Lopez Blogs

I’ve listened to this album about 8 times in the past few days which is quite unusual for me. Usually when I get a new album, I don’t like to wear it out too quickly in case I get bored of it. I like to let the tunes grow on me and earn my love and devotion. Every so often though, an album comes along that I can’t stop playing. This is one of those times and it’s two for two for the talented Maroon 5. It’s straight in with attack mode with opening track If I Never See Your Face Again positively steeped in disco era Sly and The Family Stone, some electro influences and a healthy dose of Prince obsession. Nice use of backing vocals in the verses that sound a little distorted and add to the manic feel of the song. Makes Me Wonder is up next and was absolutely the right choice for first single. It’s an inspired funk driven tune that not only gets catchier the more you listen to it, but serves well as a mission statement for what the album is about. This is a Maroon 5 that are comfortable with their musical influences, feel cohesive as a band and are not to be messed with. It’s number one slot on the American charts gives me continued hope for quality pop making a comeback. VERY sexy video too. In terms of future singles, well there’s plenty to choice from here. It’s rumoured that Wake Up Call is to be the second choice and sees the boys take a slightly rockier stance on this menacing track about poor Adam finding some 6ft dude in his lady’s bed. So he shoots him. It’s The Thunder Rolls from the guys perspective. Great use of persistant guitar chord to add to the menace of the song, and I love the heart beat that ends the middle eight. For third single in October time I would probably plump for the slightly punk influenced Can’t Stop. The fuzzy guitars play well against Adam’s voice and work up to a frenzy in the chorus. Then for Christmas (and definite standout track on the cd) it’s Adam’s favourite tune, It’s Better That We Break. Shades of Elton and Billy Joel on this track as it starts off as a gorgeous piano ballad before adding some percussion gently to the backbeat. Devastating lyrics about how sometimes despite how hard you try, relationships don’t work make Mr LeFine’s voice sound more doleful and sorrowful than ever. I swear it’s a crime if this is not a single. However, that’s not to say there aren’t plenty of other gems in here and pretty much every song for me is a winner. What works so well about this album is that it not only reflects the styles of the first album, it also revels in what is in the Maroon 5 cd cabinet. For Harder To Breathe fans there are rockier tracks like the Little Of Your Time and Wake Up Call. For fans of the funky soul sounds of This Love there is current single and Kiwi (with the great lyrics “I’ll give you everything you ever want – a stronger hand a faster lover”) and for fans of laid back tracks like Must Get Out &unday Morning there are amazing tracks like Not Falling Apart (VERY Police inspired) and Goodnight Goodnight. Truly a winning cd from start to finish and one that I am sure I’ll be revisitng many times over the coming months…

LINK: Stream the new cd at MTV…

THE EXTRANEOUS TRACKS OF MAROON 5:

Good old Adam and the boys didn’t leave fans hanging for new material between albums. There was an acoustic ep, a live album, Live Lounge covers (Don’t Look Back In Anger), tracks for Spiderman2 (Woman), Christmas songs (War Is Over), childrens songs (Pure Imagination) and hook ups (Everyday People with Sly & Family Stone). It seems this album may well be going the same way – depending on where you purchase the album, there are already 3 bonus tracks floating around. The Way I Was (b-side to Makes Me Wonder) is a piano driven track that Keane would be proud to own, where Adam recalls the good times of hot love and making love to a picture frame with his special lady. Story is a more drum and guitar driven tune that actually reminds of Keane again in Is It Any Wonder mode, only more tolerable and with some lovely bittersweet lyrics. It’s Kanye influence all the way on Infatution ~ a slinky r’n’b style jam with a shuffling beat. As if all of this wasn’t enough, the boys have been doing the rounds for promotion. As reported last week, an amazing acoustic version of Makes Me Wonder was performed at BBC’s live lounge along with a smooth Akon-Police mashup. And AOL presented a performance from the boys on 3 album tracks plus This Love and She Will Be Loved thrown in for good measure. Brillo. Check out the links below to download the songs.

MP3: Maroon5 – Don’t Look Back In Anger

MP3: Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder (Live Lounge)

MP3: Maroon 5 – Akon-Police mashup (Live Lounge)

LINK: JohnnyAli’s site with zip file of AOL session

THIS (IDOL) LOVE:

Plus check out Chris C on Any Dream Will Do (love the outfit - darren hates it)