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Jonas Brothers

( Dick Clark Productions )

By Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

The Jonas Brothers are growing up. And not just because theyre penning ballads about medical conditions.

The release of the bands A Little Bit Longer on Tuesday is expected to be one of the biggest albums of the year. It follows two months after the top-10 debuting soundtrack to Camp Rock, in which the Disney pop trio sang the showcase song.

The acts latest single, Burnin Up, is already a top-20 hit, and recently sold more 100,000 digital downloads in one week. These numbers arent kid's stuff. And the Jonas Brothers arent exactly Mmm-bopping around when it comes to their songs, either.

Sporting dapper, grown-up suits, the Jonas Brothers sometimes come off as if theyre playing a part. Just check Burnin Up, with lead Jonas, Joe, straining his vocals in an effort to force some rock n roll grit to grow out of his adolescent pipes. Or the video, in which the band dons the role of Bond-like spies and runs around in an adult fantasy land.

And we havent even mentioned the lyrics, in which the boys are ogling a woman in a red dress and high heels. Its not exactly risque, but its a bit removed from Miley Cyrus Breakout, in which the singer is still grappling with teen issues, like, say, getting up at 8 a.m. for school (its crazy, she tells us).

Indeed, the Jonas Brothers seem eager to grow up. But in rock n roll, its usually the other way around, with artists forever struggling to hang onto their youth. We take a look at some albums in which artists may not exactly have acted their age.

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