Review Summary: Attractive yet rooted. Charismatic, but traditional. The high road is to die for.
Out of all the famous female pop stars that emerged from the 2000s, some remain relevant today. Others have not aged as fondly. Originating from Boston, Massachusetts, Joanna Levesque, aka JoJo meets the criteria of ascending young talent from the early 2000s. Released in 2006, Jojo’s sophomore effort, ‘The High Road’ features a soundtrack mixing elements of pop, r&b, soul, and even hip-hop. Does it still hold up several years after its release? Truthfully, it remains impactful and enjoyable due to its confidence and swagger without going overboard. There are many contradictory traits that make ‘The High Road’ a listen that has aged gracefully. It’s attractive, yet rooted. Charismatic, but traditional. It’s energetic, yet mature beyond its years. Make no mistake; the high road is to die for.
‘The High Road’ consists of twelve mostly quality pop/r&b hits that stand firmly over time. This is achieved because of an excellent voice, and songwriting that leaves an impression. An example of this is displayed in the main single, “Too Little To Late”. Featuring a somber acoustic guitar riff, and catchy, heartfelt lyrics describing a sense of betrayal, it simply knows all the right things to say. This is hands down the strongest representation of the entire album. The two tracks before it are more upbeat, fast paced and aggressive for female pop singer standards. From this point, the latter half of the album becomes more slow paced, and reveals its r&b influence compared to its pop inspired first half. For instance, “Let it Rain” displays prime evidence of the slower paced influences with its sampled doses of electronic elements and confident sounding vocal tendencies. The last two songs end in ballads that conclude the record in a dreamy note.
Despite its alluring qualities, naysayers may claim ‘The High Road’ to be dated, and unoriginal. “Anything”, track number five on the album, is definitely the weakest song in the collection. In an attempt to experiment with new ideas, it starts off by sampling another famous song named Africa by Toto. The beat and chorus of the previously mentioned song gets copied and pasted on the intro, and it results in a forgettable, and arguably stagnant idea that represents the lowest point of the album. Other than that one unsatisfying track, and the basic song structures commonly replicated, there aren’t many flaws on “The High Road” that are glaringly offensive.
Overall, ‘The High Road’ by Jojo is a forgotten gem from the early 2000s. It’s energy and catchiness remains infectious, and persuasive to anyone who stumbles onto this potentially abandoned classic. Because of these positive traits, ‘The High Road’ is beautifully crafted with contrasting strengths of youthful innocence and confidence that many people can fall in love with. Like an appealing crush who remains unpretentious and pure, its almost impossible to find a genuine, captivating, well-aged pop record compared to current times where the contemporary standards become disingenuousness and unapproachable. In Western culture where most women are typically crazy and delusional, contrastingly attractive and grounded sensations such as Jojo remind us that feminine energy is a keeper when presented appropriately. It’s not always an easy path, but the high road is worth talking once in a while.
