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Special Event: atrlcritic | Ed Sheeran's new songs after the upgrade
Member Since: 2/5/2014
Posts: 29,111
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Quote:
Originally posted by Cola.drinker
you know that the best song Sex and Candy is actually a cover, huh ?  |
 didn't know that. No wonder why when I looked up lyrics I got all the Marcy Playground results.
I'd support a Maroon 5 cover album in that case
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Member Since: 11/16/2011
Posts: 32,177
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D+
6.750/10
“V” is the fifth effort from American rock band Maroon 5. This album is a caldron of genres. Some disco, some rock, some pop, some lounge R&B even. I like some songs individually, but I cannot like this album as a whole. Whilst this is a step up from Overexposed, it doesn’t light a candle to Songs About Jane, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long or even Hands All Over. I thought “My Everything” had a messy track-listing until I came across this guy. I appreciate the effort, but this is not an album I will be buying or recommending to people becoming interested in Maroon 5.
 Song by song
Standard Avg - 7
Deluxe Avg - 6.250
Maps - 9/10
I hate the verses, but that chorus has become so infectious to me. I just don’t think this song works as the album opener. The vocal intro is just too sharp to be the opening. Just really catchy, but nothing more. Nothing groundbreaking or intriguing.
Animals - 7.5/10
Another cute and catchy song. Adam’s falsettos in this song get too much, though. Another song that starts with vocals. Not a fan of that. I like this song lyrically, but production-wise, it sounds kinda similar to Maps but with more drums. The best part of this song is the pre-chorus. Adam ha lower register >>> ha falsettos.
It Was Always You - 6/10
Cute intro and production. Not a fan of Adam’s vocals louder and more whiney voice. The song has a cute structure and it’s different, but it doesn’t make me like the song any more.
Unkiss Me - 4.5/10
This track is just kinda there. Isn’t memorable, but isn’t horrible. Just album filler. I kind of leaves me opinion-less. Very “meh”.
Sugar - 6/10
Loving the throwback feel. It almost feels as if this song was inspired by Neon Trees and Bruno Mars’ recent songs. Whilst I like those, this falls flat. The verses sound like a slowed down version of “Sleeping With A Friend” and the chorus gives me serious “Treasure” teas. The best part of this song is it’s contrast from the songs we’ve heard before this.
Leaving California - 7/10
Another vocal intro.  His best vocals, though. Cute lyrics and cute production. Giving me “My Everything” teas with the location of this song. Kinda messy and as this song goes, it feels like it drags on longer and longer.
In Your Pocket - 3/10
I could tell when they were writing this they thought this was gonna slay. But I really hate this song. It’s everywhere lyrically and boring sonically. At least his vocals aren’t half bad. Best part is the outro.
New Love - 8/10
Loving the intro. Getting me back into the album after an awkward few tracks. Adam’s falsettos are kinda nice here, I’m glad they are buried, though. The verses are messy and the only part I like is the “ooo’s”. I love the instrumental. So spacey and catchy.
Coming Back For You - 7.5/10
Loving the random retro songs here. It’s a cute song and I love the chorus. The biggest downfall is it’s misplacement on the album. This song makes me wanna fall in love in the 80’s and sing about it.
Feelings - 8.5/10
The verses and instrumental are a bit of a mess. I love the chorus a lot, though. I love how sharply it contrasts with the rest of the album. The best of the retrospective songs.
My Heart is Open (feat. Gwen Stefani) - 9/10
Their vocals blend so well. I love it when her vocals are behind his. Such a cute song, but I can’t help but notice it sounds dramatically similar to Don’t Stop Believing in the instrumental. I can tell this is not Gwen’s genre of choice. Still a cute collab and probably the 2nd best song on the album.
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ShootLove - 8.5/10
Cute and experimental, and the chorus is cute. Should have replaced Unkiss Me. Super catchy. One of my favorites. I don't even know what else to say. This is just a natural born bop.
Sex and Candy - 2/10
This song is creepier than it is sexy. I feel like a serial killer would sing this to his victim before killing her/him just to scare them more.
Lost Stars - 2/10
Very basic and I’m surprised this was even a bonus track. Boring and filler mess. I can barely make it through my second listen.
Maps, My Heart is Open (feat. Gwen Stefani), ShootLove
LOWLIGHTS:
In Your Pocket, Sex and Candy, Lost Stars
SINGLES:
Azealia Banks - Heavy Metal & Reflective - Jessie J (f. Ariana Grande + Nicki Minaj) - Bang Bang
Hilary Duff - Chasing The Sun - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga - Anything Goes
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda + Beyonce (f. Nicki Minaj) - Flawless (Remix) - Hilary Duff - All About You - Taylor Swift - Shake it Off
ALBUMS:
Ariana Grande - My Everything
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Member Since: 8/11/2012
Posts: 13,230
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These 'V' reviews. 
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Member Since: 8/31/2013
Posts: 12,948
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Quote:
Originally posted by Princedele21
These 'V' reviews. |
They are all good, where's the problem?
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
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Why do yall hate Lost Stars 
And technically isn't it an Adam Levine, not Maroon 5 track? 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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V review coming tonight. Just starting to listen to it now. 
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Member Since: 8/28/2012
Posts: 34,863
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Edited my score for V from 53 to 63 because several songs grew on me a lot tbh.
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 37,294
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  | Maroon 5's fifth effort leaves me a slightly disappointing feeling. After hearing the massive "Maps", I have expected something else for this album, but I was proven wrong. Except "Maps", "New Love", "My Heart Is Open", the amazing ballad that features Gwen Stefani whom we all have missed & maybe the second single "Animals", the rest of the tracks are very boring and it sounds like an album full of fillers. "Sex and Candy" remains the biggest disappointment on the album. The thing that annoyed me the most were Adam's vocals in some songs, like "Feelings": too pitchy and didn't sound good at all. Also, I really felt that the album is lacking something.
Overall, I feel that they could've done miles better, because they know, for sure, how to serve anthems, but this album was lacking them. Except "Maps", there is no anthem or very strong ballad there. What they need to do is to release "New Love" as soon as possible, because that song is catchy as hell and by far the best song on the album. I feel that this song could really save them at this point. |
Score: 6.5/10
Other reviews
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 46,848
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Quote:
Originally posted by ATRL Feedback
My Everything - Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande | Republic | Release Date: Aug 25, 2014
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71 | Member Score
Generally Favorable Reviews
based on 34 Ratings | ddddd. | dddddd
8.0 | Modscore
Generally Favorable Reviews
based on 2 Mods |
| | dddddddddddddd | Summary: The second studio album by singer
and actress Ariana Grande. | Record Label: Republic
Genre(s): Pop / R&B |
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| Member Reviews | | d | .iPositive: ████████████████ 26 | | d | ....iMixed: ████ 7 | | d | Negative: █ 1 |
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| | Mod Reviews | | d | .iPositive: ████████████████ 2 | | d | ....iMixed: 0 | | d | Negative: 0 |
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 2,728
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Maps: Say what you want about Maroon 5, but when they put out a good catchy pop song, they put out a good catchy pop song. While it immediately recalls some familiar guitar riffs from another summer hit, Maps takes that and incorporates into the core sound Maroon 5 has developed throughout their career. From the dancey chorus to the Counting Stars reminiscent bridge, this is a great opener and first single. (10/10)
Animals: Animals to me sounds like a more daring version of One More Night. It's got an explosive sound but I fear it may wear on people after repeated listens. (8/10)
It Was Always You: This is one of the most experimental tracks on the album. I have mixed feelings about the track. While it is not the sound I come to listen to Maroon 5 for, I really appreciate them trying this dark synth sound in this track and it mostly works. The hook isn't the greatest though. (7/10)
Unkiss Me: At first nothing may stand out about Unkiss Me, but it can sneak up on you and grow on you more and more. It's like a nice blend of all the sounds on the album. (8/10)
Sugar: Sugar sounds too similar to Birthday by Katy Perry for me to really appreciate it. But I will say I love it whenever Maroon 5 taps into the funk side of their music. This just isn't one of my favorite attempts from them. (6/10)
Leaving California: This song can sound very been there done that to many people who are tiring of Maroon 5. It's essentially to She Will Be Loved/Won't Go Home Without You/Never Gonna Leave This Bed of the album, but with a catchier chorus. I personally have grown to love this one. (8/10)
In Your Pocket: AMAZING track. It sounds like Maroon 5 but manages to stay fresh at the same time with some fresh melodies that don't sound like anything they've done before. It's one of the strongest tracks on the album and it needs to be released as a single. (10/10)
New Love: I'm not sure what to think about this song. It feels like that song that's used to transition between two big songs on the album. Not bad, but not great. (6/10)
Coming Back For You: This song has an progressively more explosive sound building up as the song goes on. It definitely gives me an 80s vibe and it seems like a great idea on paper. However, I think the song feels a tad generic. (7/10)
Feelings: This is essentially the Moves Like Jagger/Lucky Strike of the album if that's the sound you crave from Maroon 5. It certainly does not disappoint as a successor to those songs. From the catchy verses, to the ear candy falsetto in the chorus, definitely see it as a future single. Though it might be too similar to those above two tracks to be as successful. (9/10)
My Heart Is Open: I know people were hoping for like some funky upbeat song with the Gwen collab and I can't say I disagree. I don't think a ballad is what they should've done, but they did. The song itself though may seem bland at first but it's a beautiful ballad and it definitely fits in right at the end of the album. (8/10)
Shoot Love: Not much to really say about this track. It's about what you could expect from a deluxe track. It's definitely different for Maroon 5 though. (7/10)
Sex and Candy: For Maroon 5 fans who want them to desperately revert back to their old sound, this is the only song that calls back to that. It may be a cover, but it's a great cover filled with so much soul and that classic Songs About Jane sound I personally love. Definitely a standout. (9/10)
Lost Stars: I'm really disappointed to see so many people hate this song. Sure it's not some catchy pop song but it's got a beautiful melody and lyrics and Adam's voice just sounds haunting on it. He really emotes on this song which is missing from much of this album. Once Maroon 5 decide they've had enough of their poppy direction I would love them to put out some songs like this. (10/10).
Conclusion: It is definitely one of their weaker albums and despite some of the risks, it still feels like an extension of Overexposed rather than a progression. However, it's still an enjoyable album even if low for their standards.
8/10
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Member Since: 10/3/2010
Posts: 50,276
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My thoughts on Maroon 5's 'V':
Let's just say I went into listening to this album with low expectations. I was not expecting an incredible record by any means. Even with these preset expectations this album still was not enjoyable. Here is my track by track experience: "Maps" - The lyrics are incredibly simple and so boring. This subject matter has been beaten to death by most pop artists by this point, and this song does absolutely nothing to make itself profound or dynamic. It is a static track from beginning to end. "Animals" - The lyrical content is absolutely laughable. This song conveys absolutely nothing interesting to the listener, and is serious with that howl at the end of the bridge? Like, really? It is just so... soulless. "It Was Always You" - The production on this track is the most interesting aspect, as Adam Levine's vocals add nothing to the experience. The style of the production is at least somewhat intriguing, it is too bad that the lyrical content matching it is so bland. "Unkiss Me" - First of all, what an absolutely awful title. This song is another typical pop song that follows the extremely typical an incredibly overused Tin Pan Alley format, and is completely forgettable based on its sound and lyrical content. However, at least Adam's vocals do not feel like they are piercing your ears on this song though. "Sugar" - This song offers absolutely nothing to the album. The chorus is simply so droll and uninspiring. Like are they serious? "You're sugar, yes please, come and pour it down on me!" At this point, I find it hard to believe that Maroon 5 honestly believes in the music they are creating. "Leaving California" - This song possesses at least something about it that it makes it somewhat enjoyable, even though it is incredibly generic, the beat in combination with Adam's vocals works decently on this track. "In Your Pocket" - Another track that really adds nothing to the experience, which possesses basic lyrical content and average and typical pop production. "New Love" - The lyrical content and the vocals are as basic as always (incredibly so), but at least the production on this track is interesting and offers something noteworthy on an album as dull as this. "Coming Back For You" - A filler track, on an album already full of them, plain and simple. "Feelings" - This is the only track on that album that has some sort of energy to it really. While the lyrical content is dull, at least the vocals and production carry this one to the end as a success, perhaps, the only successful song on this album along with the final track. "My Heart Is Open" - This is by far the best track on the record. Even though not much soul is present here, and the lyrics are nothing special, you can feel at least something while listening to this song, and that is saying something on a record like this. In the end 'V' is a dull experience, and one that really offers nothing noteworthy lyrically, musically, or vocally. The last two tracks save it from an ultimate failure, but simply are not powerful enough to make this record, even an average experience.
2/10
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
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holyground: music in review 
5.0
"hooks hooks and hooks"
highlights
it was always you
unkiss me
leaving california
my heart is open (feat. gwen stefani)
| V
Maroon 5
Down Maroon 5's career, their music gets less rock-based and they seem less and less like a band, more and more like Selena Gomez & the Scene. Artists are allowed to venture off into other genres, as long as their music keeps up in quality. However, this album sounds less and less like Songs About Jane, and more and more like My Everything.
The good thing about this album is that there are a couple of songs with really indelible hooks that are simply irresistible. It Was Always You's deep reverberating sounds are hypnotic, Unkiss Me and Leaving California are harmless mid-tempos that are sweet to listen to. While this may be the case for a few tracks, unfortunately the other hooks they employ are more of offensive. Like the "my map that leads to yo-ou", they just sound so wrong, and the worst of all is that they burn right through your skull and will refuse to get off your brain, annoying you to the depths of hell. Maroon 5 has always been quite an easy-listening band that had leaned towards the adult contemporary demographics, but for this album it seems like they're aiming for the tweens that listen to anything that comes on the radio.
Other than Adam's unbearable tendency to screech in falsetto (without the tenderness of their past work), there is nothing much to talk about this album other than the hooks. This album was built on hooks and the only purpose of the album is to be pop radio fodder. While they have never released a thorough and filler-free album, none (other than maybe Overexposed) have sounded more blatant.
Eh eh, is all that I can say about this album. All we can do is sit and watch the next 4 singles get rotated on radios like mono in a high school and I will just be here, still listening to them, as they will infect you like a horrible virus.
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previous reviews
archives
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lp1 - fka twigs - 8.0
shake it off - taylor swift - 8.0
break the rules - charli xcx - 7.5
my everything - ariana grande - 6.7
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
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The Lowdown: Catchy choruses abound, but not without pitfalls of formulaic pop.
I wrote a lot. 
As implied in the title, V is the fifth album from perennial hitmakers Maroon 5. The album continues Maroon 5's shift to straight-up pop music, which began with their last album Overexposed. First single and top 3 pop radio hit Maps kicks off the collection. The first verse does not really pull you in, as although frontman Adam Levine's voice is unique, it is not captivating enough in this song (especially with a fairly generic guitar-and-drum instrumental behind him). The prechorus, however, is great. The melodies are catchy and inviting, and it is a perfect buildup to the chorus. The chorus is also well-crafted and is very catchy; it doesn't try to be anything it isn't and that's what makes it good. The second verse honestly seems like filler, but you forget about that when the prechorus and chorus come back around again. After the second chorus, a refreshing bridge comes in. The handclaps provide a nice (albeit brief) change of pace, and a final chorus finishes the song off. Overall, Maps is a solid pop song that doesn't excel or fail in any specific area. Animals, unfortunately, is a cringeworthy mess. This track contains tons of childish sexual metaphors ("baby I'm preyin' on you tonight") that are downright cringeworthy. The lyrics, combined with Levine's falsetto, make for a song that just can't be taken seriously. Although the verse instrumental and vocals are passable, the song is forgettable. The prechorus is very good however, and the chorus is very catchy. It would be a good song if not for the awful lyrics. The guitar riffs are cool, and the drums are perfect in intensity.
It Was Always You is the third song on the album. A quiet synth line instantly draws the listener in, and I love the buildup in the song. It is over a minute until drums and heavy synths kick in, Maroon 5 opting for a more gradual increase in components to the song. The production is brilliant and very smooth. The percussion goes very well with the synth (which is a bit hard-hitting at times and sounds dated). The melodies are extremely catchy, and the guitar in the chorus is the icing on the cake. The bridge is awesome, as Levine's falsetto flies over the instrumental and segues into the final chorus perfectly. This song needs to be the second single from V. It is easily the standout track on the album. Unkiss Me has to follow it, but it can't. An awkward synth intro is sung over by Levine in a lower register. This song is easily the most serious of the first four. The handclapping brings some organization to the instrumental. The chorus is catchy, but seems overly dramatic and unnecessary. The second verse is good and definitely something to chill out with. The strings late in the 2nd verse add substance to the song, but after that it goes downhill. The bridge and final chorus cement Unkiss Me's status as a filler track.
Sugar contains quite the artificial synth intro. The guitar riff is great, but the first verse is a bit of a mess. From singing that's too fast to bad lyrics, it's all over the place. The chorus is better, but it sounds like a Katy Perry song. If the song was a bit faster, it could be a single. Very few Maroon 5 songs lack catchy choruses and prechoruses; this is one of them. When I was listening to this, I checked to see when it was going to end. I was only halfway through the song. Despite being uptempo, this song goes out on a whimper. My hopes were raised, though, when Leaving California began playing. The first couple lines of the song are delivered with passion, and the melody is catchy. After a reference to Maroon 5's hit Sunday Morning, a piano puts a twist on usual Maroon 5 fare. Unfortunately, a very good first verse is completely let down by a mediocre chorus. It feels like 50% effort, to be completely honest. The second verse is bland, which is a shame because the melodies are so great. This song tries to be an emotional power ballad, but it lacks power and I didn't feel many emotions while listening to it. If this song was done perfectly, I'm sure a lot of people would have felt very emotional listening to this song.
The introduction to In Your Pocket is interesting, the fast tempo is a nice change from Leaving California, and the percussion is something you want to tap your foot to. Unfortunately, this song feels like filler. The chorus is uninteresting and uninspired, and is a lazy effort. None of the elements of this song stand out at all besides the percussion. The melodies are unremarkable, and everything about this song just screams "mediocre filler track." There's not much else to say. New Love has a nice chorus but a blander drum beat. The lyrics are very generic, and by the end of the song I was bored. The bridge is the best part of the song, but it is still forgettable. Coming Back For You has a dramatic retro drum and synth intro. The instrumental is nice, but the first part chorus is a bit slow for me considering the second part. This song is pretty one-dimensional and boring, and I yawned a few times near the end of the song. The fast singing in 10th song Feelings is awkward, and the falsetto during the chorus is a bit too high for a pop song. This song is also bland and very forgettable.
The piano intro in My Heart Is Open sounds immediately familiar. Gwen Stefani and Levine's voices blend OK, but they are not enough to carry the instrumental (which is just piano and strings a la Say Something). The post-chorus "yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes" part is unbelievably cheesy and cringeworthy. It'a a shame that this song went out on a whimper because it could have been a standout track if the instrumental was just a bit more complex and Levine's vocals were stronger. Shoot Love immediately hooks listener, unlike the previous 3-4 songs on the album. The fast drum beat is one to nod your head to, and the first verse is good. The chorus is good as well, but I think I want the presence of the guitar to be bigger. This song doesn't get too boring, and it doesn't seem as bland as some of the other songs on V. Levine tries to sound very sincere on Lost Stars, and some small parts of it remind me of older Maroon 5 music. It's in between a pop song and a ballad. The second verse is really nice, with just the right amount of percussion and guitar. It's a nice closer of the album.
V has its strengths and its weaknesses. Most noticeably, almost all of the prechoruses and choruses are catchy, and a few of them extremely so. The melodies in most of the songs are pleasant and really fit the mood and tone of the song. This album is very cohesive, with the exception of My Heart Is Open and Lost Stars. The usage of guitar is almost impeccable on V; it just seems to pop into the song at the right moment and add substance to the instrumental or another catchy riff to the chorus. V is designed to draw the listener in immediately, and a good number of songs on the album are very easy to get into and inviting. Even though this music is generic and formulaic, the instrumentals and melodies are a step above most mainstream pop music today.
All of that said, V has many weak points that are unfortunately prominent throughout the album. Most of the songs seem very fluffy and "for fun"; very few seem serious or emotional and that would be okay if they weren't trying to be emotional. A lot of these tracks portray themselves that way, and I ended up calling them bland or not substantial because I didn't get that feeling. Only a few tracks on V actually have strong replay value ( Maps and It Was Always You being the first two I think of). This is likely due to forgettable lyrics amalgamated with formulaic pop music. The reason that some of these songs do have replay value at all is because of their melodies.
I have mixed feelings overall about V. I never listened to Overexposed in full, but its four singles ( Payphone, One More Night, Daylight, and Love Somebody) are all better than most of the songs on V. The latter part of the album was especially disappointing, as I was frequently getting bored and the songs seemed dull and like the same thing over and over again. I will admit that some of these songs seem like perfect guilty-pleasure songs, though. These make the album bearable, and the standouts push this album up to OK level. I still wish it was better, though.
Reviews:
Drake - 0 to 100 / The Catch Up (4.0)
La Roux - Trouble In Paradise (2.3)
Azealia Banks - Heavy Metal and Reflective (2.0)
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, & Nicki Minaj - Bang Bang (5.8)
Hilary Duff - Chasing The Sun (0.5)
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga - Anything Goes (4.9)
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda (2.0)
Beyoncé f/Nicki Minaj - ***Flawless Remix (3.7)
Pixie Lott - Pixie Lott (6.0)
FKA Twigs - LP1 (1.7)
Hilary Duff - All About You (4.1)
Taylor Swift - Shake It Off (7.1)
Charli XCX - Break The Rules (4.6)
Ariana Grande - My Everything (5.2)
Maroon 5 - V (5.4)
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 19,449
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Can I suggest that "Souled Out" by Jhené Aiko gets reviewed next week?
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Banned
Member Since: 2/8/2014
Posts: 23,320
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As the title suggests, 'V' is the 5th album by pop band Maroon 5. 'V' does not sway from anything released this year and is quite bland in that sense. The lead single 'Maps' is an extremely catchy song and one of the highlights on the album while following promo/non-promo singles are some of the highlights on the album as well. It Was Always You can definitely be certified as one of the redeemable tracks on this album as the rest do nothing to be left in the memory of its listeners. Songs like 'Sugar' Leaving California' & 'In Your Pocket' have left the listeners mind long before finishing the album. Thus after the first 3 tracks it all goes downhill from there until the album regains its peak in quality with the 9th track 'Coming Back For You'. 'Back' is very reminiscent of the best on the album 'It Was Always You' and thus is a very contributing factor towards this album not being a very bland and forgettable release. The duet with pop-veteran Gwen Stefani also does nothing as the normal version's closing track. It's a bland pop album, but it's very good at being a bland pop album. All by all this is a very basic, non-experimental, non-challenging album and that's just where it finds its strengths in reaching its target demographic
7.3
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Member Since: 10/3/2010
Posts: 50,276
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Quote:
Originally posted by alexanderao
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This review score is very interesting, especially when you look at your score for FKA Twigs. Interesting taste! Very interesting. 
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Member Since: 8/15/2012
Posts: 2,344
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Maroon 5 - V
(note: I am reviewing the deluxe edition.)
Consensus: Although it has its (very) low moments, V is an enjoyable album. It's a very good idea, but the product isn't quite as good as I expected. However, despite most of the album being a huge pile of mediocrity, it does have its good moments (It Was Always You, My Heart Is Open, Lost Stars.) I'd much prefer the album be filled with songs like those and remove Sex and Candy, ShootLove, Sugar, and Feelings. It's still better than Overexposed, though. I can see myself putting this on repeat for a few weeks, despite some of the tracks having 0 replay value. It's not really as bad as I think I'm saying it is, but it's not very good. I don't mind it that much. I think I'm just rambling on now, so I think I'll get to the point. It's a very nice try and I wouldn't mind their future albums sounding like this, but the final product isn't very great.
Track-by-Track
Maps: This... this is alright. It's not very good, but it's not terrible. It's probably one of their least interesting lead singles. I really prefer Payphone to this, as this is sort of boring. It's not really lead single material, more like third/fourth single material (but Daylight and LS were both better than this). 6/10
Animals: I prefer this a lot more than Maps. 31 seconds in and I'm already drawn in. I'd probably give this a solid ten, but there's one problem. And it's a huge problem. These lyrics are terrible. "I'm praying on you tonight, hunt you down eat you alive"? It's still really catchy though, so I don't mind the lyrics much. 8/10
It Was Always You: I loved this the first time I downloaded it on iTunes. And I still do. It's amazing, with it's 80s-ish vibe. It's not very lyrically strong, but it's a lot better than Animals or Maps. I don't understand why this wasn't the second single. Hell, it would have been a good lead single as well. I really feel as if this could have been as big as One More Night, but whatever. 10/10.
Unkiss Me: Unlike some other tracks, this album listen was the first time I've heard this song. Holy. ****. This is good. It sounds pretty generic, but I still love it! It sounds a lot like IWAY. It's way better than Maps! (by the way, most of this review will probably consist of me whining about how ****** Maps is.) This really surprised me, by the title I thought it would be pretty bad. 9.5/10
Sugar: Uh, what. No. This is pretty bad. It's worse than Maps. This sounds like a ripoff of Birthday, which by itself is pretty terrible. The instrumental isn't even good, unlike the previous three tracks. At 1:44 into my first listen of the song right now, I can already tell this is terrible. 3/10
Leaving California: Having listened to this prior to listening to the full album, I already knew this was good. It's another song that sounds like IWAY, and I honestly don't have a problem with this. I'd rather have an album full of IWAYs rather than an album full of Love Somebodys (*coughoverexposedcough*) But listening to this again, it's a lot better than I remember on first listen. (the other half of this review will probably consist of me nonstop-praising IWAY, by the way.) 9/10
In Your Pocket: Just based off the intro, I'm not sure how I feel about this song. I feel like I've heard it before, and I like it. But I don't like it that much. I like it on a Maps-scale. I'm not sure if I quite follow the lyrics, though...? I just don't keep up with them. 6/10
New Love: Eh... this isn't good. I don't dislike it at all. I just don't know how I feel about it. The verses are pretty bad, but everything besides that is pretty good. The verses are bad enough to make me almost dislike this, though. I'd probably give this a 5.5/10
Coming Back For You: Again, another IWAY-sounding track. It sort of gets old after four tracks, but I don't mind it so much. (especially after New Love and Sugar.) I don't really have much to say about this. 7/10
Feelings: Again, this isn't good. This is one of the two songs so far I legitimately dislike. I don't like the vocals on the chorus that much, but that isn't a problem. I just don't like the whole vibe this track give off. It's not catchy, either. 3/10
My Heart Is Open (feat. Gwen Stefani) : Right off the bat, it sort of reminds me of "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles. It sort of trails of into what is sort of generic, then, but it's not that generic. It reminds me a lot of recent ballads, namely Say Something and Just Give Me A Reason. This is honestly great. I generally try to give one 10 per album, but this, Ghost Stories, and X (Ed) are the rare cases where I think I'm going to give multiple tens. Adam and Gwen shine equally on this duet. This is truly amazing. Thank you for releasing this, Maroon 5. As I've said... 10/10
ShootLove: I can definitely see why this was a bonus track. It's pretty bad. Bad on the level of Feelings and Sugar. 3.5/10
Sex and Candy: I sort of like the vibe this is giving off, but it's not very good. I don't know why, but I just can't stand this. 4/10
Lost Stars: Reading some other reviews on here, I really don't get the hate for this song. This is probably my favourite song on the album! I like the chilled-out feel to it, and it's REALLY catchy. I didn't expect it to be that great, considering it's from a soundtrack, but I love this. As I've said before, this is probably one of the only albums where I give multiple tens. I just don't get the hate for this... 10/10
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I think I was really harsh on this album. I suppose it was because I expected more, but meh.
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Member Since: 2/24/2012
Posts: 30,779
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Quote:
Originally posted by Almighty Gaga
Edited my score for V from 53 to 63 because several songs grew on me a lot tbh.
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Yass, I raised my score too, for the same reason
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Member Since: 2/5/2014
Posts: 29,111
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Quote:
Originally posted by Slayley
As the title suggests, 'V' is the 5th album by pop band Maroon 5. 'V' does not sway from anything released this year and is quite bland in that sense. The lead single 'Maps' is an extremely catchy song and one of the highlights on the album while following promo/non-promo singles are some of the highlights on the album as well. It Was Always You can definitely be certified as one of the redeemable tracks on this album as the rest do nothing to be left in the memory of its listeners. Songs like 'Sugar' Leaving California' & 'In Your Pocket' have left the listeners mind long before finishing the album. Thus after the first 3 tracks it all goes downhill from there until the album regains its peak in quality with the 9th track 'Coming Back For You'. 'Back' is very reminiscent of the best on the album 'It Was Always You' and thus is a very contributing factor towards this album not being a very bland and forgettable release. The duet with pop-veteran Gwen Stefani also does nothing as the normal version's closing track. It's a bland pop album, but it's very good at being a bland pop album. All by all this is a very basic, non-experimental, non-challenging album and that's just where it finds its strengths in reaching its target demographic
7.3
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I don't think I've seen too many reviews from you here. Good review overall 
I swear though I skimmed through this earlier and saw a lower score though. Not that it matters of course.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
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Who deleted their post such that my top page review got bumped to the back of the previous page. 
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