【搬运译】The Independent评Jonas Brothers 2019年专辑《Happiness Begins》

搬运自：微信公众号【评论搬一堆】（在原文基础上添加了英语原文与排版调整）

翻译：Ryan-Xiang

审译：Emma.Z

排版：SpencerC

在对外宣布单飞之后，这三兄弟如今回归制作了一张流畅光滑的唱片，在乐观的砰砰声和柔和的数字之间交替，让人回忆起Zayn Malik和Post Malone。

Boyband reunions are nothing new. Westlife, Boyzone and Take That are all enjoying major tours in 2019, while the Backstreet Boys are celebrating 20 years since the release of their hit album Millennium. Yet it’s a different group – formed over a decade after these acts – who have arguably achieved the biggest and most impressive comeback of the year.

男团重聚早已不是新鲜事，西城男孩、男孩特区和接招合唱团都在今年进行全球巡演。于此同时后街男孩也在庆祝他们的热专《Millennium（千禧情）》发行二十周年。但乔纳森兄弟却从其中脱颖而出: 他们十年后的重新集结无疑成为了今年最大且最具影响力的回归。

The Jonas Brothers were not the kind of music act that critics took seriously. They were tween heartthrobs who rose to wider fame in 2005 via the same Disney club that produced acts such as Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato (with whom they starred in the Disney movie Camp Rock). After releasing four albums of varying quality, the band decided to pursue solo careers. Then, in 2012, they announced their reunion with a new album, only to split a year later, with Nick and Joe going off to focus on other projects.

乔纳森兄弟并不是乐评人会严肃对待的乐队。他们早在2005年就与Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus 和Demi Lovato等共同出演迪士尼电影《Camp Rock（摇滚青春）》，并在电影中以清纯少男形象声名大噪并掳获无数少女芳心。在发行了四张质量参差不齐的专辑之后，乐队成员决定单飞。接着在2012年，他们重聚并发行新专，但短短一年后就因为Nick和Joe想要关注其他事业而再次解散。

Yet despite these successes and millions of albums sold as a group, it’s only now – after time away to assert their own identities and settle with their respective partners (Joe is married to Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, Nick to actor Priyanka Chopra and Kevin to American TV personality Danielle Deleasa) – that the Jonas Brothers are having their “moment”.

尽管早已大获成功并累积售出百万张专辑，但由于成员们都需要经营个人事业和感情(Joe和权力的游戏演员Sophie Turner结婚，Nick和演员Priyanka Chopra结婚，Kevin和美国电视名媛Danielle Deleasa结婚)，成员们直到现在才能独享乐队时光。

“Sucker”, the first single from their new album Happiness Begins, was the 34th in history to debut at number one on the Billboard charts. It is also the band’s first ever number one. Maybe it’s hype, perhaps it’s nostalgia, but it’s also probably to do with the fact that this album contains the best songs the group has produced to date.

“Sucker（痴情）”作为新专辑《Happiness Begins》的首单，取得了史上第三十四首Billboard空降冠单的好成绩，这也是乔纳森兄弟的首个冠单。这样的表现或是因为炒作，或是因为大家的怀旧情怀，但在很大程度上也是因为这张专辑确实包含了这个乐队成立以来最棒的几首歌。

The album alternates between upbeat bangers and mellow numbers that nod to Zayn Malik, Post Malone and Drake. Opening on “Sucker” – with Nick Jonas leading on his excellent falsetto before the three vocals merge in perfect pop harmony – starts things off with a bang. “Cool”, a down-tempo, summery anthem that makes numerous pop culture references, establishes the dynamic for the rest of the record.

这张专辑的曲风在欢快流行和向Zayn Malik，Post Malone，Drake等人致敬的舒缓情歌之间来回切换。“Sucker”作为专辑的第一首歌，以Nick Jonas精彩的假声开头并逐渐过渡到三个流行歌手的完美和声，起到了开门红的效果。接下来的单曲“Cool（酷）”，是一首集各个流行文化之所长并奠定了专辑整体基调的Down-tempo曲风夏日圣歌。

Enlisting OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, who has worked on a staggering array of hits by the biggest names in pop (Adele, Beyonce, Camila Cabello, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift and more), was the masterstroke. Production is slick and incorporates elements of Eighties new wave, hip hop and reggae without feeling appropriative or greedy. Greg Kurstin contributes his own skill for multi-textured pop on songs such as “Every Single Time”.

这张专辑非常明智的选用了曾参与多位歌手热单制作(包括Adele, Beyonce, Camila Cabello, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift等)的OneRepublic（共和时代）组合主唱Ryan Tedder作为制作人，这使得专辑制作成熟而精彩:在结合80年代新浪潮，流行和雷鬼元素的同时，却并不让人感到不合时宜或是大包大揽。同时Greg Kurstin也在”Every Single Time（每一次）”等歌曲中贡献了他在多种流行曲风上的才华。

The album loses some momentum around the more generic “Strangers”. But even with that song, the harmonies are hard to resist. It’s the best pop comeback – and likely one of the best pop albums – of the year.

这张专辑的表现因为中规中矩的“Strangers（陌生人）”而略打折扣，但即使如此，专辑中精彩的和声仍让人难以抗拒。这是今年最好的流行回归，同时也很可能是今年最佳流行专辑的有力竞争者。