Rock Archives - Plugged In https://www.pluggedin.com/blog/music-genre/rock/ Shining a Light on the World of Popular Entertainment Fri, 05 Apr 2024 18:45:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://www.pluggedin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/plugged-in-menu-icon-updated-96x96.png Rock Archives - Plugged In https://www.pluggedin.com/blog/music-genre/rock/ 32 32 Too Sweet https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/hozier-too-sweet/ Fri, 05 Apr 2024 18:45:15 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=31415 Hozier wishes an uptight woman would enjoy life as he does in his latest single, “Too Sweet.”

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Deep, earthy vocals? Sides of introspection and mystery-laced with an Irish accent? That’s Andrew Hozier-Byrne for you.

This 34-year-old Irish native is probably best known for his hit “Take Me To Church,” which told listeners that sex was both a part of Hozier’s religion and an act of worship.

So, in many ways, listeners have come to expect Hozier to be lyrically daring. And he continues to be so. Especially on his new EP, Unreal Unearth: Unheard, with his latest single called “Too Sweet.”

While his former hit was bold and basically sacrilegious, “Too Sweet” is so masterfully written that you might not expect it to simply be about how Hozier is not a morning person, while a woman in his life is. And he is, kindly, over it.

POSITIVE CONTENT

It’s true. Hozier is not a morning person (“It can’t be said I’m an early bird/It’s 10 o’clock before I say a word”). But this woman in his life is, and she feels that if Hozier was, he’d be a healthier person (“How do you sleep so well/You keep tellin’ me to live right/To go to bed before the daylight/But then you wake up for the sunrise”).

But that’s not how he wants to wake up. He wonders if she ever wants to just take it easy and “wake up, dark as a lake/Smellin’ like a bonfire/lost in a haze?”.

It’s clear this woman is “drunk on life” and he thinks “it’s great.”

Still, his preferences are vastly different from hers.

He wants to enjoy life with a drink (“I think I’ll take my whiskey neat”), a strong cup of coffee (“My coffee black”), unconventional work hours (“I work late when I’m free from the phone”) and a much later bedtime that’s certainly unproductive in this woman’s eyes (“And my bed at three”).

It seems that she’s the opposite of Hozier in every way. He calls her “sweet.” In fact, she’s “too sweet” for him. Too structured, too put together and too uptight (“You treat your mouth as if it’s Heaven’s gate/The rest of you like you’re the TSA”).

CONTENT CONCERNS

It’s not necessarily bad to be a morning person. It’s not a sin to be a night owl. It’s totally fine to enjoy different things, to have different preferences and to work on a different schedule than most. To view life in a different lens.

Really, the only concerning lyric here is that Hozier thinks it’s strange this woman wants to keep in shape. To which he comments “who wants to live forever, Babe?”.

He also mentions that he enjoys drinking his “whiskey neat.”

TRACK SUMMARY

Of all the things this song says, I think it most clearly communicates that Hozier is a masterful lyricist.

I’ve never listened to a song that basically told someone to enjoy life and not take everything so seriously in such a beautiful way.

As someone who is pretty type-A, I can appreciate a lot of what is being said here. Especially because Hozier is clear that he appreciates this woman’s preferences (“If you’re drunk on life babe, I think it’s great”) and views her as a beautiful creature (“You know you’re bright as the morning/As soft as the rain/Pretty as a vine/As sweet as a grape”).

Just one that needs to calm down and be OK that he too has his own way of enjoying things.

As for problematic content, there isn’t much here to worry about. Yes, Hozier enjoys whiskey. Sure, some of his habits could be called questionable. And he does say that he doesn’t feel life is so great that he’d want to live forever.

But there’s no profanity. No references to sex. No videos from which you’d need to shield your eyes. Just some wonderfully wound lyrics that tell a funny story of sorts.

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Lose Control https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/teddy-swims-lose-control/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 22:22:24 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=31295 This single from former YouTube phenomenon Teddy Swims has some psychological insights … and some pretty big problems, too.

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You know a powerhouse vocalist when you hear one. And Teddy Swims is that powerhouse. 

He goes by his stage name Swims, which is an acronym for Someone Who Isn’t Me Sometimes, while Teddy refers to the frame of his youth. 

Swims was born as Jaten Dimsdale in Georgia back in 1992. He grew up a multi-talented young man, playing high school football and then finding his true passion for singing in musical theater. For Swims, it was a joy to work on his vocal technique as he constantly experimented with music of all genres, from rock to soul to R&B. 


After that, he sang in multiple bands; but his real claim to fame came in 2019, thanks to his YouTube channel. There, he began putting out covers from a range of genres, dipping his toes into many melodic waters.

And now we’re back in the present. 

Swims’ track “Lose Control,” from his debut album I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, continues to climb the charts. It’s currently sitting at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100. It’s being played all over TikTok and Instagram. It’s everywhere. 

I’d venture to say it’s because this man can sing. Seriously. He doesn’t need an ounce of Auto-Tune or any editing. And in “Lose Control,” his powerful vocals call out to a woman who brings out both the best and worst in him. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

“Lose Control” has introspective moments, as Swims wrestles with his “addiction” for his lover, realizing that they’re not the best for one another. 

Swims feels trapped by his desire (“Feels like the walls are all closin’ in/And the devil’s knockin’ at my door”) and doesn’t know what to do in his solitude (“It’s takin’ a toll on me, tryin’ my best to keep/From tearin’ the skin off my bones”). 

But despite this woman’s apparently negative influence on him, Swims would still rather be with her … 

CONTENT CONCERNS

… and that’s what he’s wrestling with in this song. He admits that he has no self-control without her (“I lose control/When you’re not next to me/ … You make a mess of me”). He equates his desire to a drug addiction (“Problem is, I want your body like a fiend, like a bad habit/… I want that real full moon black magic and it takes two”) that can only be solved, it seems, in bed (“And I need some relief, my skin in your teeth/Can’t see the forest through the trees …”). 

TRACK SUMMARY 

Swims is known for singing about a wide range of topics, such as heartbreak, codependency, sex, substance abuse and alcohol. 

At times, he’s got intuitive psychological insights that are worth noting. And we hear some of those in this song. 

And man, can he sing, as I noted above. There’s just something about real singing. Real music. Real talent. You can feel it in your bones. In my opinion, Teddy Swims has that kind of real  talent.

But let’s not confuse his artistic capability with being family friendly. Because this song certainly isn’t. It’s primal, graphically sensual and deeply problematic as Swims wrestles through a codependent, toxic relationship as strong as drug addiction itself.

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Doctor (Work It Out) https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/pharrell-williams-miley-cyrus-doctor-work-it-out/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=31226 Pharrell Williams and Miley Cyrus join forces to release a sultry, sexualized dance anthem, “Doctor (Work It Out)”.

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Big, chart-topping music–served by Miley Cyrus and Pharrell Willams.

These two superstars have released a toe-tapping single called “Doctor (Work It Out).” And even though this infectious dance track is technically new, it’s also been more than 10 years in the making.

The song was teased way back in 2012 while Cyrus was working on her 2013 album, Bangerz. Then, it was leaked in 2017. Still, the timing wasn’t right. So, to the vault it went.

Now that it’s available to the public, the song and its accompanying music video have gained over 5.8 million views in three days on YouTube. That’s a lot of views.

This song is, without question, meant to be a feel-good, dance anthem. It’s also doused with desire, soaked in sexual innuendo and peppered with light profanity.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Nary-a-one single thing.

Sure, if you don’t listen to the words, the beat most certainly makes you want to dance. But you cannot separate the song from the provocative, sexually-charged lyrics and seductive video.

CONTENT CONCERNS

And that’s where we’ll start. With the lyrics.

Miley tells this man that she is ready to be his doctor or nurse, with the sole intention of being the medicine he needs before he sustains any… injuries (“A midnight medication/Just show me where it hurts/I need to rock you baby/Before your body bursts”).

She’s ready to be the one who solves his issues (“Let lil’ mama work you out”), provided he’s on the same page. After all, she’s not going to dilly-dally (“Are you on the fence?/Don’t waste my d–n time”).


And it’s implied that he most certainly will be swayed by her one-time offer (“Take your sugar/And pour it into me”) by the night’s end (“I’ll slip, but I won’t slide/Don’t gotta be forever/Just together for the night”).

TRACK SUMMARY

When I first played this song, I was certain it was Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.” It sounds so similar, I’m guessing, because Thicke’s song was also created with Pharrell Williams and has the exact same opening as Miley’s new hit.

But it was not the same song. And while it’s less problematic in some ways, that doesn’t make it better.

Miley’s song casts aside the references to sadomasochism as well as the winks at degrading women that the other track included.

In this go around, Cyrus is telling a lover that she’s ready to act out all the things she has in mind.

Those acts aren’t displayed on the song’s accompanying video, but the camera does get glimpses of Cyrus seductively dancing, wearing a leotard that reveals her thong, her buttocks and a fair amount of cleavage.

Apparently, that was the goal.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Miley says of the song that,

It completely embodies my spirit and my essence at this exact moment. And this song is really just kind of fun, and it’s not too heavy or heady or deep, and that’s kind of right where I am and my nature at this moment. And so it just feels really reflective of where I’m at, and that’s really what my music always does.

I can’t say that I agree with Miley. The beat is fun, sure. But the lyrics carry their own hyper-sexualized weight that’s sure to sway some listeners one way or the other.

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Beautiful Things https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/benson-boone-beautiful-things/ Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:27:02 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=31064 Benson Boone asks God to preserve his newest blessings in his song, “Beautiful Things.”

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Benson Boone never really thought much about singing.

Then, he sang at a high school talent show, impressed his listeners and discovered he had a talent for it.

Soon after, he started a TikTok account and, in 2021, auditioned for the 19th season of American Idol and quickly moved forward before withdrawing from the competition.

But American Idol may not be where you’ve heard his voice. Not just because he eventually took himself out of the running, but because his songs are all over TikTok (where he has 4.7 million followers) and Instagram where another 1.4 million people follow him).

The latest single that Boone’s fans are embracing? It’s one that’s climbing the Billboard Hot 100 charts, too–and it’s called “Beautiful Things.”

The song features Boone’s crooning voice, tender guitar and lyrics that seem to encourage listeners to sing along. Lyrics that find Boone asking God not to snatch away all the newfound things, and people, in his life that bring him both peace and contentment.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Boone shares that he has personally struggled for the last four years. But now, things are better for him in every way. He’s close to his family (“I see my family every month”), he’s enjoying where he is in life (“And I think I may have it all”) and he’s even found a girl worth bringing home to meet his parents (“I found a girl my parents love”).

Still, he wrestles with these good things, believing that God can take them all away if He should so please. And this is exactly what he’s begging God not to do (“But I know the things He gives me He can take away/…I hope I don’t lose you/…I want you I need you, oh God/Don’t take these beautiful things that I’ve got”).

CONTENT CONCERNS

Boone says that he wants his girlfriend to be a part of his life, and remain a woman with whom he’s intimate (“She’ll come and stay the night…/And I hold you every night/That’s a feeling I wanna get used to/But there’s no man as terrified/As the man who stands to lose you”).

He also admits to dealing with anxiety, saying that he often struggles to fully enjoy what he has because he fears he will lose it all (“I’ve got enough/I’ve got peace and I’ve got love/But I’m up at night thinkin’/I just might lose it all”).

TRACK SUMMARY

This song sounds like something I would have obsessed over in college. mostly because I had a really big Indie music phase and this hits all the right notes.

Boone has this voice that some may mistake as a foreign accent. The drums come in at just the right time. The lyrics fuel young adult angst. It’s, like, the perfect combination.

But my college music choices aren’t why you’re here. You want to know what this song is about.

Primarily, it’s about a young man finally doing well in life, finally falling in love with a woman, finally reaching a place of peace… but there’s still a voice in the back of his head telling him none of it will last. It’s all momentary. Fleeting.

And instead of Boone being the one that would screw it all up, it seems that God is to blame here. God is the one who could take all of this goodness away from him. Like the story of Job.

Is he right theologically? Well, that’s up to the listener in this case. But for parents, there’s no profanity. No mention of drugs or alcohol. There is, however, the implication that Boone is sleeping with his girlfriend.

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Need A Favor https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/jelly-roll-need-a-favor/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 22:24:20 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=30800 Jelly Roll understands he needs God’s help in a desperate situation as he wrestles with a relationship that has become non-existent.

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Today, I’m going to talk to you about a song released in 2023 called “Need A Favor.” This song hit home for a lot of people, and the artist who wrote it is racing up the proverbial popularity ladder, so I thought it best to dig deeper into his story and his music. 

His name is Jason DeFord, but his fans know him by his stage name, Jelly Roll. 

A nickname adopted from his mother, Jelly Roll was born in Nashville in 1984 and began making music back in 2005. But his road to fame has been anything but easy. 

In his early 20s, Jelly Roll served some time in prison for drug dealing. While his music touches on this part of his past, it also delves into his former substance-abuse problems, drug-related losses and the desire for positive change amidst life’s difficulties. 

Jelly Roll doesn’t shy away from any of these topics, nor is he afraid to let fans learn a bit about his personal life: He often gushes over his teenage daughter and young son. He also praises his wife, Alyssa DeFord, known as Bunnie XO, for her commitment to him and his children. 

And his music seems to resonate with people. Jelly Roll’s spotify channel boasts over 10 million monthly listeners, he has more than 2 million followers on Instagram and over 3 million subscribers on YouTube.

I think it’s because his songs can be heartfelt, occasionally gut-wrenching and brutally honest, just like “Need A Favor.” 

This track finds Jelly Roll asking God for help, but admitting that he only comes to God when he’s desperate. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

This song is strangely beautiful. Yes, there are a few profanities in the mix, but the heart of this song is one that, I’m sure, resonates with a lot of people. Especially those who find themselves in desperate situations. 

Jelly Roll realizes that he needs “a favor” from God when the girl (or woman) he loves is in trouble. 

But he’s stuck. He doesn’t know what to pray (“and I don’t know what to say by the time I fold my hands”) and he feels ashamed because, although he understands God is the only one who can help him, he’s only now calling out to God because he’s in trouble (“Hard cover King James only been savin’ dust on the nightstand/I only talk to God when I need a favor”). 

Still, he tells God that he will “pay” for all he’s done, just as long as this person he loves is saved (“Hangin’ in there, just barely/Throwin’ up prayers, like Hail Mary’s/If You’re still there, Lord, spare me”). 

In addition, the video for this song is heart wrenching. It shows a dad coming to visit his cancer-ridden daughter in the hospital as he cries out to God on her behalf. 

CONTENT CONCERNS

Jelly Roll curses as he wonders aloud, “who the h— am I/To expect a Savior/If I only talk to God when I need a favor?”

He also admits that instead of attending church on Sundays, he’s most often inebriated (“I know ‘Amazing Grace’, but I ain’t been livin’ them words/Swear I spend most Sundays, drunk off my a–, than I have in church”). 

TRACK SUMMARY 

I’m in no way praising this song as a whole. And clearly, the song has theological issues and profanity to navigate. 

But it’s the kind of song that feels spiritually and emotionally desperate. That recognizes that only in our weakness can we, through God, be made strong. That understands that we were made for a Savior, even when we don’t realize it. 

It’s the sort of thing that I assume many think when they feel far from God. They come to a point of desperation and realize that they need Him, all while wrestling with the shame of treating God like a genie. A magical, make-it-all better deity. 

I know I’ve been there, and so I appreciate an artist that can be open with their thoughts and inner struggles. 

This song has its issues, and it’s not for little ears, but I think it’s something that adults can appreciate, even if they choose not to stream it.

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Alone https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/willow-alone/ Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=30441 Willow asks hard questions and learns the value, and perils, of solitude in her single “Alone.”

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Experimenting with genres. That’s Willow Smith’s schtick. 

If you don’t know Willow from her 2014 release, “Whip My Hair,” perhaps you know her as the daughter of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. Or maybe you know her simply from listening to her five albums and numerous singles. 


Either way, this 23-year-old woman is talented, and she’s not afraid to break boundaries; she’s constantly mixing genres and experimenting with various sounds. This is something she’s doing in her vulnerable new single, “Alone,” which also is the title of her forthcoming album. 

This breathy, off-beat track features a cascading, jazzy sound filled with synth, quintuplet beats and guitar. It’s haunting, ethereal and very personal. It’s both a call to be seen for who she truly is and an expression of Willow’s thoughts as she learns to sit in solitude and process the memories that come in the quiet. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

Willow seems to have come to the end of herself in some ways, and in the best way. She says that she’s “so tired of being a liar, it’s true.” She seems to be at a place where she’s ready to face the truth and admit her shortcomings (“I know I’m no good at this”).

There’s also a very poignant moment here where Willow seems to be searching for something, be it truth or God, that’s outside of herself and her own ability (“When you talk, is it not medicine for us all?/Show me something I cannot define”). 

CONTENT CONCERNS

You can hear Willow’s desperation and loneliness in this track. 

Mostly, you can hear her hopelessness (“Do you see me?/…Do you see me wanderin’/Alone?”) as she wonders about the point of life (“…Please do/What you must cause it’s no use/All of it falls away/In time”). 

The music video features Willow in joggers and a tank top that reveals a bit of cleavage. 

TRACK SUMMARY

This is a short track, running just a little over two minutes. And somehow in that short time, Willow manages to communicate her deep desire to be understood, to heal, to reach for truth and to wrestle with her own thoughts and past hurts (“I’d sure like to think that but nothing is intact/To speak to the wounds that I gavе and I have”). 

Sonically and lyrically, this song is both uplifting and slightly depressing. It shows a deep wrestling with oneself. And I believe that’s reflected in the black-and-white music video, which features Willow, sitting alone, as the camera pans close to, and away from, her face and body. 

While I was watching the music video, I just wanted to hug her. Maybe it’s the mom instinct in me. To comfort someone who seems like they’re in distress.

Thankfully, according to her interview with Rolling Stone, Willow is in a much better place now than she was in the past as she’s learning to work through her traumas. She shares, 

“For Coping Mechanism I was almost never sober in the studio. And for this new album, I was sober for every single recording session. … I feel like my mind state was extremely different.” 

She continues, “When we’re alone, when there’s nobody there to distract us from our own thoughts, we try to run away from it. … But I feel like it’s a really interesting practice to understand and to really see what changes when you don’t try to push it away.” 

This is insightful in a lot of ways. I believe it’s important to learn to sit alone with your thoughts and really process them. And although this song doesn’t “land” on a worldview or any definitive answers, it’s doing the hard work of asking questions. Just be aware as parents that those questions and ponderings occasionally sway toward a depressive state. 

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Bad Idea Right? https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/olivia-rodrigo-bad-idea-right/ Wed, 16 Aug 2023 17:15:24 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=29763 Olivia Rodrigo continues to make bad choices and hook up with an ex-boyfriend in her latest profane single, “Bad Idea Right?”

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Ready for some more Olivia Rodrigo? 

Sometimes when you read Plugged In reviews, you may wonder why we seem to concentrate on a particular artist. And it’s either because their content is worth talking about or because the world of pop culture itself demands that we do according to their level of influence. 

In this case it’s a bit of both. 

Olivia Rodrigo is a big name. Rising to fame at 18, Rodrigo used to be a more innocent version of herself, starring in musicals on Disney+ (most notably Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) . But that’s changed. A lot. 

That’s especially true on her latest single, “Bad Idea Right?” This track is free of innocence of any kind. It’s about Rodrigo understanding that hooking up with her ex is a bad idea, but deciding to do it anyway, no matter the consequences. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

None.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Olivia is unsure about having sex with her ex-boyfriend and wrestles with the decision as she’s with friends, drunk at a party (“But I’m out right now and I’m all f—ed up/And you’re callin’ my phone, you’re all alone/And I’m sensin’ some undertone/And/I’m right here with all my friends/But you’re sendin’ me your new address”). 

Of course she immediately loses the ability to reason (“And I know we’re done, I know we’re through/But, God, when I look at you/My brain goes, ‘Ah’/Can’t hear my thoughts (I cannot hear my thoughts)/Like blah-blah-blah (blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah)/Should probably/(I should probably, probably not)”). 

And although she understands that having sex with this guy is a bad idea, she lies to her friends about who she is going to see (“And I told my friends I was asleep/But I never said where, in his sheets”) chooses to lie to herself (Seein’ you tonight/It’s a bad idea, right?/F— it’s fine/…I only see him as a friend/The biggest lie I ever said)”) and goes right over to his place (“I just tripped and fell into his bed”). 

TRACK SUMMARY 

Since her albums and singles have trickled out, Rodrigo has gone from heartbroken and seemingly innocent to vengeful, spiteful and profane. 

Although I didn’t “grow up” with Rodrigo per se, I could understand her point of view as a young, heartbroken teenager. And, I’m sure, so could many other young girls who first discovered her while watching her Disney shows. 

And I think this is where the biggest problem lies. 

Rodrigo is luring in a young audience that is, really, far too young for the kind of music she’s making–not just because of the subjects she’s choosing to tackle, but the profanity, vulgarity and sensuality that has steadily grown with her music. 

That’s true for prior singles, and it’s also true for “Bad Idea Right?”. Both the lyrics and the video (which includes teens and young adults wearing revealing clothes, partying, drinking, making out and, finally, Rodrigo going to her ex’s house) showcase bad decisions in an enticing way without talking about the obvious consequences. 

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The Album https://www.pluggedin.com/album-reviews/jonas-brothers-the-album/ Wed, 24 May 2023 15:38:58 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=album-reviews&p=29088 The Jonas Brothers talk, sometimes graphically, about how much they love their wives and the ups and downs of marriage.

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The Album is here. 

No, really. That’s the name of the Jonas Brothers’ new album, released in May 2023. It’s their sixth studio album, and it features a mixture of ’70s groove, pop and a touch of rock. Many of the tracks show off the wide range of vocals that brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas are belting out. And this time around they’re singing about each of their wives. 

This isn’t necessarily a new topic for these New Jersey natives, but it is one that is focused on more closely this time around as the brothers talk about both the friction of marriage as well as express the love, gratitude and attraction they have for their wives. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

If this album does anything, it reiterates that each of the brothers love their wives and considers them to be their best friends, their confidants and the ones they come to for support. 

In “Miracle” it says that a wife is the “rock for me to stand on” and in “Sail Away,” a wife is represented as a safe harbor for her husband. Similar thoughts are shared on “Walls”. 

“Waffle House” recognizes that marriage is hard and that “some nights we try to kill each other” but in the end, it’s “always love.” “Celebrate!” recognizes that marriage is hard, but that working through the ups and downs of life together is worth celebrating. 

Another praiseworthy mention is the romantic love and affection these men have for their wives. In “Summer Baby” a man sings “I’m still catching feelings for you” after years of being married. 

One of the brothers sings about the beauty and wonder of his new baby daughter in “Little Bird.” 

CONTENT CONCERNS

While the love that the Jonas Brothers have for their wives is obvious and often represented beautifully, it can also be a bit risque. A few tracks do far more than hint at sex: They talk directly about it and leave little up to the imagination. 

“Miracle” talks about all the places that a woman’s hands can go. “Vacation Eyes” says that a man will “make love” to his wife anywhere. while “Summer In The Hamptons” talks graphically about sex. 

Another popular topic here is smoking marijuana, which we hear on “Americana,” “Montana Sky” and “Vacation Eyes” (“Dutchie in my left hand”). The brothers also talk about partying and drinking alcohol, sometimes until they’re inebriated on “Summer Baby” (“too much tequila, no we’re dancing in the lobby”). 

The s-word is bleeped out in “Waffle House”. 

ALBUM SUMMARY

Isn’t it nice to hear other people express that marriage is both hard and wonderful?  Because it is. And this is something that the Jonas Brothers focus on. 

While the difficulties of marriage aren’t necessarily discussed in detail, the brothers make it clear that each of them has walked through battles and trials with their wives, and that they have all come out stronger on the other side. They also talk about how much they love their wives, how they find them to be their place of refuge and how time has made their relationships sweeter. 

These are all beautiful, wonderful sentiments that many can relate to. But that doesn’t make this entire album family friendly. There are more than a few references to smoking marijuana and drinking, as well as one bleeped-out apparent s-word. We also get plenty of references to sex. And while those references are made in the context of marriage (and sex in marriage is a beautiful thing), their descriptions can be pretty graphic.

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Thinkin’ ‘Bout Me https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/morgan-wallen-thinkin-bout-me/ Tue, 07 Mar 2023 21:14:58 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=28501 Morgan Wallen is topping the charts again with “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Me,” which hopes an ex-lover isn’t over their old romance.

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Most people are still making a name for themselves well into their 30s and 40s. But not Morgan Wallen. 

This 29-year-old country star is dominating the genre, blending country with rock and pop, and selling out concerts as fast as Taylor Swift (okay, maybe not that fast, but pretty close). His ability to blend sounds while creating earworms seems to be his bread and butter. That and the fact that he sings about heartbreak and drinking away his pain like it’s his life’s calling. 

His latest single, “Thinkin’ Bout Me”, is no different. This track, which is just one of the 36 on his new album One Thing At A Time, focuses on a former lover who, Wallen hopes, is nowhere near ready to get over their past relationship. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

Wallen has a small sense of remorse for his ex-lover’s new man (“Don’t feel bad for you, but I feel bad for him/And all the h— you gon’ be puttin’ him through”) …

CONTENT CONCERNS

…But not enough for it to actually be genuine. Because, while he may be sorry for this new man, he mostly hopes his ex-lover isn’t over their own over-and-done relationship.

He hopes that, at every turn, this woman is thinking about him (“When you’re tasting what he’s drinking, are you thinkin’ ‘bout me?/When you’re ridin’ where he’s drivin’, are you missin’ my street?”). This is seemingly true at every turn, including when she’s in bed with this man (“Every time you close your eyes, tell me, who do you see?/…When you’re up in his bed, am I up in your head?”).

There’s one profanity used here (“any d–n where I ain’t”), but, as I’ve said above, it’s overshadowed by the sexual innuendo. 

TRACK SUMMARY

Already at No. 7 on the YouTube charts, even though the platform just has a lyric video, “Thinkin’ Bout Me” obviously resonates with many people, which isn’t surprising given its nature and sound. 

While Wallen knows how to create music that catches the ear, that doesn’t mean that his music is family friendly. This song includes sexual innuendo and profanity and it lingers on a subject that many parents will want to skip right over.

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Wings https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/jonas-brothers-wings/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 22:07:41 +0000 https://www.pluggedin.com/?post_type=track-reviews&p=28447 The Jonas Brothers swoon over their wives in their latest, funky track “Wings.”

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Who ever said length made a song? Certainly not the Jonas Brothers. Their latest release, “Wings” from their forthcoming work titled The Album, is just under two minutes. 

Although this track is short, it’s no less of an earworm. It’s filled with funky bass and synth, reminiscent of something from the Bee Gees or Michael Jackson. It finds the trio singing about the women in their lives–their wives–who have filled their lives with love and given them purpose. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

This song takes flight by declaring that each special woman in the life of each singer is “the one, the sun, the light of day” who gives this man “the wings” he needs to “fly away.” 

The love from this woman is tangible (“I feel it”) and helps to bring meaning and purpose to this man (“No, my life, it never had a meanin’/You gave me a reason, you got me believin’”). She always has been the best fit for him (“It was you from the very start”). 

CONTENT CONCERNS

This track doesn’t have any content concerns. But if you want to watch the video along with it, just know that it features four women getting ready for the day (after what appears to be a night of drinking) in bikini tops, crop tops, a corset and short shorts. 

TRACK SUMMARY

The Jonas Brothers’ last album was released back in 2019, and we haven’t heard much from them since. Until now.

These brothers, who have come a long way since the days of Camp Rock, seem to be switching up their style for their upcoming album. There’s no telling what it might hold, but if it’s as lyrically clean as this song is, parents will have far less to worry about than some of the other choices flying around.

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