for radio stations.
I didn’t mean to go off topic!
Just thinking about how respectful they are and yet how little respect they often get.
Thanks Mr Arnott for giving them some well deserved respect!
Wow, thank you so much for posting this, Mememoi! I love it when someone who knows a lot more about music than I do (and is more articulate than me) says everything I wish I knew how to say (if that makes any sense, lol). I just want to email the article to everone who’s ever dissed the Boys to me! Actually, I think I WILL make my brother read it… His constent Jonas bashing is really starting to annoy me! Which is exactly why he keeps doing it, I’m sure.
I loved the part that sharpld posted… The whole thing was awesome, but I particularly loved this:
“But when the Jonas Brothers loosen their white World War II era tuxedoes and rock out, it’s comparable to any band that ever ruled MTV”. (If I knew how, I’d use italics here. Haha.)
Chris Arnott is my hero.
So well written. So encouraging!
This article was wonderfully written and a fine, fair assessment. Mr. Arnott, you are my hero.
That said, I have to acknowledge some sadness at the ever-present insidious mysogyny that renders male fans of a band and male music critics somehow more credible than female ones. It seems to point up how far there is to go in the quest for gender equality.
really great. It is nice to hear them get the credit I tell my husband they should get – frequently.
you’ll forgive me for this fangirling post…
Just have to say: Joe Jonas smiles with his eyes, his mouth, his teeth, his whole face. And it’s so lovely. And it has to make anyone looking at him smiling happy as well.
Agreed. It always makes ME happy!
I am in love with that man. Wonder if he’s married…?!
Fabulous! No other word for it. Thank you, Chris Arnott!