Hey readers! You may have noticed I am a big fan of One Direction. I've made that pretty obvious since I started this blog. But for the first time since I started liking One Direction, I don't feel like a total weirdo admitting it. Their latest release is GOOD... and even better, it's different than what they've released in the past.
If you're writing this album off because they're a boy band, you are missing out! The sound is more mature and this album sounds like they're really finding themselves and breaking out of the bubblegum pop phase. They're moving toward a new market for their music to attempt to get some longevity out of their fame. So without further delay, here's a look at the tracks from the album:
Steal My Girl- This song was the first major single from the album. It serves as a bridge between the last album and this album. It's still definitely boy band pop, but it's not anywhere near another "What Makes You Beautiful."
Ready to Run- This one reminds me of Story of My Life from the last album. It was written by Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne in collaboration with their main writing team (Julian Bunetta, Jamie Scott, John Ryan). It's a great song to workout to!
Where Do Broken Hearts Go- This song will sound amazing in the stadiums they're playing later this year. It's reminiscent of 80s pop-rock anthems, but it has a twist that is still undeniably 1D. It's great to dance to and it's one of my top three from the album.
18- 18 was written by one of my favorites: Ed Sheeran (Passenger also has writing credit). Listening to it, it definitely sounds like a classic Ed song and will remind you of the other songs he's contributed to the band's albums: Little Things and Moments.
Girl Almighty- This is the only song on the album where none of the band members have writing credit. It's a great song to dance around to, and it's undeniably fun. My critique with this song is that it's very repetitive and there isn't a lot of substance to it.
Fool's Gold- This song was written by the entire band in collaboration with their writing team. It's my favorite on the album, because the lyrics go deeper than just surface love, and it's a relatable tune if you're in your twenties and getting over heartbreak. It's sad, but it shows off their amazing vocals in a way not many of their other songs do.
Night Changes- This is another single off of the album. It's the token ballad, and the lyrics show growth in their songwriting skills.
No Control- There's only one word to describe the lyrics to this one: sexy! The whole song is about morning sex to be honest, and it's the closest they've come to breaking out of the "innocent boy band song" expectation. It's catchy, but my critique with this is that the vocals are a bit sloppy (there's a lot of yelling and not much singing).
Fireproof- This was the first song released from the album. It was released for free download, and quickly became the most downloaded song from not only this album, but overall in music. It has a country/folk feel while still sounding like them and having a pop element.
Spaces- This is a sweet song, if a bit cheesy. It is well written though, with Tomlinson and Payne once again collaborating with the main writing team. It's about a crappy breakup that you've both been prolonging.
Stockholm Syndrome- This song is fun and is another dancy tune. According to Harry Styles, who was the only band member to write on this track, "it's kind of about a nympho." It seems to be another bridge track, halfway between the old album sound and their new, more mature sound.
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