★ ★ ★ ★ out of 5
English boy band One Direction could be considered the biggest worldwide success to come out of The X Factor. The boys finished third on the seventh series of the reality competition show, went on to release an album every year following (all debuted at #1 in the U.S.), broke a singles debut record set by The Beatles, said goodbye to fellow member Zayn Malik, and eventually announced an indefinite hiatus in 2015.
However, the unfortunate hiatus does not come before the release of Made In The A.M., the band's highly anticipated fifth studio album. The effort is their first without Malik and one that thankfully finds the group shedding the "boy" aspect from "boy band" in order to focus on an eclectic, mature sound as they highlight the slightly nauseating topics of love, loss and looking toward the future.
Preceded by the contagious, The Police-inspired "Drag Me Down" and mid-tempo, possible Taylor Swift diss track "Perfect", the new album may be One Direction's last for a few years, but it showcases that they have worked hard to strengthen their vocal and songwriting talents. They have pushed their creative limits to new ends as they plan out individual solo ventures. The band members let each other shine on their own, as throwback influences from the 70s, 80s, & 90s pop and rock genres create a thrilling backdrop for them to succeed.
The album kicks off strongly with the heavenly, stadium-ready "Hey Angel", a strange, influential mix of The Verve and U2, that carries the band to exciting, new heights thanks to the dreamy "oooh"s and tender vocal performances from all four members. For an opening track, the song immediately proves that One Direction were not lazy or uninspired during the album's creation. With an explosive, pop-leaning hook and backing guitar, the sentimental ballad is a promising indicator of what is to come.
"Drag Me Down" is a catchy and artistically mature lead single from One Direction, coming back strong following the departure announcement of former member Zayn Malik. Carried by a swoon-worthy, hard-hitting chorus from Liam Payne and Niall Horan, the track easily becomes one of the band's more intriguing and meaningful releases. Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson also give commendable vocal performance as the band sings of a girl's love being the only thing they need to carry on.
For the album's second single, "Perfect" may not embody the overall vibe of the project, but it's lovestruck lyrics and ambient pop sound, along with rumored Taylor Swift motivations, makes it becomes a compelling, proper boy band ballad. "And if you like cameras flashing every time we go out, oh, yeah, and if you're looking for someone to write your breakup songs about, baby, I'm perfect," the group sings on the simplistic pop effort that seems more modern than the throwback nature of the album.
Constructed as yet another arena-dominating pop ballad, carried by delicate, trendy synthesizers, instrumental breakdowns and perfect vocal harmonization, the slow build of "Infinity" captures the emotions felt by the boys as they reflect on devastating heartbreak and the difficulty of finally moving on. When you add soft strings and a soaring, radio-ready chorus, the song may come off as a bit of a cliche, but is still able to make a commendable, lasting impression.
One Direction knows exactly who they want to be with on "End Of The Day", a soppy story built around a tender, revealing chorus and narrative songwriting detailing the development of a young love. "If there's something I've learnt from a million mistakes, you're the one that I want at the end of the day," the band belts. The track stands out thanks to a distinction between the bubbly production on the verses and the more organic approach to the chorus, it creates a fully evolves new fun.-like sound for the band.
Following a few uptempo efforts, we finally get a traditional slow ballad in the form of "If I Could Fly", a piano-led moment where the band showcases a vulnerable side to their usually energetic personalities. One Direction doesn't seem to be themselves when they don't have their lovers by their side, causing them to reflect on the burning love, whether it be for better or worse. Here, Harry and Louis truly stand out, with some of their strongest vocal moments and revealing lines.
There's an immediate sense of melancholy and despair that falls over "Long Way Down", a folk/county-tinged effort that finds the band dealing with the consequences of a failed relationship, or their announced hiatus. While the chorus is an effective, somber piece of the overall picture, the amateurish, transparent construction of the verses does knock the effort back a few steps. Despite the lackluster songwriting, the vocals are indeed filled with necessary emotion, becoming the bright highlight of the track.
On one of the album's most interesting, intriguing and perfectly chaotic offerings, "Never Enough", co-written by Niall, shows the lovesick band falling head over in heels with the women that crowd their dreams. The doo-wop, tropical inspirations are unexpected, but work to convey the group's feelings. "I just can't get too much of you, baby, it's never, it's never enough, never enough," they sings on the fast-paced hook that showcases joys and passion but leaves people wanting more in terms of songwriting.
"Olivia" is a sincere, charming ode to the perfect girl, complete with bouncy production and a bizarre resemblance to "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. There's a lot to appreciate on the track, particularly the quick progression, vocal conviction and the overall orchestration that may embody The Beatles comparisons the boys have been getting throughout the career. The change in tone may take listeners off guard, but in the end, it's a sweet, solid addition.
The 70s & 80s eras blend together flawlessly on "What A Feeling", a Fleetwood Mac/Hall & Oates-sounding hybrid that explores uncharted artistic territories for the band. There's a relaxing groove in the song's step, mixed in with confident, suave vocal performances and lyrics that detail the group's fascination with a certain someone. "What a feeling to be right here beside you now, holding you in my arms, when the air ran out and we both started running wild, the sky fell down," they sing with a frenzied passion.
Heartbreak is once again the underlying premise for "Love You Goodbye", a sleek and polished, rousing ballad where the band pleads for just one more kiss at the end of a relationship. With backing guitars and layered piano keys, the right supporting backdrop is in place for One Direction to lay out all their emotions and intentions for all to see. Listeners will immediately gravitate to the endearing message and boy band touch, a sound that dominated the band's early efforts.
Cheesy, boat-referencing lyrics and a sleep-inducing production approach weigh down the adorable sentiments found on "I Want To Write You A Song". While the acoustics are enjoyable, after a minute they seem to overpower vocal performances, and cause the song to sound like it goes on for eternity, even though it clocks in at under three minutes. The intentions are right, the pieces seem to all be there, but the cutesy, teenager vibe was best left to One Direction albums one and two.
The standard edition of the album closes out with "History", a campfire-like swansong that doubles as a tender love ballad and a way to strengthen the bond between the band members as they go their separate ways. "You and me got a whole lot of history, oh, so don't let it go, we can make some more, we can live forever," the band sings in unison in front of layered claps and acoustic guitar. It may sound like the next Pixar theme, but it's a wholesome, emotive closing chapter. This is not the end.
Made In The A.M. is a tremendous, extremely enjoyable, well-executed, diverse yet still somehow cohesive send off for One Direction. The departure of Malik may have created a shift in harmony, but the band uses rock influences from decades past to sound like a complete entity. As the very first 1D album this blogger has been able to stick with through the very end, it shows a mature approach to bubblegum pop-sounding, upbeat anthems and heartfelt ballads. The group seems to be more confident in their ability to write an effective, radio-ready effort and showcases great growth in creativity and vocal abilities. The band may sound like many others throughout the 13-track album, but they are still able to show why they are one of the best-selling bands for good reason, before they say their final goodbye.
Tracks to Hear: "Hey Angel", "Drag Me Down", "Perfect", "What A Feeling" and "Love You Goodbye"
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