One Direction's fifth studio album "Made In The A.M." was released on Friday the 13th, which posed anything but bad luck for the fearsome foursome. According to the band, the record was created during late nights on tour and in their studio, as the title track croons "all my favorite conversations, they're just made in the A.M."
The band's sound has matured and grown along with its members. This album boasts smooth indie-pop tracks that are reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac and John Mayer and own all the strength and resonance of 90's power ballads. With yearning, romantic lyrics like those of "Love You Goodbye" ("if tomorrow you won't be mine / won't you give it to me one last time?") and "Never Enough": ("lips so good I forget my name"), the boys are showing a edgier side of themselves that grows as their fanbase does. The band members have written twelve out of seventeen songs on the record themselves, giving their fans a personal touch with each track they listen to.
The first singles from the album, "Drag Me Down and Perfect," give fans the first taste of One Direction in the era A.M. (after Malik), and really highlight the ways each member's voice and harmonies have strengthened without the blessing of Zayn Malik's blissful high notes. On this album, Louis Tomlinson's soft yet powerful higher register is explored, harmonizing perfectly with Harry Styles's gravelly rasp. Styles also belts his heart out on this album, especially in the first single "Drag Me Down," and his voice has been cultivated beautifully. Liam Payne's falsetto and smooth, powerful vocals open up many of the tracks, and Niall Horan is a triple threat, singing, writing, and playing guitar on the tracks.
If you're wondering about songs that are worth the listen or if you consider yourself "too cool" for One Direction, here are my top three must-listen tracks from Made In The A.M.:
1. "Drag Me Down"
It was the first single for a reason, after all. Vocally powerful, heavily rock infused, and an all - around feel good jam, it's catchy, and Harry's high notes may just be enough to sucker you in for life.
2. "If I Could Fly"
Heartfelt, romantic, and deeply personal, "If I Could Fly" is a perfectly crafted ballad. The chorus ("For your eyes only, I show you my heart / For when you're lonely and forget who you are / I'm missing half of me when we're apart") seems like the kind of lyrics you could only dream up when you're in a fairy tale kind of love, only it isn't cheesy. It's real, it's emotional, and it's something that's been created to be heard and felt.
3. "A.M."
The title track's tone sums up the mood of the entire record, as if you're having a beer at three in the morning with your best friends on a rooftop, and you feel like you'll live forever. One Direction gives you the ambiance of being in an indie film of some sort, where this song would score Joseph Gordon-Levitt driving down a city street as some credits roll. It's an indie pop tune that can be played in the background of every autumn night.
The entire record encapsulates One Direction's growth and displays their talent in a way fans have been hungry for. I'm excited to see what comes about for each of the boys in their solo endeavors during their hiatus and in future years together as a band.
