Inspired by newfound fatherhood and marital maturity, I thought Nick Jonas’ new album, “Sunday Best,” would be an emotional reflection on his evolution through adulthood.
I thought wrong.
Released Feb. 6, “Sunday Best” explores themes of marriage and fatherhood, weaves country sounds into pop and curates an acoustic feeling that often sounds clumsy and amateurish.
“Sweet To Me” kicks off the album with a nostalgic, generalized tale of community. While the melody is evocative of Hozier’s “Too Sweet” and Justin Bieber’s “Yummy,” the lyrics are shallow.
I felt an attempt at poetic reminiscence, but instead, it is overly metaphorical. “Summer days in the backyard spitting watermelon seeds / A couple months later, little watermelon babies / That’s crazy.” It is such a strange mix of immaturity and philosophy that becomes obnoxious.
“Handprints,” conversely, feels more intimate. The fluctuating tempo and storyline of a neighborhood stroll with his daughter make the song cozy, endearing and rather fresh.
Unfortunately, in “I Need You,” Jonas makes the shift back to generic with a simplistic ballad for his wife. Singing “You make me wish I was immortal / So I can spend a million more lives with you” is touching, but it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before.
“You Got Me,” on the other hand, was strikingly disturbing. A soothing melody paired with garish lyrics, I felt a strong sense of whiplash as I listened. Comparing your wife to “…ice cream and coffee / Blue skies and apple trees” feels weirdly childish. I’m not sure how being a “2 a.m. kitchen table” or “red wine and chamomile” equates to understanding your partner. I think Jonas needs to cool it with the comparisons.
The track “Gut Punch” is a surprising break from the loving haze of the album, discussing insecurities and self-loathing. I appreciate the vulnerability in admitting the hardships of maturing, but the melody is a perfect rip-off of Shontelle’s “Impossible,” another heartbreaking song that, quite frankly, did the rhythm better.
Thankfully, “Hope” was there to lift my spirits. When Jonas sang “Lift me up when I’m too weak to stand / And show me it’s part of Your plan,” the vocals alone made it one of my favorite songs of the album. Although the lyrics are repetitive, I enjoyed his emotional tone as he describes finding light in dark times.
“Seeing Ghosts” continues Jonas’ winning streak with its funky vibe and catchy rhythm. It felt like a throwback to the Jonas Brothers with the bouncy drum beat, exciting usage of horns and lovesick lyrics. Bring back this kind of yearning in men, I say.
Conversely, “911” killed me. Hearing Jonas sing “Wee-ooh, wee-ooh” is an absolute riot. Aside from the adlib, the song is your typical ex-relationship serenade without any distinctive qualities.
“The Greatest” is yet another breakup song that features the Jonas Brothers and explores how past relationships alter everyday life. However, with common pop chord progressions, generic messaging and drawn-out notes, it blends in with other heartbreak songs.
The album closes with “Princesses,” a song about his daughter and his fear of failure as a parent. The melody is soft and nurturing, the lyrics sweet and endearing. “But you left me speechless the moment you started to talk” absolutely destroyed me. The specificity, emotion and reflection are what I wish the rest of the album had.
Jonas incorporates intimacy into every instrumental. The use of piano and string quartets gave the album a softer, more reflective feel than his other works. However, hosting a choir in three out of 11 songs and the excessive cursive singing made the album feel monotonous.
Lyrically, this album dropped the ball. For a father being vulnerable about his family life, I was astonished by the repetition and absence of depth. I wish Jonas channeled the emotions present in songs about his daughter into the rest of the album, mentioning specific memories rather than generic metaphors.
If this is Jonas’ “Sunday Best,” my “Hope” for his future works is at an all-time low.
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