Maroon 5’s Album, Hands
All Over, was released in 2010. Radio listeners could not get in the car without hearing “Give A Little More," “Misery," or “Never Gonna Leave This Bed." These songs are infectious and many found themselves singing the lyrics in the shower or while doing homework. This album had big shoes to fill after its
chart topping predecessor It Won’t Be Soon
Before Long. The album made it to #2 on the Billboard Top 200.
Hands All Over is so unique is because of the meaning behind the lyrics and what message the album is trying to portray as a whole - heartbreak and breakups stink, but they allow you to grow as a person because what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger. It is so important for bands to put out music with meaning, not just a catchy chorus. Albums are almost becoming a thing of the past, especially with the extreme take over of iTunes and downloading songs via the internet. Albums and even songs now lack soul, emotion, and purity.
Soulful is the perfect word to describe Hands All Over. The band tweaked their alternative rocker sound a
little bit this time, which shows their versatility. None of the songs are
extremely up beat, which may not be for everyone, but everything cannot be unicorns and rainbows. It allows the
listener to get a true understanding of the theme of dealing with the heartaches of a relationship and learning from it. Each song feeds off each other about cheating, breaking up, running away, denial, etc. This is
why so many felt an instant connection to the songs and album as a whole. Hands All Over seems to strike
a cord in everyone no matter how old they are or how serious a relationship they were in. This is exactly what makes the album so versatile.
I would almost call listening to Hands All Over like listening to a story. Each song has its own message and meaning that somehow intertwine to make this story of a man's struggle in his current relationship. The nice thing, though, is that he never wines or wallows in his self-pity like Taylor Swift. When you think about it, it is a very clever way to set up an album.
I would almost call listening to Hands All Over like listening to a story. Each song has its own message and meaning that somehow intertwine to make this story of a man's struggle in his current relationship. The nice thing, though, is that he never wines or wallows in his self-pity like Taylor Swift. When you think about it, it is a very clever way to set up an album.
“Just a
Feeling” and “Runaway” are the last two songs in the album and the most quintessential part of the listening experience because they tie everything together. Every time I listen
to these songs I feel remorse. These song deals with the aftermath of a breakup
including confusion, sadness, and denial. In my opinion, they are the most genuine and impactful songs within the album.
The soft melody of "Just A Feeling" is gut-rechingly beautiful. Adam's tenor vocals pairs perfectly with the piano in the background. Combined with the lyrics of heartache, I feel for him. " When he sings "No I can't believe that's it over" and "I'm still lying in the dark no sunshine", it gets to me every time. I hear the pain in his voice and I feel awful for him. This song represents the initial heartache when you leave someone, and Adam did a fantastic job expressing that heartache through his music.
"Runaway" is the ultimate way to end this album. "I'm petrified," "So out of control," and "I'm a broken man" are always the phrases that resonate with me in this song. The steady rhythm of the drums stays consistent throughout the song, which reflects Adams state of confusion. Time is standing still like the beat, he cannot get out of his head and over the breakup. He is in denial. He misses her and want to know how she is doing, but he cannot get himself to ask. He keeps going in loops trying to figure out what to do.
The soft melody of "Just A Feeling" is gut-rechingly beautiful. Adam's tenor vocals pairs perfectly with the piano in the background. Combined with the lyrics of heartache, I feel for him. " When he sings "No I can't believe that's it over" and "I'm still lying in the dark no sunshine", it gets to me every time. I hear the pain in his voice and I feel awful for him. This song represents the initial heartache when you leave someone, and Adam did a fantastic job expressing that heartache through his music.
"Runaway" is the ultimate way to end this album. "I'm petrified," "So out of control," and "I'm a broken man" are always the phrases that resonate with me in this song. The steady rhythm of the drums stays consistent throughout the song, which reflects Adams state of confusion. Time is standing still like the beat, he cannot get out of his head and over the breakup. He is in denial. He misses her and want to know how she is doing, but he cannot get himself to ask. He keeps going in loops trying to figure out what to do.
Hands All Over provides both a meaningful and enjoyable listening experience. The more serious heartfelt tone most of the songs give off may not be for everyone, but I loved how the raw emotion of the lyrics matched the melody of the song. It is very personal and intimate to say the least, which scares some people because they prefer listening to upbeat songs that deal with sunshine and rainbows. I don't disagree with these people, upbeat songs are great, but music can't always be that way. Nevertheless, I think the band did a fantastic job in getting their feelings heard through the lyrics and composing such an emotional album and really delving into the depths of
Next week I will be reviewing the band's very popular album It Won't Be Soon Before Long!
No comments:
Post a Comment