Review - Maroon 5 - V

Over the years, Maroon 5 has established themselves as the go-to band for pop rock radio hits, delivering time and time again. Every album they’ve released has managed at least one or two successful tracks, with some containing more than others. The band’s last album Overexposed actually ended up releasing four top ten hits—a first for the band.

The band’s fifth album V is similar in structure and sound, though it’s nice to hear a bit more of the other members, seeing as how Maroon 5 is billed as, you know, a band, and not just Adam Levine and a computer. If you look back at the group’s career, it’s easy to hear when they feel confident as a band versus when they need a hit, because you can tell when there are real instruments used, instead of typical pop production tools.

V sees the group reuniting—unsurprisingly—with super producers like Ryan Tedder and StarGate. They seem to be able to churn hits out better than any others in the game, and when you add Levine’s unimaginitive songwriting, falsetto and model-like good looks, high-charters are bound to follow. I fully expect to see the same handful of people working on the group’s next album two or three years from now as well.

The album is poppy and catchy, perhaps a bit bolder than their last milquetoast album, but not their most memorable work at all. Promo single “It Was Always You” and Gwen Stefani, Sia-penned “My Heart Is Open” are certainly nice, but again, it’s the Adam Levine show with some backing musicians. While singles like “Maps” are fun enough, I’ll remember the days of “Harder to Breathe” fondly.

Listen to: “My Heart Is Open (ft. Gwen Stefani)”, “It Was Always You”, “In Your Pocket”, “Sugar”