Jonas Brothers

Child labour isn't what it once was. Sending your young sons up chimneys and down mines has, since the '70s, been replaced by a family business that's a little more sinister: putting them into a band. Never mind the black lung or rock falls, these kids have to crank out a slew of top 10 hits before the voices drop, the acne hits and rehab beckons.

So, following in the proud tradition of the Osmonds, the Beegees, the Jacksons, and Hanson, here are the Jonas Brothers. Managed by their father, a former church pastor and Christian musician, and a product of the same Disney factory that sells 'High School Musical' and 'Hannah Montana' to sugar-craving pre-teens, it's no surprise the trio specialise in the slick, inoffensive pop favoured by re-grouped boy bands and pre-shower-scandal Miley Cyrus.

Through saccharine songs like the high speed chase 'S.O.S.', Sum41-lite 'Hold On', fat-free Fallout Boy 'Goodnight and Goodbye' and cleancut rocker 'That's Just The Way We Roll' they preach about hope, faith, optimism, family, friendship, true love, and dream girls.

But wisely Nick (15), Joe (18) and Kevin (20) keep the music light, energetic and fun, sounding like they're having a really good time without ever showing signs of fatigue. So 'Year 3000' is even more of a stadium-sized singalong than Busted's original, 'Australia' is spikier than anything Barney the dinosaur might sing, and 'Still In Love With You' coats Green Day in candyfloss.

It's only when they slow the pace — on the schmaltzy 'Hello Beautiful' and power ballad 'When You Look Me In The Eyes' — that the brothers Jonas really come unstuck. As soon as they stop acting their age — or the age of their audience — they sound like latterday Westlife or Backstreet Boys. Dreary and bland, maybe, but it makes good business sense. The adoring kids won't stay with the brothers Jonas for ever, so the trio need to start tapping into new markets already — and where better to start than with their fans' moms.

But they needn't worry about losing their core supporters' 15-minute attention spans just yet — with the follow up to 'Jonas Brothers' currently topping the US charts, their mass-produced music is, quite appropriately, still appealing to the masses.