Album Review: Maroon 5 - V (Deluxe Version)

After their last album, Overexposed, I was dreading this one. After hearing that a new album would be released in 2014, I was excited whilst also cowering behind my hands at the risk of being severely disappointed again. I saw the track listing, and the song titles didn't impress. I saw their understated front cover, with the florescent 'V', and had an incline that it would contain electronic sounds I'm not keen on. Then I saw the 'Parental Advisory' logo and I could feel my heavy heart. I was setting myself up for heartbreak, but I still pre-ordered the album… This is my mostly upbeat review, song by song:

Maps: When I heard this song back in June, I tentatively loved it instantly. A great catchy song, with meaningful lyrics which tell a story about being hurt in love, and trying to get the other person back, and those emotions shine through. It's a song that fits in with modern music, but still has the same ingredients of Maroon 5's earlier music. Plus, it was written with Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, who seems unable to write an unsuccessful song at the moment. An early favourite.

Animals: There is a theme developing early in the album with hints of the dreaded autotune. This is also very repetitive, with the word 'Animals' being sung to death, and stupid sounds such as 'Ny Ny Ny'. Of course, it is still a catchy song, and is a song using sounds much more like they're recent stuff. However, despite being an obvious metaphor, the Animal/Sex metaphor is done quite cleverly.

It Was Always You: I heard this song a few weeks back, and initially I was disappointed. This has an autotuned sound to it which immediately put me off. However, on reflection I think that might just be Adam Levine's voice. So, once I had seen past that, the song harks back to their It Won't Be Soon Before Long album, and after a few listens, the song does imbed itself in your head. Also, as always with Maroon 5 songs, I really like the lyrics.

Unkiss Me: I'm not keen on the music, as it seems like it should be a gangster hip-hop song at the start, but it progressed in an intuitive manner, and despite that, it is a slow and poignant song. The song also sounds well produced, because more often with this music, the voice can get lost. As the song started, I didn't expect to like it, but it is really catchy, of the time, and a very beautiful song; both in terms of lyrics and voice.

Sugar: Electronic vibe, which I think works well with Levine's voice, and a very summery song; it's a shame this album has been released at the start of Autumn. This song makes great use of how high his voice can go (one to rival the Bee Gees). Again, it's a very catchy song and I really love the chorus for its juxtaposition between high, and well, not quite so high, voice. Possibly a favourite for me.

Leaving California: This song would fit in so well on their Songs About Jane album, and is a masterpiece of a song from Maroon 5. Of course it is catchy, and of course the lyrics are perfect, and of course Levine's voice is pouring with emotion. It's got a positive and upbeat tone, and it's one of those songs that I think could lift the spirits of a crap day; which is nice between the songs about failed love. However, the song doesn't necessarily end; it just stops. This is the one negative point I can say about this song; it just sounds like the CD has malfunctioned.

In Your Pocket: Slightly oriental twang at the start, which seems pointless… But the lyrics have a fast pace, and that drives the song and it's gorgeous! The music is minimal. It's catchy, the lyrics are clever in how they tell the story, and it sounds like one side of an argument, about not trusting your partner.

New Love: Return of the autotune, which one has to admit doesn't sound too bad with the electronic vide. This is possibly my least favourite thus far, partly because it has unnecessary swearing, partly because Levine's high pitched voice is a bit annoying and repetitive in this song, and also because it's just a bit too club-like for my liking. Bu having said all that, it's alright.

Coming Back For You: The opening drums sound like those from Phil Collins's In The Air Tonight. Regardless, the song is good with their usual mix of great lyrics and music, which are catchy. I like it, but it's a 'meh' song.

Feelings: This song has such an electronic feel, that I'm convinced the introduction was originally a ringtone for a Nokia phone from 2002. Again, it also has needless and repetitive swearing, but I like the catchiness and the lyrics again. Apart from the distinctive voice though, I wouldn't have linked this song with Maroon 5, and although I fits in with the album, I'm not sure it's necessarily 'them'. Also, I can't help but think though, that this song should be sung by a woman.

My Heart is Open feat. Gwen Stefani: Speaking of which, here is a duet with a female. This is a stripped back song in comparison to the past few, and it is welcome relief. Their voices work really well together, but I do wish there was more of Gwen Stefani; as I can't help but think Levine keeps interrupting her. Duets are the 'thing' at the moment, and this fits in well amongst them. Again, it has lots of emotion, and the lyrics are good, if not slightly lacking what some of the other songs have.

Shoot Love: This has a Mark Ronson sound to it, which I used to really like (whatever happened to him incidentally?). Very catchy song, with interesting sounds which alter the mood and pace of the song. Lyrics are nothing to be amazed by, but the actual music and production are top-notch.

Sex and Candy: Another stripped back song, and is an unexpected treat. The title had me expecting another electronic-heavy song, but instead it's just Adam, a drum, a keyboard and guitar. Very soulful, and it's great to be able to hear his voice in this style of music. You can't help but just slowly move your body to the song. Also, the song ends on a long, drawn-out fade, which rounds off nicely and is a lovely change from the abrupt endings featuring on the rest of the album.

Lost Stars: This is a song from a film I haven't seen (Begin Again) featuring Levine in an acting role (and officially, it's just an Adam Levine song). I downloaded it separately a few weeks earlier because it is a beautiful song, and it got me in the mood for this album (plus I hadn’t realised it was on this album). It is again another song which sits perfectly amongst their earlier songs, and it just makes me smile. It has a great musical and emotional progression, and OF COURSE, the lyrics are fabulous, and I love how Adam Levine sings it. A lovely end to the album and one of my all-time favourties. Incidentally, look up the other song he sung for the film, A Higher Place: That is a Songs About Jane song through and through.

After my first listen, I was excited. Our love affair was back on track. Of course, they have annoying habits, but they're subjective. For example, despite moaning about the repetitive 'Ny Ny Ny' of Animals, I spent the rest of the day singing that over and over in my head. Just like in a loving relationship, the other person will have annoying habits, but I'm not sure I'd change them. Whether it's their insistence on using electronic beats, the fact they swear too much, or the their resolve to never put things back where they belong.

I really love the album, and it has made me very happy. Favourite songs include Maps, Sugar, Leaving California, In Your Pocket, My Heart is Open, Sex and Candy, and Lost Stars. I can class half this album as being favourite songs of mine, and that's really good going. There is a real mix of music between them, and yet they're songs that are all perfect in different ways. They have really outdone themselves this time.

I've perhaps been a bit too negative to other songs, but it all about personal taste. Even though I can swear with the best of the drunken sailors, I hate unnecessary swearing in comedy, literature and music. Unless you're portraying real anger, I just think there can always be a better word. Look up a song called Up Here by Terra Naomi. Now she swears perfectly. It is more than just a swear word. It holds power because you just understand how angry and frustrated she feels. Anyway, I'm off point.

This is a brilliant Maroon 5 album for three reasons: Firstly, it has roots that go all the way through their past albums, and it draws on what their fans really loved about them 10 years ago, such as their emotive lyrics. Secondly, it isn't a complete change of direction from Overexposed, so it keeps the best of those songs, and it keeps their new fans loyal too. Ultimately, this is an album which showcases their evolution. But thirdly, the album has been produced marvellously. I think it has to be one of the best-produced albums I've heard for a long time.

Overall, they've done a perfect job, despite Adam Levine's silly new hairstyle, and the fact there is now 6 of them...

Theatre Review: Barking In Essex

On Thursday, 19th September, we went to see the matinee performance of Barking In Essex at the Wyndham Theatre, which stars famous names Lee Evans, Shelia Hancock and Keeley Hawes. This play has incredibly mixed reviews, with some saying how it's the worst play of the year, and others celebrating the wonderful humour which exuberates from it.

Barking In Essex is a dark, tragic comedy about the Packers, a hapless criminal family, who are obviously from Essex. It's the story of a family whom, having spent the proceeds from a robbery undertaken by notorious gangster and younger son Algie, face having to cover their tracks before he returns home from seven years in prison. This involves dead bodies and fleeing to a not-so exotic location for the second act, where they begin to hatch various plots against each other, and eventually reaching a loud and tragic ending.

This Is Just Complete Horse Manure!

We all now live in a time where swearing isn't considered to be some exotic, taboo language, but instead to be something which we hear in everyday life in the street, on television or having quiet conversations in a coffee shop. The word 'fuck' now slips from the lips of almost everyone without intention and with no apology. It is just as much a normal word as 'dog', 'hat', 'sweet' or 'handkerchief'.

The King of sweary shouting: Gordon Ramsay. He's probably shouting at some poor bloke at this very minute...

Things are always described as being shit. Annoyance is almost always greeted with fuck. Disagreement comes with bollocks. Directed anger may even provoke a cunt, a bitch, a bitchy cunt or maybe even a bastard. I'm swearing a lot now. I suppose I should really be putting asterisks in replacement for vowels in the swear words, but what difference would that make. Is it then okay to swear is you put 'F*ck' then? No, I know what that says, and so do you. A swear word is still a swear word, with or without the asterisks.

I remember being younger and not saying the word 'crap' for fear of being told off. When I was younger, if a peer were to swear, they would be considered to be rebellious and maybe even cool. Now I'm older, everyone swears. Fuck this. Fuck you. Fuck off. You get the gist. To swear has no real meaning. Years ago, if someone swore, you knew they were expressing a very strong emotion; most probably anger or frustration. It won't be long before it will considered okay to swear in coursework because it would have just lost all its meaning.

Swear words are uttered so much in society today, that to hear the word 'fuck' means nothing. I've so far said the word 'fuck' seven times, and I suspect only a small percentage will read that and flinch. Those are the people who will kid themselves into thinking they have some kind of moral high ground over the rest of us swearing people. This point has been proven by the South Park creators, who in one episode said the word 'shit' 160-odd times, to prove that when a swear word is repeated over and over again, it loses all of its impact and becomes another normal, boring word.

Either way, the progression of the word 'shit' intrigues me.

In literal terms, shit was considered to be a vulgar term for 'fecal matter' or excrement. It then became a slang term for something which was nonsense or to reflect someone's stupidity and is a word which is also used to reflect someone's surprise or anger. Someone who 'talks shit' is usually someone who is just very boastful or lies. They are rather negative terms. Now, there seems to have been some sort of turnaround in the meaning of 'shit'. I have regularly heard the word 'shit' to describe something positively. If someone describes to you something as being 'The Shit', then they are referring to it in a positive way and describing it as 'the greatest'. The term 'fucking shit' could probably mean anything these days.

An interesting titbit though: One of the first known use of the word 'shit' on British television comes from John Cleese in Monty Python. I hope he is proud of himself; he has given us this very versatile word which describes anything conceivable to the human mind.

Swearing is pretty much a constant thing on TV these days. The classic 'beep' on a television program also seems to carry just as much offense with it these days, with it being completely synonymise with a swear word. If you were watching some debate on the BBC between Andrew Marr and David Cameron, you would be offended that Cameron said something worth bleeping, despite what the word might have been. A beep brings more attention to it as well. As I have said, swearing has lost all meaning, so chances are if it wasn't bleeped, half the people wouldn't even notice it.

Swearing in pop music is also rather common place amongst the younger performers. In the radio edits of songs which contain swearing, the offending word is just usually replaced with a split second silence, which sticks out like a Fathers For Justice Protestor at a funeral. You can be not paying much attention, and then there is this short silence which captures your attention and yet again drags attention to the obscenity. Whereas, if they had just left the swear word in, we would have probably not paid the slightest bit of attention, and not been offended in the slightest way.

I think there is still a hint of immaturity amongst people who swear all the time, in that they think they are impressing and being fun. Much like the people who use Comic Sans 14, because they think not swearing, or using Time New Roman 12, is boring. I think using the font Comic San 14 just tells people you've given up trying to impress. What, you mean we're actually supposed to find you humorous now you're using Comic Sans?  You do realise people who make posters for Church Fêtes use Comic Sans, don't you? Yeah, you're just as much fun as they are!

So what is my personal opinion of swearing? Well, not that you care, but I'm apathetic towards it all really. I disagree with people using swear words the entire time, because there just really is no need for it. However, I think swearing is an important part of the English language for being able to convey a strong emotion or opinion that one might have. It creates versatility from having to just say 'really' or ‘very’ all the time. Maybe there needs to be a cap on swearing; twice a day? I mean, how many times a day do you really need to convey your anger? If you need to do it more than a few times a day, you have major problems and should consult a psychiatrist.

I know I swear a bit too much. Nowhere near as much as a lot of people do, but I do it too much. I have made active steps towards stopping this though. One of my favourite words was 'bullshit', so I have now replaced that with 'Horse Manure'; something a bit different and lightens the mood. For any other word, I now just say 'Profanity'. To call someone a name, I would know call them a 'complete and utter profanity' for example. I'm hoping to better myself.

Anyway, you can sod off now you bastards.

P.S. I mean that with the upmost respect...