Music

Album Review – Maroon 5 Overexposed

2012 brings an alternative electronic edge to Californinan Poprock fivesome.The year 2002, I was 12. My first boyfriend brought me Maroon 5 ‘Songs About Jane’. The second  I clapped eyes on Adam Levine, I knew it’d be a happy relationship between us. Me and Levine, not the boyfriend. We broke up shortly after. Whereas me and Levine are blissfully happy ten years later.

The Californian five-piece, who have swapped band members almost as many times as the Sugababes, consist of Adam Levine; front man/guitar, James Valentine ;Guitarist, Jesse Carmichael; Keyboardist, Ryan Dunn on drums and finally Mikey Madden on bass. Originally called Karas Flowers the group of high school friends, were a garage pop band before pursuing Valentine and heading down the beautiful road of pop music. L-R: Mickey Madden, Matt Flynn, James Valentine, Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael

2002 saw the release of their debut album Songs About Jane which contained four hit singles: Harder to Breathe, This Love, She Will Be Loved and Sunday Morning. It also enjoyed major chart success, going gold, platinum and triple platinum in many countries. I have owned at least ten copies of it, weird yes, but it’s THAT good.

After a four-year hiatus the group came back in 2007 with Won’t Be Soon Before Long releasing the catchy Makes Me Wonder, their first single to reach number one in USA, and a new drummer Matt Flynn. Levine was now alot rugged. The once soulful front-man had matured well; stubble, lots of tattoos and a don’t f*ck with me attitude.

Again, they toured for several years, released Hands All Over as a third studio album in 2010 and the following year Levine became a judge on talent show The Voice USA a role in which he continues to reprise.

Now, 2012. Overexposed, a title which already speaks for itself . Welcome to an edgier, electronic, dare I say the word more ‘hip’ Maroon 5. Accompanied with old friends catchy tunes and tear-jerking ballads the band have produced one of their best albums to date. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive, what with the lovely yet over-played Payphone featuring Wiz Khalifa. It did get the five-some their first ever UK number one so I guess it was a good thing. Adam Levine and his lovely lot do write fantastic pop-music, love them or hate them, that you can’t deny. They make you dance, sing and feel.

Daylight is easily one of their best ballads, along with Love Somebody and Doin’ Dirt  which both have an 80’s Erasure feel to it. One More Night is very addictive and has a massive middle finger message hidden beneath it, while Sad, a piano based confession ballad sounds remarkably like Lana Del Rays Video Games. Weaker tracks are Ladykiller and Fortuneteller but I have to find a few things wrong as I am reviewing it. Go and buy it. Sing it to your cats just as I am currently doing.

1.One More Night

2.Payphone

3.Daylight

4.Lucky Strike

5.The Man Who Never Lied

6.Love Somebody

7. Ladykiller

8.Fortune Teller

9.Sad

10.Tickets

11.Doin’ Dirt

12.Beautiful Goodbye

13.Wipe Your Eyes

4.Wasted Years

15.Kiss

Maroon 5 are touring 2013.

 

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