Heyo! I know I said I'd be back in May, but then I got sick, and I was in the middle of taking a writing hiatus. I have no excuse for how long this had taken me to get out other than pure laziness. However, I am glad I had more time with the album instead of writing this post after only listening to it for a day, as I've done with past Kinda Reviews.
I figured why not write about the album I've been waiting over a year for, Music For People Who Believe in Love? As you may know from following this blog or just know me, you know I am a HUGE fan of the Jonas Brothers. I am a Joe girl, so OBVIOUSLY when he started teasing new solo music, I was hyped. He finally dropped the album in May, after having to push it back. So, I am going to write about it because I have A LOT to say. So, this might be a long one, but is anyone surprised?
Disclaimer & Warnings:
- I do discuss mental health and my own suicidal ideation briefly. If that's not your cup of tea, feel free to check out any of my other many Jonas Brothers related posts, or my other Kinda Reviews.
- I am NOT a music critic! I am just someone who enjoys music and listens to it constantly. So, I do not have the technical terms for everything in music. These Kinda Reviews are mostly a reason for me to ramble about music I enjoy.
- Despite this album being very personal to Joe and something he wrote out of heartbreak, I WILL NOT be discussing the divorce unless absolutely necessary. AND I WILL NOT speculate whether he wrote a song about someone specific or not, unless he has specifically stated so.
- I am so sorry for how many times I talk about how incredible his voice is on this album. You've been warned. Take a shot every time Mac compliment's Joe's voice or describes something as gorgeous.
1. "Woven" with Domi & JD Beck
The album opens up with this gorgeous instrumental. I know a lot of people skip it, but I don't understand why. It is so pretty. Also, just because it's an instrumental, doesn't mean you don't hear a little bit of Joe vocalizing if you listen closely enough. The vibes of this track are very fantastical. I'd love to see more of Joe composing instrumentals in the future. You can hear a filtered or edited "I love you" at the top of the track. Which makes sense as the album is about being in love. I cannot overstate how much I love this as the opener for the whole album. The twinkling piano throughout the track is so lovely. How could you not like it? Plus, the wind instruments! The harps, too. It's very, very good, and I will not accept slander just because it's an instrumental and Joe is known as a vocalist. The way this track is woven together is absolutely gorgeous.
This song is about deciding to take that jump into another relationship after heartbreak. The beginning gave me 2007 self-titles Jonas Brother vibes. The song is very much 2000s pop-punk, which I absolutely love, because despite Joe being known as a popstar, he did start off in a pop-punk band. In the pre-chorus, Joe sings, "Even if these eyes start cryin', even if I'm kissin' lightnin' / Dancin' in a cage with lions, I'll be fine, yeah, I'll be fine" which to me sounds like he's telling himself that even if things ger bad, he'll get through it. He knows he is capable of making it through to the other side. The in the chorus, he sings, "I don't know where I might land, got life back in my hands / I'm dustin' off my parachute / I was halfway off my head, tiptoein' on the edge / I'm dustin' off my parachute". That brings in the metaphor that the song is built around. It also makes me thing of a tattoo Joe has that reads, "I have woven a parachute out of everything broken". I remember when he showed up with this tattoo because it was early after he announced his divorce. Verse two is slightly gut-wrenching with "To be honest, my naked finger / Still has a fourteen-carat kinda whisper / Cinderella needs new slippers / The memory is thicker than a picture..." because this is clearly about his lack of a wedding ring and sounds like despite him wanting to move on, the hurt still haunts him a little. This song is about trying to move on. His metaphor of a parachute is because he is leaping into trying to love again. Which lines up with the whole theme of the album. The song ends with the vibes of "Woven" which I love.
I did indeed write an ENTIRE post about this song, but I get to ramble about it more now! Plus, more time has passed, so I've had more time to digest the song. I am going to try not to repeat myself. When I wrote the post, I had just come out of the hospital, and the song very much felt like he was speaking directly to me. Listening to it now, after a year of therapy, and doing a lot better with my mental health, it's still an absolute BOP! I'm glad this is what he chose as the first single of the album. He captured the feelings of dealing with anxiety, while also stating that no one is going to pull you out of your head, so you'll have to help yourself. "Brush your shoulder off, life's gonna work it out" is now one of my most treasure quotes. So, thank you, Joe, for encouraging me to get back onto the horse that is life.
4. "Only Love"
As one of the songs Joe teased on TikTok, I was hyped to finally hear it in full. His voice is phenomenal, obviously. The song itself is catchy and is very much a summer vibe. Also, fun fact, he originally intended for this song to be a Jonas Brothers' song, but I'm glad he decided to keep it for himself. Though, I am curious to hear what the Brothers' version would be. The song is about letting himself fall in love again, with encouragement from someone new. I LOVE the bass throughout the song. It's so good for no reason. The chorus goes "Sure, you're hear has been broke before / That don't mean that you close the door / She said 'Boy, it's only love, love, love. He's being encouraged and lets himself into a "pretty sticky situation" as he calls it, early in the song. Allowing love back into his life despite being "burned" and out of "motivation". The song ends with "Now that I'm here, just as I thought / You got my heart in a headlock / Not what I'm here, make the bed talk / It's only love, it's only love," which is him surrendering and accepting love again. I love the final "it's only love" with just his vocals without music. It is beautiful.
5. "Heart By Heart"
Let me just say, I have cried over this song more than once, and you can blame my parasocial relationship for that. Also, the music video is STUNNING, but it also hurts my feelings a little. It's a very lovely and bittersweet song about what comes after a relationship has ended. BY THE WAY, Joe did not write this one, but it obviously resonated with him enough to include it on his album. The first verse ends with "You've been out most night, trying to get a little peace / Even if it ain't with me / Haven't you, darling? That's alright, darling," which sounds like an acknowledgement and acceptance of a past partner moving on. Then the second verse goes, "You've got the sweetest loving to give / I know 'cause I've tasted, I'd hate you to waste it". He is telling his former partner that he hopes they find someone worthy of their love. When I heard the bridge for the first time, I felt like this man ripped out my heart. "Holding you tight in the back of your car / Know that we tried, but we didn't get far / I'm sorry, so sorry" is admitting things didn't work out despite their best efforts. What gets me is the emotion in Joe's voice when he sings "I'm sorry, so sorry". I need to hug him. That's all. His voice is so lovely in this song, and the rawness adds to it. He truly felt this song fully. In the final pre-chorus, he sings "But if waking up seems way too hard / And no one pulls you out the dark / If he don't ever light your spark / Remember I know your heart by heart," and it's almost an invitation that if things don't work out with the new person, he wants his former partner to understand that he will always remember their "heart by heart". Earlier in the bridge, he also tells the partner, "Baby, don't forget you can call me anytime / You're lonely, so lonely". He just wants that partner to know that even though they're not together anymore, they will always have him. He will "always remember". I just really love this song, and now I've written half a page on Google Docs, so I might need to move on.
6. "Honey Blonde"
This is by far, the sexiest song on the album by both lyrics and sound. I'd argue this is THE song of the summer. This is a song someone could blast in their convertible while driving along the beach. It's such a chill relaxing vibe and catchy. His voice is comforting and gorgeous. The use of acoustic guitar adds to why people enjoy this song. In this song, he sings of a summer fling with a "honey blonde". Calling her his "antidote" and how she helps him "breathe deeper". It's a song with just enough yearning, while also being aware of temptation. The first chorus highlights the temptation with "She's barefoot while 'm buttoned up / She looks better in my clothes / My favorite sweater's fallin' off / I mean how can I say no?" Not to mention how in the chorus, he sings "My honey blonde, you turn me on / Sweet reprises, summer eyes / Our past mistakes, we'll break today / So turn me on my, my honey blonde". A man who is deep in his feelings about his "honey blonde". I do think it's both sexual and romantic feelings based on the lyrics. The vibes of this song are immaculate and there's a reason it's one of the most played song outside of the singles.
7. "My Own Best Friend"
When I first heard the clip of this song Joe shared before he even released the song, I cried. When I got to hear the song in full for the first time, I cried so hard, I had to pause the album just to cry it out before continuing. This is another song that I feel like was written for me, but also with the parasocial relationship I have, it broke my heart. I felt not so alone, but it also made me sad that he had to go through what he went through for this song to exist. The first pre-chorus goes, "So blow out the candles, another year gone / Wishin' to Heaven to rewrite the wrongs / And I'll buy a new canvas, turn a new page / Same old picture, brand new frame," and I felt those words so intensely. Up until this year, I ALWAYS hated my birthday because I felt like I was wasting my life away and despite my best efforts to keep going, it was always so hard. The first pre-chorus ends with "Ghost in the mirror, tell me a lie / If I'm supposed to be here, why do I cry? And I'll," which then leads to the chorus, "Take what's left and build a bridge again / Oh, and I'll take the steps to be my own best friend / My own best friend". THESE LYRICS!!! I've been very open about my struggles with my mental health and past suicidal ideation, so I felt "If I'm supposed to be here, why do I cry?" so deeply in my soul. Which is what made me emotional, that he's ever had to deal with that. It's not fun. Then the later chorus adds, "And I might be down, but I'm not dead," which again I felt spiritually. I have survived the lowest I've ever been and live to tell the tale. I've since had my ups and downs since then, but even on the bad days, I can still keep going and fighting. It's overall such a beautiful song, and I am honored that Joe trusts us enough to release it.
8. "Velvet Sunshine" with Franklin Jonas
I am Franklin Jonas' biggest fan. If he has one fan, it's me. It he has no fans, I'm dead. When Joe first teased the song, I fell in love and knew I was going to love it. Then he performed it live with Franklin and at the time, I didn't know Franklin was actually in the song, but I wanted the version with him anyway, which is what we have. It's my favorite song on the album, mostly because it has Franklin and I absolutely adore him. I love the vibe of the song. Another summer bop! The lyrics tell a story of a summer crush who's a bit of a tease. Saying that she brings him "velvet sunshine" and then calling her his "velvet sunshine" at the end of the song. The first verse, sang by Franklin, call himself and the crush "lost souls" and "false gods". In the second verse, Joe sings "On read, but I can see you lookin' at my Close Friends / Kinds like the feelin' when you lead me on, then don't respond / Don't change, ch-change, ch-change a thing, I li-li-li-like what the danger brings / Oh, trust me, I'm fine with the stranger things, you light up my mind and set me on fire..." which is affirming that he enjoys the teasing and that she's playing hard to get. My interpretation of what "velvet sunshine" is, its happiness or good vibes. Which this song definitely is full of.
9. "Sip Your Wine" with Sierra Ferrell
If I'm not mistaken, I BELIEVE this is the first song off the album that Joe teased all the way back in 2023 or early 2024. Coming into this song, I had no idea who Sierra Ferrell is, but I love her voice and will definitely look into her music. This song is about taking a road trip with someone who helped him believe in love again. We all know Joe is a coffee lover - he is Mr. Cup of Joe, himself after all - and it's fitting that the song begins with "Sat in the desert drinkin' coffee while I watch you sip your wine". The opening chorus includes, "I could cry, I'm startin' to like this thing called life" which is a beautiful sentiment, as we've heard from other songs on this album, that he's had hardship that may have cause a depression, or his anxiety to be too high to manage. The pre-chorus also adds, "Zoomin' out, new perspective / Lookin' glass, taught me lessons / Change like seasons day by day". The bridge then goes, "Let's watch the sun come up this time / I'm not scared of love this time" and it goes with the whole theme of the album of enjoying life and believing in love again after heartbreak.
10. "Hey Beautiful" with Louane & Tiny Habits
I absolutely adore this song and the meaning behind it, but it's become the only song I skip on the album because of some personal things going on. I have recently been abandoned by my father, and this song makes me miss him, which is why I skip it. But it is such a beautiful song. Joe wrote this one for his daughters, whom he's been so incredibly protective of, understandably. Another tearjerker of a song. I'd argue it's the most beautiful song on the album. It's a song about a father falling in love with his children. I had become a fan of Tiny Habits through Joe, so I was ecstatic to see them featured on this song. Though, I was unfamiliar with Louane, but they are definitely someone I'd love to check out. The first verse goes "Angels fall to earth to catch a sight of you / Said that they found Heaven in your eyes / There's a list of things for love I'll never do / First time I saw you, I changed my mind," which is a sentiment I've heard from a lot of parents. When they see their child for the first time, the know there is nothing they wouldn't do for them. In the chorus, Joe and Louane sing "Hey, beautiful, all I do for you / Give you my life and heard on a string / Hey, beautiful, look at how I look at you / Now that you're mine what more could I need?" and it's so soft. He looks at his kids as everything he could ever need. Verse 2 is in French, and the English translation broke me. The translation goes, "I walked alone, the sea as far as the eye could see / With my fears, life on my shoulders / Love had done me so much harm, I was no longer looking / Then you had to brush against me" and that is gorgeous. Even after heartbreak and disappointment, he still had the love of his girls. and love for them no matter what. This song makes my heart hurt because of my deteriorated relationship with my dad, but I am so glad Joe's girls have this song from him. The song closes out with probably the most heartbreakingly beautiful lyrics: "Just in case a day comes, I'm not next to you / I went and cut a deal with all the stars / And, when you wish upon them, you can call it proof / I'll be with you wherever you are" and it's bittersweet when you learn his girls are living on a different continent from him. That's the only interpretation I am accepting at this time because I don't feel like ugly crying as hard as I do during the second verse of the Jonas Brothers' song, "Little Bird: - if you know you know. Now this song has me crying in the laundromat.
11. "What We Are" with Luisa Sonza
I need to start off and say the vibes of this song are immaculate. It's a chill Latin vibe. Before Luisa Sonza even sang in Portuguese, I KNEW it was Brazilian inspired just based off the vibes. I was a kid who watched Rio - the one with the birds - way too much. When I first listened to the album, I wrote down some notes, and for this song I wrote "we love to see a white boy from Jersey who appreciates foreign languages". The song is so pretty. Joe and Luisa's voices work so well together, and I wouldn't mind them doing more music together in the future. The English translation for the Portuguese in Luisa's verse is, "There are signs that the soul understands, a preciousness that lights up / The two of us, the two of us / It's in eye to eye that we connect, a wound that hurts but isn't felt / The two of us, the two of us," and that is true poetry. Then her pre-chorus translation is: "Everything I once felt, everything I came to know / All that I had, every cliche phrase, I saved for you". The song continues the theme of love throughout the album. Just listening to it as I write this, I want to go write a romantic scene. Maybe take my character on vacation to Rio as Luisa sings. I absolutely love the chorus, "What we are is a lot / Tell you what, we are not / Not our past, our mistakes / Free at last, and that makes / Yes, that makes what we are" because it's about not letting the past define you in a new relationship This song gives me gooose bumps. Well done, Joe and Luisa. I do feel like I need to admit that I thought in the outro he was singing "lean into me" not "breathe into it".
I assume the bit at the very beginning of the song is a voice memo, or something similar, and I am obsessed with it. The way his voice sounds so gorgeous and comforting. This is one of the songs that gets me all warm and fuzzy in the chest. Brings up all my love for him over the past two decades to the surface. In said intro, he sings "You got the right to take my heart / You got the right to break it all apart / Every night, I could my lucky stars / 'Cause you got the right, you got the right" and it sounds like someone who is so deeply, blissfully in love. Then the first verse goes "Darlin', our love is written / One condition, near or far / Darlin', don't make me promise / You know I'm honest, near or far" and he sings it in falsetto which is lovely. The chorus is the same as the intro, but adds, "You got the right to find someone new / You got the right to do what's right for you / Every night, I might cry for you / But you got the right, you got the right, you got the right" which sounds like maybe it's the end of a relationship, but he still has love and respect for that person. It's reminiscent of "Heart By Heart" with what comes after a relationship has ended with the bridge adding, "It don't matter the distance / Time or the difference / I'm a call away". He wants the person to know he'll always have their back no matter what. The song ends with the same voice memo it started with that has just his voice and a guitar. It's a masterpiece from start to finish
13. "What This Could Be"
Another song that has my heart. My notes for this song from my initial listen of the album - after hearing the song on repeat since it was released as a single - is "I LOVE HIM" in all caps, literally 100 times. I counted. Once again gotta talk about how lovely his voice is. That was my initial draw to him in 2006 before my brain even computed that I thought he was cute. His voice has had a true evolution since then. The song is about trying to find out if "this" could become a relationship. The first verse goes, "I used to say my mind was made up / I couldn't take another breakup / I've been played like I'm a game, but / You changed the rules, my heart is made". He met someone who had changed his heart. He had closed himself off to falling in love again until he met this person. In the chorus, he sings, "For making mistakes, more than a few / Dreams not a lie, it's okay to be fools / And say some dumb shit that might not come true / I'd give up my peace of mind to lose my mind again with you / Oh, it might not be sage, but I'm willing to hope / To mean what I say when I say what I know . We're talking real close, your eyes are open / We're having conversations that our bodies should be making" and it's all about falling in love again and taking chances. He's saying that he's willing to give it a try. Verse two goes, "Thought I'd lost sight, oh, of the feeling / We're sleepwalking, and restless dreaming / But dreams are made by waking up, yeah / We're all afraid, but our hearts are made" which leads to a second chorus. He is saying plainly that hearts are made for making mistakes and no one should be afraid to make them. It's a beautiful sentiment that says it's okay to get back onto the horse after heartbreak.
14. "Constellation"
This is one of the prettiest on the album. Between the sounds and the lyrics, it's a gorgeous song. It's about coming out the other side of a rough time. Instead of focusing on the bad, sometimes you have to pull back and look at the whole picture, or in this case, constellation. Once again gotta compliment Joe's vocals. Yes, this song made me cry the first time I heard it. The pre-chorus is what got me. He sings "I felt fear 'til the fear ran out / I felt every pain, but we made it somehow / Built a monument, saw it all fall down / Saw a brand new shape and a brand new sound / Everything I lost, everything I found / Lose it all again, just to be here now" and it very much hit me because I related. Joe and I similarly went through very rough times around the same time. He went through a divorce and my depression landed me in the hospital, but we both came out the other side better than before. The chorus goes, "It's a constellation / Couldn't see it all before / Some stars, they burn out / And some come back around / It's a constellation". The song is about finding a new appreciation for life and everything we go through. Being able to see the good, despite the bad. Finding beauty where you never did before. The album came out in a very good time in my life. I am, for the first time, feeling stable. I am starting to like life again. So, when I cried hearing this song for the first time, I wasn't crying because of my parasocial relationship with him - though I am extremely proud of him for being able to overcome heartbreak - but I also felt this song represented how I have been feeling mentally. My mental health journey has been such a long one, but I've come out the other side able to appreciate things I never did before and able to be hopeful for the future.
Bonus Track: "Water Under the Bridge"
This song is on the deluxe version of the album, which Joe surprised everyone with on the Tuesday following the standard album's release. He really said surprise, and I'm glad he did. This song has very much an 80s vibe. It's about calling it quits and trying to move on, singing "it's just water under the bridge" but still having a little bit of anxiety with "I just hope I don't fall in". The first verse starts with "I said some shit, you said some shit back / And all it cost me was a heart attack / We've gone too far, we're never comin' back / Not gonna fight you, are you cool with that?" which signifies the end of a relationship. The chorus repeats, "It's just water under the bridge" to try to assure that things are all good, with some slight hesitance. Then in the second verse, he sings, "I don't wanna wake up, ten years, same bed, tryna make up / I don't wanna fake it, can't turn back time, try to change it now / I think it's for the best to clean up the mess / Can't figure it, old mistakes anyway" as if to explain that he doesn't want to regret beating a dead horse and pushing forward with a relationship that's already over. I'd argue this song is slightly different from the rest of the album, which is probably why it is on the deluxe instead of the standard. Regardless, it's still a great song and I am glad he gave it to us.
On the deluxe version of the album he has live versions of "Heart By Heart", "What This Could Be", and "Honey Blonde". I've said it before and I'll say it again, Joe sounds so much better live, and I really do need to see him perform again. Especially now that I am mentally stable, so I'll actually be able to appreciate the performance instead of letting my depression and anxiety take over.
Overall, I love the album. It not only met my expectations but exceeded them greatly. I already hold this man in such high regard, but I have found a new love and appreciation for him after this album. I waited over a year for it, and I am not disappointed. The vibe of the whole album is lovely and fun. It truly is for people who believe in love.
If by some miracle, Joe stumbles upon this post: Hi! Hope you're doing well. Thank you for trusting us with this album. It's so personal and gives me so much hope. Thank you for being so real and honest. Your music has gotten me through some very rough times throughout my life and I am glad to have this album accompany me through the potentially good time. So, so thank you. I cannot wait for Greetings From Your Hometown, and I look forward to your next project, whether it be solo or bringing DNCE back - please bring DNCE back I need more bops. TRULY thank you for the music.
Yes, I know the Jonas Brothers' new album Greetings From Your Hometown is coming out the weekend this post goes up and I will obviously write a Kinda Review about that. So, look out for it in the near future.
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