As the most talented and ambitious Jonas Brother, Nick carries a lot of weight. Apparently he also carries a head full of ideas that needs to be cleared every 10 months or so. On Who I Am, a solo project with a group of session musicians called the Administration, Nick doesn't stray far from JoBros themes of bad-love-turned-worse and the mean girls who make his life such hell. Never mind he's only 17 and things will likely become totally unbearable once he settles down and gets married; as "State of Emergency" declares, love is a losing battle for the baby Jonas Brother.
The Administration is a funkier bunch than Jonas' siblings, so Who I Am boasts a more soulful sway than anything Nick has recorded before. And the album's best songs — the snaky "Rose Garden," the grown-up pop of the title track — push Jonas out of his familiar teen-pop territory. The ballads are still kinda soggy, but when JoBros eventually go their own ways, Nick should be just fine — as long as he stays away from those evil women. — Michael Gallucci
