On their fourth studio effort, 'Overexposed', the American alt-rock group tried to keep the momentum from their global hit 'Moves Like Jagger' going, but the result is an overproduced record that does not put them at the top of pop
MAROON 5/ OVEREXPOSED
A quick glance at Overexposed's line-up of producers should give you enough clues about the overall sound of this album. With Max Martin (who's responsible for countless successful pop records such as Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time, which he wrote and co-produced) serving as a chief producer, Maroon 5's fourth outing marks an unabashed foray into pop music and clearly signals that they are determined to maintain a presence in the charts.
The pop rock five-piece broke through with their 2002 debut Songs About Jane, the album that catapulted the boys into instant rock stardom with a string of hits including This Love, She Will Be Loved, Harder to Breathe and Sunday Morning. The band's third studio album, Hands All Over, however, failed to make any kind of lasting impression _ until Moves Like Jagger came along. The song, featuring vocal powerhouse Christina Aguilera, went on to become a phenomenal global hit and a game-changer for the band, acting as a catalyst for Overexposed.
The lead single Payphone is a prime example of the kind of radio-friendly, chart-ready sound the group is so hell-bent on this time around. It's a catchy pop-rock number designed to showcase frontman Levine's falsettos with the added street cred of having a rapper du jour like Wiz Khalifa on board. The follow-up single One More Night is a buoyant piece of faux reggae featuring a soon-to-be inescapable hook. Now, we're not quite sure why, but it seems like every pop record out there is obliged to contain at least one reggae-inspired song. We could have done without it.
Daylight could easily pass as one of Katy Perry's songs whereas disco-flecked Lucky Strike and electro-pop Doin' Dirt seemingly aspire to be a sequel to Jagger with more beats per minute and even more glitzy production. There's a handful of songs that are uncharacteristically Maroon 5 like the Coldplay-chanelling The Man Who Never Lied and the subtly ravey Love Somebody, Fortune Teller and Tickets. Then, thankfully, comes the piano ballad Sad. After so many bells and whistles, it's refreshing to just hear Levine singing along with the simple piano.
With such a heavy-handed production from the industry's top hit-makers, Overexposed is the band's most unabashedly pop-oriented work by far. There are enough Moves Like Jagger wannabes and pop bangers to guarantee this album a spot or two in the Top 40 as well as a batch of new fans. However, if you're looking for the pop-rock goodness that's so distinct and aplenty from their first two albums, it's next to non-existent here.
THE PLAYLIST
Suharit Siamwala (featuring Kongdej Jaturanrasamee)/ Love Lies Bleeding
Seasoned Thai DJ Suharit Siamwala shows us his rocky side with Love Lies Bleeding, his latest single featuring guest vocals from veteran indie group See Tao Ter's frontman Kongdej Jaturanrasamee. Singing in English, Kongdej reminds us of Gene Kasidit in his Futon heyday, which is not at all a bad thing (considering the fact that said band is no more). We are head over heels in love with the post-punk inspired guitar riffs that run through the song. If Suharit keeps this up, he should quit being a DJ and consider starting his own rock band.
Blur/ Under the Westway
One of the world's greatest and longest-serving Britpop outfits make a welcome return with a new single, Under the Westway _ just in time for the fast approaching London Olympics. Compared to Muse's rousing official anthem, Survival, which we covered last week, Under the Westway is an entirely different animal. The melancholic piano ballad sees frontman Damon Albarn fretting about the Earth where ''the money always comes first, and the sirens sing'', and hoping for the day when ''they switch off the machines''. The band is slated to play at the Olympics' Closing Ceremony alongside veteran post-punk group New Order.
Lykke Li/ Silver Springs
If there's someone who has the capacity to brilliantly convey Stevie Nicks' Silver Springs, it has be Swedish songstress Lykke Li. Included on Just Tell Me That You Want Me _ A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Li's version of Silver Springs is a reverb-heavy treatment of the original with Li crooning alongside the hazy guitar riffs and haunting drums. She truly makes the song her own while making sure that the original stays somewhat intact. Due next month, the album features covers from leading indie artists such as MGMT, Best Coast and Washed Out.
Summer Camp/ City
Following their gig here in Bangkok last month, the British indie rock duo have been hard at work cranking out new material for their forthcoming EP, Always. Fans are in for a (pleasant?) surprise as City sees Jeremy Warmsley and Elizabeth Sankey channelling American electro outfit Chromatics with lo-fi production and burbling synths. There are even foreboding rap verses in the tradition of UK electronica band Faithless. Sankey, however, outshines it all, thanks to her super sparking vocals.
will.i.am (featuring Eva Simons)/ This is Love
Taken from his upcoming solo album, #willpower, This is Love features a collaboration between will.i.am and Dutch singer-songwriter Eva Simons. The track starts with a breezy piano intro while will.i.am serenades us with slightly chiched lines such as ''If you love it like I love it/And you feel what I feel inside/If you want it like I want it/Then baby let's get it tonight.'' Simons swiftly takes things over with the stadium-size choruses befitting large-scale parties and dancefloors. Besides Simons, #willpower also features collaborations with Britney Spears, Shakira, Alicia Keys, Justin Bieber and more.
