Monday, May 28, 2007

Album Review: "It Won't Be Soon Before Long" - Maroon 5

Over the last couple of years, Maroon 5 have enjoyed great international success with their worldwide hit album "Songs About Jane". Therefore the follow-up, the strangely named "It Won't Be Soon Before Long" was a long-awaited release and is already at the top of the UK album charts.
The album opens with "If I Never See Your Face Again" which could best be described as Red Hot Chili Peppers-lite. "Makes Me Wonder" is my favourite track on the album - it's a very cool and sophisticated break-up song, (and even though Adam Levine generally doesn't do it for me, I still think he looks very hot in the video). "Little of Your Time" is very catchy and foot-tapping with a bit of a retro vibe. Sometimes Levine's vocals remind me a bit of Colin Hay (ex Men at Work, whose solo songs are currently being featured in E4's "What About Brian").
There are a number of potential singles, notably the harder "Wake Up Call" whilst "Won't Go Home Without You" recalls "She Will Be Loved". If you remember Kanye West's hit single "Heard 'Em Say" then the song featured in that was "Nothing Lasts Forever". "Can't Stop" again has a harder sound, although the whole album generally has a more polished feel to it, e.g. there is nothing as gritty as "Harder to Breathe". "Goodnight Goodnight" is quite a touching ballad, "Not Falling Apart" is forgettable filler, and "Kiwi" is a little different and more funky. "Better That We Break" is another hands in the air ballad whilst "Back At Your Door" brings the album to a satisfactory conclusion.
I'm sure this will be a very successful album, although it does lack some killer choruses and a few of the songs need repeated plays to grow on you, therefore it is unlikely to appreciate the huge success of "Songs About Jane". However I like it, I would say that it was worth the wait and will appeal to fans of the band's smooth and sophisticated grown-up pop sound.

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