By Odeisel

It’s been a few years since we’ve heard new work from Maroon 5.  Since their second album, 2007’s It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, the band has been touring. The luster of media darling has dimmed and now it’s time for the band to see if it has true staying power. Their newest release, Hands All Over, produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange is perhaps their most pop album to date, with elements of 80’s Rock, 70’s funk and hints of giants like Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, The Police and Hall & Oates evident in both the musical construction and in Adam Levine’s vocals.

Lead single “Misery” talks of a man on the outside of the relationship and a woman who won’t give him closure. The background vocals on the refrain are layered like Jackson with the higher pitched falsetto backing up Levine’s normal range. Levine’s ad libs are also very similar to Michael, if not as effective. That funk is present on “Give A Little More” along with coarse drums and rhytmic guitars. The refrain features more Mike with “whooo’s” and a post motown pre-Off The Wall arrangements. The ending note is unmistakable homage.

“Stutter” has Levine dumbstruck by a fantasy love. He wants to be with her so bad and longs for her perfection but he needs to know if she’s going to put him on the team. That early 80’s rock-feel manifests here with the kick drums and snares. “Don’t Know Nothing” smacks of The Police in rhythm. Levine is obviously tired of his woman’s’ lack of communication and is fighting back. If he’s so wrong then she needs to let him no because he has no intention of being alone.

Hall & Oates homage occurs on the piano/guitar construction of “Never Gonna Leave This Bed,” another tale of helpless love and chick pandering. The ska-lite/rock rhythm reeks of early Police, but the vocal arrangements are Billy Joel. The stabbing pianos are a bit “Chopsticks” but the bass guitars bind everything nicely. The heavy guitar and murky sound effects of the title track has the band seeking comfort in the arms of love. “How” will make fans of 80’s hair bands miss the days of Journey and Poison. His hands are bound by the shackles and love and he doesn’t mind if he died tied up. His owrds, not mine.

“Get Back In My Life” is a faster paced funk guitar-driven stalker fest of relationship regret. “Just A Felling” is slow grooved whine-fest, with mentions of no sunshine and rolling around in the bed with tears in his eyes even though she’s “not even dead.” Whatever edge is gained by the production and the strings on “Runaway” are neutered by yet another goodbye love song. He’s keeping her clothes to make her feel close and filling her voicebox with messages.

The regular retail version of the album closes with the Lady Antebellum duet “Out Of Goodbyes.” The title is appropriate as the entire album is full of good-byes and please come backs. The country rhythm with acoustic guitar is soothing and pensive as they reflect on why this relationship is finally (and thankfully) over.

The thing about homage is that it evokes the spirit of legends. You can’t out falsetto Mike, you can’t go out-soulful lament than Sting, and you can’t out-righteous relationship indignation Hall & Oates. Levine and the boys try ably though and that’s commendable. There is talent and well-executed music here, just too much sucker-for-loveism that weighs down the album.

Maroon 5- “Misery”01-maroon_5-misery

Maroon 5- “Give A Little More” Maroon-5 Give A Little More
3.25 out of 5

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