“Hands All Over” Gets 5 Maroon Stars

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The latest release by Maroon 5 does not disappoint. The group released “Hands All Over” on September 21, but their music video for their first single, “Misery,” has been in circulation since this summer.“ Hands All Over” is full of single-ready hits and hooks that keep the listener coming back for more.

For fans that stopped listening after the group’s early release, “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long,” this album will re-spark that dwindled passion for Maroon 5 that they may have lost. It is much closer to the Maroon 5 that we all knew and loved, before the over-use of synths and pseudo-dance beats. They clearly get back to their pop roots in this latest endeavor. “Hands All Over” is the amalgamation of pop, blues and a little bit of dance to spice things up.

Maroon 5 is one of those bands with a vague genre. This album makes it even more difficult to discern. The first single from the album, “Misery,” has funk guitar chords and a simple drumbeat that locks into a dance groove, but the song follows a pop form with a very strong hook. One of the most relaxed tracks on the album, “I Can’t Lie,” is extremely reminiscent of “Sunday Mornings” from “Songs About Jane,” the band’s first release. It is one of those sing-along songs that Maroon 5 has been lacking since their second album.

It is very clear who influenced Maroon 5 when listening to this album. The track “Hands All Over” is a complete rip-off of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” One of the power-pop tracks off this album, “Get Back In My Life,” sounds like what Fall Out Boy would sound like with Adam Levine at the mic, but with Maroon 5’s diverse sound. The album ends with a very mellow song and a surprise appearance from Lady Antebellum. Their vocal harmonies are fantastic and complement each other very well. It could easily pass as a country ballad. All of these different genres blend together to make Maroon 5 who they are.

“Hands All Over” is what Maroon 5’s second album should have been. It’s closer to the roots of the band. It is basically “Songs About Jane” part II. All in all, Maroon 5’s most recent album bodes well for the progress of the band. This is an album that should be on constant rotation.