Nick Jonas- Spaceman
Label: Island
Producer: Greg Kurstin
The fourth studio set from pop heartthrob Nick Jonas marks his first since 2016’s Last Year Was Complicated, as well as the fruitful Jonas Brothers reunion that yielded smash singles like “Sucker” and “Only Human”. Inspired by reflections birthed in quarantine, it’s the singer-songwriter’s most ambitious effort yet in terms of narrative, production, and thematic scope. With a pacing that’s noticeably segmented in sequence and a space-inspired techno sound tying the record together throughout, it’s loosely conceptual in nature, and ultimately provides an impressive pop statement from an artist that’s clearly focused as much on creative expression as he is on scoring hits.
The project is indeed slow to lure the listener in, beginning with the aforementioned introspective tone that Jonas clearly connected with while locked inside the darkest, most isolated corners of the early pandemic. Opening cut “Don’t Give Up On Us” reveals a narrator who has perhaps allowed such excessive down-time to trap him inside his head, and unearthed the most insecure aspects of his romantic relationship. He applies his signature smooth R&B whisper to a plea for reassurance that is not so much desperate but utterly frank, and the production picks up precisely on cue to depict the build of bubbling emotions throughout the song. It naturally flows into “Heights”, which boasts a clever hook line suggesting that the same protagonist from the previous song is now ready to amp up his efforts in proving that he’s ready to take his commitment to the next level. This more pensive arc of the record reaches its climax on the dreamlike title track (“Houston, think we go some problems, find somebody who can solve them.”), which takes a deep dive into the mental and emotional consequences of the COVID-era, addressing everything from the lack of emotional connectivity to constantly divisive and politicized agendas to the flat-out mental mind-fuck and loneliness of isolation. The artist’s creative inclinations to use the astronaut perspective to parlay these emotions proves to be cinematically captivating and impressively visceral.
It’d be understandable if by this point in the record, Jonas loyalists were starting to resign themselves to the fact that they wouldn’t be seeing the infectious, hit-making side of the singer on Spaceman. Which is precisely why the sudden R&B flavored bounce of the album’s middle-section is all the more invigorating; it’s as irresistible a hit parade as anything found on any recent pop album. “2Drunk” is an absolute bop and all-too relatable drinking tune about passing the time during quarantine. Boasting a classic Jonas sound (and a frontrunner for 2021’s most ridiculous lyric- “I’m licking the dishes”), “Delicious” is pure pop-funk and a fun, flirty outing that recalls vintage Huey Lewis & the News and Peter Gabriel with its undeniable 80s horns and keys. Second single, “This Is Heaven” is the ultimate triumph from his hit-factory to be found here, dripping in fantastic beats, an urgent chorus and a delirious sax solo.
The latter third of the album more or less strikes a solid middle ground between the first two, balancing a more accessible sonic frame with a return to deeper sentiments that center around both the singer’s physical and emotional adoration of wife Priyanka Chopra. “Death Do Us Part” subtly leans into a Drake-recalling hip hop vibe while offering lyrical professions that are both sweet and strange, referencing everything from coffins to cool-whip. Most impressive however are Jonas’ performances on tracks “Sexual” and “Nervous”. The latter is a strikingly smooth and mature depiction of intimacy, lacking any inklings of the obnoxious male bluster that tarnishes so many modern pop romps. The dude possesses rhythmic chops in spades, and they’re on impressive display here. Meanwhile, closing track “Nervous” brings the sound of the album full-circle while celebrating Jonas’ absolute infatuation with Chopra and a sweet pledge to always cling to it no matter how many years pass by. So many artists of Jonas’ ilk and age stumble into saccharine territory with such efforts, but it’s clear he has managed to master the domain without ever sacrificing any sentimental authenticity.
All in all, Spaceman proves to be an odyssey that is both stylish and confident; impressively balancing Nick Jonas’ well-established radio magic with his growing ambition to expand his boundaries sonically, lyrically and artistically. He navigates the varying layers of this album with natural precision, and the body of songs presented here proves itself increasingly intriguing and infectious with each subsequent spin. Spaceman stands to be a dark-horse favorite among this year’s slate of mainstream pop releases.
Track Listing
- “Don’t Give Up On Us” (Nick Jonas, Greg Kurstin, Maureen McDonald)
- “Heights” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
- “Spaceman” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
- “2Drunk” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
- “Delicious” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
- “This Is Heaven” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
- “Sexual” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
- “Deeper Love” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald, Michael Jones)
- “If I Fall” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
- “Death Do Us Part” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
- “Nervous” (Jonas, Kurstin, McDonald)
The 706 
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