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No one expected Nick Jonas to take a break from his lucrative day job and completely re-invent himself.
So it's no surprise that Who I Am, the debut effort from Jonas' side project, Nick Jonas & the Administration, manages to be as bland as its title. Despite the presence of some serious musicians -- keyboardist Tommy Barbarella, drummer Michael Bland and guitarist Sonny Thompson all logged time with Prince's New Power Generation -- Jonas can't break free from the shackles of generic, albeit catchy, pop that has propelled him to superstardom.
Knocked out in an eight-day spree at Nashville's Blackbird Studios, the John Fields-produced Who I Am ostensibly draws inspiration from Jonas' well-worn list of musical heroes -- Stevie Wonder, Johnny Cash and Elvis Costello; but you'd be hard-pressed to hear a trace of any one of those fellas in these 10 songs. Instead, this frequently feels like a John Mayer tribute album. From the startlingly mature opener, Rose Garden, to Olive & an Arrow and In the End, Jonas consistently apes Mayer's bluesy, liquid guitar sound and frustratingly vague, fitfully romantic lyrics.
While not blazingly original, these songs feel different than anything found on a Jonas Brothers record. Nick even spins the Jonas Brothers ditty Tonight in a new direction, drastically slowing the tempo and thereby bending an anthem into a ballad. But when Jonas does decide to cut loose, as on Conspiracy Theory and Last Time Around, one finally glimpses the potential of this side project. And, given the musical firepower at his back, Who I Am is little more than a giant missed opportunity.
The Jonas Brothers made their name with hyper-caffeinated pop songs that don't ask much of the audience. To an extent, Nick Jonas & the Administration doesn't force listeners to re-evaluate what they think of the precocious singer-songwriter. If you didn't dig Jonas before, little on Who I Am will sway you. JoBros devotees are programmed to scoop up anything even remotely associated with the trio, so in that respect, he'll retain a built-in fan base.
Whether that ensures the Administration's continued existence is uncertain. For anyone to care past this initial effort, it's probably worth Nick Jonas embracing the notion of genuine creative risks, rather than simply clearing out leftover songs. As the saying goes, nothing worth doing's ever easy ... right, Nick?
Download this: Last Time Around
Preston Jones is the Star-Telegram pop music critic, 817-390-7713
