The High Road

by JoJo

Overview

Released when she was just 13 years old, vocalist Jojo's 2004 eponymous debut was a bona fide hit album and garnered the young pop star a legion of equally youthful fans, as well as lead roles in two films, including the 2006 comedy RV alongside Robin Williams. To say that the release of her 2006 sophomore effort, The High Road, finds Jojo on the cusp of superstardom is a bit of an understatement. Featuring production and songs by such in demand hitmakers as Swizz Beatz, Soulshock, and Scott Storch -- the man who made Paris Hilton sound good -- it should come as little surprise that The High Road is a commercially oriented, radio-friendly contemporary pop-R&B album. What may be a surprise is that it is really, really good. These are well-written, catchy pop songs with a healthy dose of hip-hop rhythm that serve as solid launching pads for Jojo's superb vocal abilities. Coming off as a kind of urbanized Jennifer Aniston with the chops of Beyonce, Jojo is an assured and likeable performer who can somehow embody the yin-yang persona of a suburban cheerleader slinging hip-hop attitude, as she does in the video for the ridiculously overwrought and utterly addictive lead-off single, "Too Little Too Late." It also helps that she's matured just enough so that her somewhat sexy persona makes a bit more sense now than it did in 2004, and she easily sells the cheeky and raw dance-funk of such tracks as "This Time" and "The Way You Do Me." However, it's the blissfully melodic ballads and mid-tempo anthems that make the biggest impression here. Cuts such as the gorgeous and dreamy "Like That" and "Anything," with its unexpectedly hip sampling of Toto's "Africa," make for gleefully enjoyable guilty pleasures. Similarly, "Good Ol'" is the best summer anthem ever to see release in the fall, and "'Comin' for You" smartly borrows some of Kelly Clarkson's rock energy. While Jojo may not be taking a career road less traveled, The High Road does make time for some surprising and memorable pit stops along the way. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date:	08/04/2023
Label:	Warner Records
UPC:	0093624878469

Tracks

Disc 1

1. This Time
2. The Way You Do Me
3. Too Little Too Late
4. The High Road
5. Anything
6. Like That
7. Good Ol'
8. Coming for You

Disc 2

9. Let It Rain
10. Exceptional
11. How to Touch a Girl
12. Note to God

Album Credits

Performance Credits

JoJo   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jojo and Yati Priya   Primary Artist
Ryan Leslie   Various Instruments
Soulshock & Karlin   Various Instruments

Technical Credits

Vincent Herbert   Audio Production,Producer
Swizz Beatz   Audio Production,Composer,Producer
Ryan Leslie   Programming,Composer,Producer
Scott Storch   Audio Production,Composer,Producer
Stargate   Audio Production,Composer,Producer
Soulshock & Karlin   Programming
Jermaine Dupri   Audio Production
Soulshock   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Kenneth Karlin   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Billy Steinberg   Composer,Producer
Christopher Williams   Composer
Sean Garrett   Composer,Producer
Beau Dozier   Composer,Producer
Francci   Composer
David Paich   Composer
Jeff Porcaro   Composer
Corey Williams   Composer
Peter Stengaard   Producer
Matthew Gerrard   Composer,Producer
Bridget Benenate   Composer
A. Cantrall   Composer
Kasseem Dean   Composer
Mikkel Storleer Eriksen   Composer
J.R. Rotem   Composer
Diane Warren   Composer
Josh Alexander   Composer,Producer
M. Gerrard   Composer
Makeba Riddick   Composer,Producer
R. Leslie   Composer
C. Williams   Composer
Joanna Levesque   Composer
J. Alexander   Composer
J. Levesque   Composer
Carsten Schack   Composer
Will South   Composer
Alex Cantrall   Composer
Lil Eddie   Composer
Francesca Richard   Composer
Justin Trugman   Composer,Producer
Mark "Exit" Goodchild   Vocal Engineer
S. Garrett   Composer
L. Simmons   Composer
Adam Wilson   Composer
Brendon James   Composer
Ruth-Anne Cunningham   Composer
Tom Welham   Composer
Tor Erik Hermansen   Composer
Mischke   Composer
Lil' Eddie   Composer
Jonathan Rotem   Composer,Producer
B. Dozier   Composer
Lisa Simmons   Composer
Francci Richard   Composer
Ryan Gladieux   Mixing,Recording
Jordan XL   Producer
Stephen Garrett   Composer
Klynik   Producer