ok ok…i know what you’re thinking…this is not going to just be another blog that does nothing but review movies and music…i promise.
BUT the new album by maroon 5 demands at least a small comment. after listening to it a few times through, i am beginning to think that this is actually a better album than songs about jane. no you didn’t misread…i said ‘better’…
my thoughts as i listen to the album for the first few times, play-by-play style:
track 1: if i never see your face again – funky, synth-infused pop with catchy percussion beats. the synthesizer isn’t as obnoxious as on track 2 (see below), so it’s a bit more enjoyable.
track 2: makes me wonder – this synth-heavy track is addictive, but addictive in that bubblegum pop, pre-skank-britney-spears-music kinda way…you’ll find yourself humming it, immediately followed by cursing yourself for doing so. the first 2 tracks have a similar sound though…if i had to guess, i’d say that these 2 were written and/or recorded around the same time. for the record, how do they manage to work the ‘f word’ into so many of their songs without getting a ‘parental advisory’ rating?
track 3: little of your time — a short (just over 2 minutes), speedy romp with a hint of a salsa rhythm to it…think late-90’s ricky martin produced by timbaland. the beat reminds me of a song i’ve heard before (i think it’s a track by pink, though the song title escapes me).
track 4: wake up call – heeere’s the maroon 5 that i’ve heard before! another song about forlorn love…but this infectious, bouncy beat and futuristic background bleeps and buzzes come with a twist: the forlorn lover SHOT the guy who was sleeping with his girl! despite when levine warns, “i’m not kind if you betray me,” and even when he recounts the act, saying “6 foot tall, came without a warning so i had to shoot him dead. he won’t come around here anymore…i don’t feel so bad,” the song manages to dilute the creepy obsessiveness in a way that makes you almost say “way to go, man.” good song. one of the highlights of the album, in my opinion.
track 5: won’t go home without you – another ‘classic maroon 5′ track. steady, simplistic, with pulsing guitars, a steady beat, and levine’s not-really-musical-but-addictively-enjoyable quasi-falsetto carrying the load. a refreshing deviation from the electronic wizardry the boys are oh so eager to show off on this album. appropriately timed too…right when the synthesizers and beeps are beginning to get on your nerves.
track 6: nothing lasts forever — again, simple (though driving) rhythm and pleasant combination of drifting guitars and xylophone-like chimes that compliment the lyrics, which levine delivers with just the right mixture of pain and cynicism. if the chorus sounds familiar, it should…it was partially used in kanye west’s heard ‘em say (on his 2005 release, late registration). which came first, i dunno. they’re both good, for what it’s worth.
track 7: can’t stop — back to the ‘new stuff’…consider tracks 5 and 6 an intermission of sorts. here we jump right back into the pulsing, pounding electric guitars and synthesizers. however, the reggae-ish break about 1:45 into the song is definitely a sound we’ve never heard from the maroon boys before…and they don’t try to overdo it, so it’s ok. not the highlight of the album by any means, but definitely not a weak point, either.
track 8: goodnight goodnight — no, it’s not kryptonite by three doors down. but this song is definitely a change for maroon 5. lyrically, it’s the same ole same ole…”this isn’t gonna work out, so i’ll say goodbye now, etc.’…but the anthemic, repetitive chorus carries more ‘rock cred’ weight than the hip-pop that made the band famous. bonus points for trying new stuff, fellas.
track 9: not falling apart — any song that makes me think it is the police’s “i’ll be watching you” with its opening chords is destined to either pleasantly surprise me or utterly disappoint me. this one falls into the former category. another lighter, guitar-driven track that builds with a rolling intensity and persistence that comfortably matches the lyrics (see the track title).
track 10: kiwi — musically, this song is cool — energetic funk groove with smooth criminal swagger. the lyrics, well, they’re not exactly g-rated. just let it suffice to say that this is not a song about eating fruit. and um, well…i’m not real sure about the ‘big hair’ guitar solo at the end…nevertheless, you’ll be humming it for days.
track 11: better that we break – a nice, melodic, piano-driven piece…even if it is a little bland. seems a little out of place on the album…kinda has a bit of a keane vibe to it.
track 12: back at your door – a down-tempo swing-inspired verse, soaring strings, and a soulful chorus make this song sound like something off of a michael buble album…but it surprisingly works here…and rather well, too. again, kudos for the freshness.
track 13: infatuation – as a percussion dork, i really like the beat of this song…lots of syncopation and down-beat rhythms. it is an unusual combination of bluesy guitar riffs, timberlake-worthy drum loops (complete with the computer ‘claps’), pulsing strings, and southern soul-rock. another gem.
all in all, this album is at least as good as maroon 5’s first disc. it’s a great mixture of upbeat pop and more relaxed, well, pop. a little bit of the old maroon 5 we know and love mixed with the new, louder maroon 5, who come off sounding like the lovechild of jamiroquai, justin timberlake, michael jackson, and abba (sorry if that gives you disturbing mental pictures). it starts strong and fresh and kinda fizzles a bit as it approaches the last few tracks, but the dynamic of the album works, if for no other reason than for variety’s sake. based on substance alone, it easily gets a B+, but because of the originality, growth, variety, and creativity that is obvious here, i have to give it won’t be soon before long a solid A.
p.s. - the cover logo is one of the coolest i’ve seen in a while…the roman numeral ‘v’ inside the ‘m’ is brilliant. and i’m digging the black-and-white look too…
