By Debra Kate Schafer
Correspondent
The ‘J’ in TCNJ stands for Jonas, right? Well, if it didn’t before, it does now. The reunion of the seminal Disney Channel band of brothers has spurred a newfound Jonas fever across campus, which is quite possibly stronger than it’s ever been.
Upon hearing about the reunion, the world seemed to explode with excitement. It’s been just about six years since the band announced its breakup. The Jonas Brothers were the first love, first boy-band obsession and first concert of many young girls in the 2000s. The group’s comeback announcement alone sparked these old feelings, so when the band’s first single dropped at midnight on Thursday, it immediately shot to the No. 1 spot on the iTunes charts.
Personally, I was more intrigued than anything while I sat awaiting the song’s release. As a longtime fan, I was just as shocked and excited as everyone else. It has been some time since the Brothers have released any band-related music. Nick and Joe have branched out musically — Nick has become a solo act and Joe is the singer for DNCE. I had to remind myself that they are much older than the “Year 3000” boys the world fell in love with, but they seemed to take both their old and modern image and apply it to a new sound.
“Sucker” takes the brothers back to their pop music roots, but the elements of maturity and experimentation are evident throughout the entirety of the track. It’s adultlike and sensual, yet still youthful and upbeat. Traces of R&B, pop and guitar-heavy rhythms linger throughout the background, while the melody counters it with swirls of rock — something they’ve intertwined in their music since they were young.
The song is lyrically beautiful and pulls on the heart- strings of every fangirl. Since Kevin, Joe and Nick are all married or engaged, they implement those feelings and experiences into their music effortlessly. As they sing the leading line, “I am a sucker for all the subliminal things that no one knows about you,” they are practically singing it directly to their significant others. The adoration for their wives and fiancées is palpable, which is both uplifting and soul-crushing.
Released alongside the chart-topping song was an equally upbeat music video. The video was a spectacle itself and included the band members’ significant others in stunning costumes.
They are so clearly in love and doing what they love and that’s evident through every aspect of the music video, which keeps it electrifying and fun. They didn’t miss a beat when it came to matching up each shot with the love song that they’re using to revive the band.
“Sucker” is the perfect comeback song for The Jonas Brothers. They are showing the world that they can return to the current music scene with a fire in their souls and that they only get better with age.
