Banking on their commercial pop charm-Maroon 5 explain what love is like- a tad bit too much.
Maroon 5 are one of the biggest pop bands in the world. I italicise biggest, because their sound was eventually designed to be some of the most consumable radio raging pop the world has ever seen. Mall, gym, grocery stores, swimming pools, clubs-you name it; there’s a good chance you’ve got oversaturated with their songs as well. They return with an R&B vibe they have always admired, with Love Is Like.
This is a pop rock band that denounced the rock part pretty controversially when they did. Obviously, rock bands were confused-when they realised Maroon 5 considered themselves rock when their supposed cohorts never did. Maroon 5 established a new era of polished rock that would force earworm itself into your brain and spaces you live and work in. Before Weeknd and Harry Styles were the names to chase after-Benny Blanco’s compositions for the band were gospel if you wanted the groove to be going.
Keeping the spotlight cone small
Then there was the “band”. As focus fell completely on Adam Levine-the band’s charismatic, handsome singer-the rest of the band dissolved as the invisible orchestra. The same way, you don’t know about anyone other than Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons. From the moment you listen to the first single, Hideaway-you can see how that formula has worked for them. Adam takes all the attention with the vocals; while the rest of the band still manages to create quite a warm funky groove. It’s a great start to the album, and right in their alleyway. Is it another number 1 single for the Billboard? Nope, it has enough layers to become “complex” enough to not come into the sterile pop category.
With Love Is Like (ft. Lil Wayne)– the band puts in the pressure of the pop rock vibe they know how to deliver. Very much in the comfort zone of the 5-they make sure the attention swerves to Lil Wayne when he starts singing. Formulaic otherwise-we have a chord progression that repeats itself unto its death. Yet-the producers recognise the fact that this was a band called Kara’s Flowers. There are smaller instrumental layers you might not notice, but they are definitely there.
Warm pop, large appeal
All Night tries to give us the social first hook based groove to win you over. The track has a minimal verse section with some nice layered funky parts. It is a nighttime “lovemaking” record, for that’s the zone the band has tried to put itself into with the kind of lyrics they write. I don’t know if it’s only their involvement-the credits show a lot more songwriters than the band alone. Yes I Did follows the sample route of hip-hop to chase this enigma of using trap beats and vocal hooks as well. You can project a live performance of Maroon 5 making this a dazzling affair with the kind of spotlight the singer will be taking.
Are the collaborations worth noting. For sure. Maroon 5 already have a winning formula for tracks that they know will get them the crowd. The only thing that shakes up the mix is the cameo. If Girls Like You didn’t have the verse by Cardi B-that track would have the verse-chorus formula till you got vertigo.
Aiming for collaboration
They pepper it in quite well-Priceless has LISA in it for mixing it up. If they want the heterogenous feel which music should have-Maroon 5 are expected to think outside the box. If they need to sound like a band, the instrumentals need to get a bit more involved. Here comes a band that might be one of the biggest in pop rock. Unfortunately, what makes them rock doesn’t stand out-thanks to the songwriting process I’m assuming. When this released as their lead single, it was devoured by the public as usual. Hitting some chart topping numbers I’m not going to remember-neither will you.
With Sexyy Red, they bring another single that helps hold the groove. Yes, I read the title of the album-it says Love is Like. The tones have shifted to this washed out 80s, pleasing funky disco pop that has plenty of samples as well. The Noah Passovoy feel can be seen as usual in the music, and he might be more involved in the songs than many Maroon 5 members. Not crossing the 3-minute mark, this is the direction that consumable pop is heading to. Is it palatable? Hell yes. Is there variety on your plate? Not other than the spice addition by the features on the album.
The band’s true capabilities
I suggest a radical measure to get random blotches of inspiration for the band. It might help them try out something very different, which I’m sure they are equipped to do. These are the guys who made one album called The Fourth World and that demo was enough to get noticed.
Love is Like-fine. There are some songs that are groovier and more fun than the others. Where does it fall in their legacy? Perhaps 2nd or 3rd to V. They are now established, and don’t feel the need to surprise us. With the candy coated pop that they have given us, they don’t:
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Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
