The world may be in lockdown, but the Jonas Brothers have released a set of summery songs that transport listeners to beaches and beyond. Hot on the heels of their hit album, documentary, tour and record-breaking return to music, the Jonas Brothers have refused to slow down. Fresh singles and a planned Vegas residency have kept them busy. Their latest project is XV, a duo of new singles – “X” and “Five More Minutes.”
The V portion of the project (as in the Roman numeral for five), “Five More Minutes,” was teased during the 2020 Grammy Awards. The group is also set to perform the other part of the release, “X” alongside Karol G on Lebron James’ “Graduate Together: America Honors The Class Of 2020” special.
KAROL G is a smash hit Colombian singer taking the music world by storm. Her influence on the track “X” is immediately recognizable, as the fun beat is identifiably less similar to the Jonas Brothers’ other hits. The swinging instrumentals kick off the song, as Nick sings, “Yeah/Ooh-la-la, by the pool, we’re singing Bailando.” Joe joins in as the beat rises, the percussion remaining energetic and prevalent. He sings, “Oh, watching her move, I was lost in the rhythms.” The dance themes on the track are clear — Joe not only refers to it in his lyrics but also the beat itself is clearly made for dancing.
The chorus is simply electric. The bass pounds and the falsettos are high. There’s no other way to imagine experiencing the song than jumping up and down in a crowd while dancing, warm summer air all around. Nick and Joe both sing, “She said, ‘Ooh-ooh-ooh’ Kiss me like your ex is in the room,” as the beat bounces, revealing the meaning of the song “X.”
After a clean transition with drums, the two continue spinning their story about getting lost with someone while dancing, “Oh, watching her move I was lost in the rhythms/And she pulled me close by the look in her eyes.” The chorus repeats as trumpet staccato notes swing in the background.
Karol G begins singing in Spanish, her voice sultry and the instrumentals fading to just a pulsating sound behind her vocals, “Caliente/Te pongo caliente” (which translates to “hot, I make you hot,” in English). Karol is telling the story of the subject of Nick and Joe’s side of the song. The instrumentals are reintroduced as she continues singing in Spanish, her lyrics translating to, “All night dancing with you/Soft and wild like an animal…” This continues the dancing themes that are woven throughout the song. Trumpet swells and calls of joy ring out as the chorus background instrumentals quickly build, before the trio finishes the song with high energy, “…Ooh, ooh, ooh/Tonight Someone who/You won’t be lonely tonight!”
Contrasting “X,” the other track in the set, “Five More Minutes,” is a classic Jonas Brothers song. It’s sunny, sweet and something that feels like a matured version of something off of Lines, Vines and Trying Times, but really more like a continuation of their Happiness Begins album.
“Five More Minutes” opens with Nick singing, “Give me five more minutes,” and nothing instrumentally behind him. Plucking guitar begins to back him as he continues, giving his initial lyrics even more emphasis. Nick is clearly asking someone to stay with him, singing in his signature high and just barely breathy voice, “Baby, I’m not finished loving you/I don’t wanna end it when we’re only just beginning…Please not yet.” The lyrics are almost syrupy sweet, but you can feel a casual sense of panic laced into his desire. Nick sings, “Give me five more minutes…I don’t wanna end it when we’re only just beginning.”
A sneak peek of 5️⃣ More Minutes from #HappinessContinues… FRIDAY. #XV pic.twitter.com/C1IyuUM1qV
— Jonas Brothers (@jonasbrothers) May 13, 2020
Guitar trickles into the song in a plucked manner, like the guitarist is running through a note scale. This introduces Joe, who asks, “Do you think you could just wait a while?” Joe’s voice, usually naturally more intense by nature, highlights the emotional depth lurking beneath the song’s sugary surface. Joe shows off his vocal prowess as he throws in some higher notes on, “I know that bein’ late ain’t your style/But, please say, ‘Yes.’”
Nick and Joe both come together on the chorus, repeating, “Give me five more minutes (Hey, yeah baby)/Baby, I’m not finished loving you/I don’t wanna end it when we’re only just beginning.” While “X” is self-aware about how temporary the relationship and moment is, “Five More Minutes” is all about a simply-physical relationship that got too personal and out of hand. “Five More Minutes” sounds like sun seeping into a room in the morning over sheets and two people with different definitions of what they mean to each other.
You can stream XV everywhere now!
Feature image courtesy of Republic Records
