Album Review: Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams

Posted on December 10, 2015 by bgibs122

You can’t help but wonder if Coldplay are fucking with you.

To be fair, this is partially by design. Public opinion branded Coldplay irredeemably corny and lame circa 2006 or 2007 (yeah, yeah), so they got out in front of that reputation by leaning as hard into it as possible. If a band has the gall to name an album Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends and more or less deliver, there’s little ground to gain in calling them a bunch of windbags. Your burn on Chris Martin as a weepy tryhard isn’t going to top the fact that he named a lead single “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall”, or has a hit called “A Sky Full of Stars”. Coldplay’s plan was to beat haters to the punch at making fun of them; when it comes to defense against being pretentious fops, those army jackets might as well have been body armor.

But A Head Full of Dreams is a step too far. The technicolor bombast missing from last year’s divorce album Ghost Stories is back, as is the relentless cheeriness, but neither serve a higher purpose. When you play into your type this hard, you almost need an objective, otherwise it registers as flat, grating noise. Without guiding principles like Viva La Vida‘s sonic nuance or Mylo Xyloto‘s wide screen zaniness, Dream‘s big, gauzy sound is all rising action; it’s like Martin and company forgot that uplift is as much about lows and restraint as it is highs and expanse.

For example, Mylo‘s “Paradise” is (to my ears) the band’s best pop single, and a major reason for that is because that gorgeous, arena filling chorus is the payoff from a relatively quiet piano ballad verse. By comparison, A Head Full of Dreams‘ disco-pop title track plods along without a sense of excitement or dynamics, and despite frequent attempts at big moments, only “Hymn for the Weekend” kind of works. It’s a matter of underwriting, and a common problem; whenever an artist plans a “fun” album or a “pop” one, it usually means they’re flattening the songwriting, and relying on lively performances of buoyant tunes to squeak by on weaker, less melodic or hooky material (ahem) because these songs are about fun!, and the artist thinks fun! should be easy (replace “buoyant” with “loud”, and you get the same pitfall with a band’s “rock” album).

And A Head Full of Dreams suffers because for all the day-glo set pieces and promo shots of paint-spattered, smiling members, they’ve never been a band that did shallow happiness well. While true, their best songs are full of yearning or seeking a better existence, something like “The Scientist” starts in a low place, and even “Viva La Vida” is built around a bunch of “I used to”s. “Fun” and “Everglow” fit the mold, and are easily two of the album’s best songs. Piano ballad “Everglow” is a piano-heavy ballad about Martin’s emotional state after his divorce from Gwyneth Paltrow that also features her on backing vocals, and is named after a made-up word he heard from “this surfer guy”. I should hate it, but it’s understated, and Martin’s over-earnest vocals are well-suited to regret. “Fun” is a more atmospheric, shimmering ballad, pleading with someone by saying “Didn’t we have fun?”, and works because its big chorus feels earned. Meanwhile, the inspiration-by-numbers “Amazing Day” and “Up&Up” are about, like, the magic of life or some shit.

One Tove Lo aside, A Head Full of Dreams‘ guest list is a bigger triumph of Coldplay’s professional network than musical chemistry. Did you know that’s Noel Gallagher of Oasis playing guitar solos over “Up&Up”, or famed “Gimme Shelter” wailer Merry Clayton on the same song? Does knowing either of these tidbits make “Up&Up” anything other than six and a half minutes of dystopic uplift? Sampling Barack Obama’s rendition of “Amazing Grace” at the end of an interlude is baffling, and the world’s preeminent whitebread British band sampling part of the memorial service for a victim of a U.S. racially motivated terrorist attack feels weirder the more I think about it (I get why Chris Martin wanted “I’m lost but now I’m found” for the context of the album, but it begs the question, “There are thousands of versions of this song available, why pick the loaded one, Chris?”). Beyonce turns in some extraneous vocals on “Hymn For the Weekend”, but really, the effort just makes me realize how long it’s been since I played “Lift Off”. Coldplay’s biggest strength has always been universality, so while Gwyneth Paltrow’s background singing on “Everglow” doesn’t hurt the song, it can take you out of the moment. The sensation rather sums up the album’s guest appearances as a whole.

Coldplay albums are normally good about missive statements, but this is a record that just screams why? Why follow up melancholy Ghost Stories with nothing but platitudes and inch-deep optimism? Why mismanage half a dozen high profile collaborators? Why does Chris Martin, a talented sad sack vocalist, try to wring emotion from lyrics like “So raaaaaage, raaaage with me” and “I’m feeling drunk and high” while sounding like someone who feels–ahem–“lit” after two glasses of white wine? Why insist on doing a “fun” album without writing fun, memorable songs? Coldplay’s made a habit of laughing at their own Coldplayisms, but A Head Full of Dreams is just a joke.

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Grammy 2016 Nominees & Predictions

Posted on December 7, 2015 by bgibs122

The Grammys, bless their gilded heart, have been trying to modernize for what feels like years now, but 2016 feels like it might be a break through. Instead of parsing the nomination announcements out over the entire day like last year, this year’s complete nominee list was up before I had time to have my coffee. And, more to it, this year’s list is not entirely terrible! It’s still The Grammys, so there are plenty of safe choices and industry favorites, but they’re mostly the good ones!

So, let’s get to the list and my predictions. Annual reminder that 1. the eligibility window is October 1st of 2014 to September 30th 2015 (see you next year, Adele!), and 2. I am consistently terrible at predictions. Let’s go!

Record of the Year:
D’Angelo And the Vanguard – “Really Love”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk!”
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud”
Taylor Swift – “Blank Space”
The Weeknd – “Can’t Feel My Face”
The nice thing about Record of the Year (i.e. which song has the best mixing/production) is that it’s the only category with an objectively correct answer. And, this year that answer is D’Angelo.

Album of the Year
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
Chris Stapleton – Traveller
Taylor Swift – 1989
The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
Honestly, this is a stacked category. Solid genre representation, each of these was a top seller, and even if I didn’t like all of them, they all played well with the critics. I’d love to see Kendrick or Alabama Shakes get it (I missed AS on the first go around, but jamming to S&C now), but, as The Grammys are learning, so must I: bet on the safe horse. Praise Taylor Swift.

Song of the Year
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
Taylor Swift- “Blank Space”
Little Big Town – “Girl Crush”
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – “See You Again”
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud”
Oh, this hurts. Here, we have a song that ended up tapping into the spirit and activism of 2015, and it’s probably gonna lose. I liked “Thinking Out Loud”, but not this much, and “Girl Crush” is okay, even if it relies on its punchline too much. I’ll be in the cold ground before I say something nice about “See You Again”. Hail Swift.

Best New Artist
Courtney Barnett
James Bay
Sam Hunt
Tori Kelly
Meghan Trainor
Cynical money’s on Trainor following last year’s Sam Smith win, but I don’t see her with the same presence he had last year (this is her only nomination). I’m going to go with Courtney Barnett because I want it.

Best Pop Solo Performance
Kelly Clarkson – “Heartbeat Song”
Ellie Goulding – “Love Me Like You Do”
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud”
Taylor Swift – “Blank Space”
The Weeknd “Can’t Feel My Face”
Taylor Sw–I can’t do this one. I’ve tried, but a year of overexposure has curdled my lukewarm opinion on “Blank Space” into outright dislike. The plodding tempo, that arid production, and the song’s constant search for a melody leave me cold, and encase what should be Taylor Swift’s most humanizing song in a layer of shrink wrap. I tried, Taylor, I really did. I’ll shut my yap for the rest of these, but please, just let me have my soul for this once. This round goes to The Weeknd, who owns the shit out of “Can’t Feel My Face”.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Florence + The Machine – “Ship to Wreck”
Maroon 5 – “Sugar”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk!”
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood”
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – “See You Again”
All hail Taylor Swift.

Best Pop Vocal Album
Kelly Clarkson – Piece by Piece
Florence + the Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Mark Ronson – Uptown Special
Taylor Swift – 1989
James Taylor – Before This World
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY SWIFT.

Best Rock Performance
Alabama Shakes – “Don’t Wanna Fight”
Florence + the Machine – “What Kind of Man”
Foo Fighters – “Something From Nothing”
Ellie King – “Ex’s and Oh’s”
Wolf Alice – “Moaning Lisa Smile”
Who did Dave Grohl piss off? Normally, he owns the rock categories when he has something out, but his lone nomination this year is for one of the Foo’s worst songs. “What Kind of Man” is one of Florence’s best tunes, and “Moaning Lisa Smile” is so in my lane I almost think I’m getting played, but Alabama Shakes gets it.

Best Rock Song
Alabama Shakes – “Don’t Wanna Fight”
Ellie King “Ex’s and Oh’s”
James Bay – “Hold Back the River”
Highly Suspect – “Lydia”
Florence + the Machine – “What Kind of Man”
Alright, here’s what I make things up by going with Florence, although I’m happy so long as either Florence or Alabama Shakes get this one or Best Rock Performance. Also, I’ve never heard of James Bay before tonight, and I’m already inclined to say “fuck this guy.”

Best Rock Album
James Bay – Chaos and the Calm
Death Cab For Cutie – Kintsugi
Highly Suspect – Mister Asylum
Muse – Drones
Slipknot – .5: The Grey Chapter
Is there some unwritten Grammy rule that Best Rock Album always has to be a mess? [editor’s note: for the last tenish years, yes] See above on Bay, and Highly Suspect answers the dangerous question “What happens if you count Nickelback as an influence?” I’ll throw Death Cab because I like “Ghost of Beverly Drive”, and if it’s good enough for Zack Zarrillo formerly of Property of Zack (RIP), it’s good enough for me.

Best Rap Performance
J.Cole – “Apparently”
Drake – “Back to Back”
Fetty Wap – “Trap Queen”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
Kanye West ft. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom, and Paul McCartney – “All Day”
Really, anyone could win this one, and I’d be happy. J.Cole and Fetty Wap would give just the sweetest speeches, and it’d be funny to see Paul McCartney get a trophy for a rap hit. I’d even be okay with Drake winning, just because it’d be one last act of clowning on Meek Mill from this past summer. Kendrick gets best in class, though.

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Big Sean ft. Kanye West and John Legend – “One Man Can Change the World”
Common and John Legend – “Glory”
Jidenna ft. Roman GianArthur – “Classic Man”
Kendrick Lamar ft. Bilal, Anna Wise, and Thundercat – “These Walls”
Nicki Minaj ft. Chris Brown, Drake, and Lil Wayne – “Only”
Hm. If The Grammys want to be stodgy, there’s a (really good!) “Glory”for them. If they want to be nasty, we’ve got an “Only” for that, too! If they want a happy medium, there’s “These Walls”! But I’ma say Jidenna, just because Rap Grammys are hard to predict.

Best Rap Song
Kanye West, et. al – “All Day”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
Drake – “Energy”
Common and John Legend – “Glory”
Fetty Wap – “Trap Queen”
“All Day” seems most in line with what’s won BRS in the past, so that’s my choice, although I’d put “Energy” at number two. If the Grammys are smart, this would be the year to give Aubrey a few trophies (his only rap win has been Best Rap Album for Take Care) to keep him happy with the establishment; 2015 has shown he’s not someone to play against.

Best Rap Album
J.Cole – 2014 Forest Hills Drive
Dr. Dre – Compton
Drake – If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
Nicki Minaj – The Pinkprint
You ever have that thing happen with a friend where you get into a fight or do them wrong, and part of making up with them is going out of your way to be as nice and giving toward them as possible? That’s what I feel like the Grammys are doing to Kendrick with all these nominations in the Macklemore fallout from 2013. And Best Rap Album could be their biggest “I’m Sorry” present.

Best Alternative Music Album
Alabama Shakes – Sound and Color
Bjork – Vulnicura
My Morning Jacket – The Waterfall
Tame Impala – Currents
Wilco – Star Wars
Alabama Shakes, filed under the “Genre Album Award As Consolation For Losing Album of the Year.” Personally, I’d have put them under Rock, but they were DQ’d because Best Rock Album is The Grammys’ Designated White Dude Award (seriously: last none white dude artist nominated was female front Evanescence in 2004).

Best R&B Song
Miguel – “Coffee”
The Weeknd – “Earned It”
Jazmine Sullivan – “Let It Burn”
D’Angelo and the Vanguard – “Really Love”
Tyrese – “Shame”
I feel like this is D’Angelo‘s to lose, although if you haven’t heard “Let It Burn”, do yourself a favor.

Best Urban Contemporary Album
The Internet – Ego Death
Kehlani – You Should Be Here
Lianne La Havas – Blood
Miguel – Wildheart
The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
Just be rid of the loaded category name and call it “Modern R&B” or something already. Ego Death is my personal pick, but I’m taking Beauty Behind the Madness overall.

Best R&B Album
Leon Bridges – Coming Home
D’Angelo, etc. – Black Messiah
Andra Day – Cheers to the Fall
Jazmine Sullivan – Reality Show
Charlie Wilson – Forever Charlie
Eh, I let D’Angel have the last one, let’s throw Charlie Wilson here, or Leon Bridges if they feel like skewing young.

And that’s it, y’all, tune in on February 15th to see Taylor’s Award Show Face!

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Album Review: Adele – 25 (Or: Ranking The Album’s Singles Appeal)

Posted on December 1, 2015 by bgibs122

Well, then.

Adele sold 3,380,000 copies of 25 last week alone. That is absurd. For some perspective, you could combine the first weeks sales of Drake, The Weeknd, One Direction, Justin Bieber, and Taylor Swift’s latest albums and it still wouldn’t top 25; 1989 put up a superhuman 1,287,000, and Adele still outsold it more than 2:1. It sold more copies than Iowa has people. It did numbers that weren’t just good for 2015, but outpaced the music industry’s late 90’s/early 00’s heyday. Look on her works, ye Joey Fatone, and despair.

But how’s it look long term?

While 21 did well from the gate, it’s greatest sales strength was resilience; whenever it lost a spot or two to whatever was hot on the charts, it’d bounce right back week after week, month after month. This longevity stemmed from, yes, Adele’s appeal to virtually every major demographic, but also from the long shelf life of her singles. That 25 sold so much in a week is stupid impressive, but without singles to give it legs, the whole thing could still feel like a disappointment. So, instead of asking “Is the fastest selling album of all time any good?”, I thought it’d be more fun to ask “Does the fastest selling album of all time have hits?” (The brief on 25 overall: It’s an Adele album. It’s greatly sung, and aggressively tasteful without being as classicist as 21, but still veers too close to competent tedium for its own good. The nostalgia angle lets her write slow, regretful songs without too blatantly recycling her past work, but it both hits and misses. It’s okay, if a little flat).

So, from most likely to least likely, let’s size up some potential.

1. “Hello”
It’s been number 1 for four weeks already. Next.
Pop Song Superlative: Most Likely to inevitably feature Drake.

2. “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)”
This Max Martin/Shellback co-write somehow sounds more like OneRepublic than the song Adele did with Ryan Tedder. Including layered vocals, handclaps on the chorus, and repetitive lyrics, it is 25‘s stylistic outlier and weakest song. It’ll be at number one by March.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to be that song you kinda hate at first, kind of like for a bit, and then really hate.

3. “When We Were Young”
“WWWY” is the only song aside from “Hello” that got prerelease attention, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it comes up in rotation sooner or later. I’d call it a little slow for radio, but it has a nice build and presentation, plus “You like a movie/You sound like a song/My God, this reminds me/Of when we were young” is super quote-friendly. If nothing else, I could see this as a single because it best shows the nostalgia on 25 (side note, I wonder if The Killers are getting any name-sounds-the-same exposure).
Pop Song Superlative: Most Likely to get quoted in yearbooks/social media posts.

4. “All I Ask”
The “Adele makes you sad” narrative’s never resonated with me. I get that it’s a thing, but has always struck me as reducing her entire career to “Someone Like You”. But, people love Sad Adele, and “All I Ask” is her best representation on 25. It’s a somewhat fleet piano ballad that shows Adele pleading at the end of a relationship for one last night, one last memory; “Hold me like I’m more than just a friend” while worrying “What if I never love again?” It’s hokey on paper, but so was “Someone Like You” and co-writer Bruno Mars’ own “When I Was Your Man”, and it didn’t hurt those number one hits, did it? Beside, check that key change.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to fuck people up during karaoke.  

5. “Water Under the Bridge”
Most of this one’s radio appeal is wrapped up in that pulsing synth and looping guitar lick. 25 has a handful of these big, midtempo stompers, but I give “Water Under the Bridge” more single potential for being streamlined and image friendly (Adele and her woes) than most of the album’s back half. Even if this technically Sad Adele, the repeated lyrics of “If you’re gonna let me down, let me down gently” and “Say it ain’t so (ooh-whoa-oh-whoa)” make a compelling lookalike.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to be done by acapellan scourge of humanity Pentatonix.

6. “Sweetest Devotion”
Ending the album on this polished power ballad is a “sun breaking through clouds” moment, ala Kanye ending Yeezus with “Bound 2”, making it perfect material for a last single. It sounds like resolving the angst of 21 and 25, which would play well on the radio. Okay, and I’m secretly hoping for a “Bound 2” level disaster of a video.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to get used in feel-good show promos.

7. “I Miss You”
“I Miss You” tempers the ache of Adele’s best work with a sensual edge and some massive, loping drums. The chorus is kinda catchy, and reminds me of The Weeknd’s “The Hills” at half tempo, and the production from Paul Epworth has enough reverby flourishes for art pop cred. Were Adele not Adele, this would be her alternative radio single. The only downside: it is (practically) six minutes long, so even placing at seventh is optimistic.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to get a Jamie xx remix.

8. “Remedy”
I want to put this one a notch or two lower for being one of the more tepid songs here, but the main piano hook is just memorable enough and Adele is just soothing enough on this ballad about her son that it wouldn’t entirely surprise me to see this get released.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to spend like, nine weeks in the middle of the Hot 100.

9. “River Lea”
Like “Water Under the Bridge”, but not as immediate. Makes me wish Danger Mouse would work with Florence and the Machine, though.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to live as the album’s “deep cut.”

10. “Love in the Dark”
The worst thing you can say about this piano and strings number is that it’s a very nice Sam Smith tune.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to get covered by Sam Smith.

11. “Million Years Ago”
Fingerpicked guitar songs about passing the park near where you grew up and lamenting “Oh God, I’m so old” are meant for the artist, not the for the radio.
Pop Song Superlative: Most likely to be covered by people who do covers in coffeeshops.

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Double Album Review: Justin Bieber – Purpose & One Direction – Made in the A.M.

Posted on November 22, 2015 by bgibs122

Let’s talk about narrative for a moment.

Narrative in mass culture is essentially hype on a continuum. It connects and contextualizes a cultural figure’s actions to give them heft, and is made from a combination of historical record, information directly from the source, fan speculation, and prattling from pop culture nerds like myself. It’s an ongoing saga, and an easy to way to answer “but what does it mean?” Narrative, for example, is saying Beyonce wasn’t a gimmick, but a show of force. It’s what says Adele is the queen of interpreting human sadness instead of someone who has made two very nice albums. It’s what gives Drake his power. It’s an energy field created by all tweeting things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.

I bring this up because Justin Bieber is currently a walking ball of narrative and self-mythology. Narratives are usually given a spark by the artist before everyone else runs with them, but no one is pushing “Justin the Redeiber” harder than his base camp, almost to the point that whatever Purpose sounds like is secondary to the record as Bieber’s act of contrition. The goal of this album cycle is to walk back the Actual Shitty Person reputation he’s earned in the last few years, and if they sell a few singles, too, then so be it.

To understand the Narrative, let’s look at “Where Are U Now?”, the Bieber assisted Diplo/Skrillex collaboration that kicked the Biebenaissance off earlier this year. “Where Are U Now?” is included on Purpose, partly because it was a hit/soft launch for the album, and partly because its sad-bro, tropical, post-dubstep EDM pop sound is the album’s template (singles “What Do You Mean?” and “Sorry” are almost direct rewrites, while “I’ll Show You” uses the same tricks as a ballad). It is, along with the album’s singles so far, a pretty catchy and quality song, but it derives most of its flavor from the production, with Bieber more or less contributing decent if not essential vocals. In fact, the best part of “Where Are U Now?” is the post-chorus breakdown, where he’s only present in the form of a processed beyond recognition wordless vocal. But the singles have yielded the same reaction: “Justin Bieber has new songs out, and they’re really good!” And, with good singles, Purpose is angled for a great reception, confirming that “Bieber is back!”

Here’s where the narrative loses track of reality.

Bieber’s gotten a lot of shit during his career, but–one overplayed “Baby” aside–his music has never been that bad. Believe wasn’t a slept-on masterpiece, but you could do a lot worse in the annals of 2010s pop than “As Long As You Love Me” or “Beauty and a Beat”. The Purpose singles are universally better, but by a narrower margin than what’s been stated elsewhere. I think it comes down to presentation: 2012’s Believe didn’t cleave entirely from Bieber’s teen pop aesthetic, while Purpose tries to age him as far up as possible with decidedly mixed results. “Hey girl” jams like “Company” and 90s R&B biting “No Pressure” attempt to sound mature, but come out as stifled. They make sense for the narrative, though; see? Justin is ready for you when you’re ready because he’s such a gentleman (see also: “What Do You Mean?”), song quality be damned.

Which makes the inclusion of “Love Yourself”, the second bitchiest “It’s-not-about-someone-real-except-it-probably-is” song Ed Sheeran‘s ever written, even more confusing. Maybe in the hands of someone with a sense of levity, “My mama don’t like you/And she likes everyone” could be funny, but Bieber delivers the line with all the seriousness of a sermon. And then, there are the actual sermons, like (snerk) “Life Is Worth Living”, “Purpose”, and “Children”, a song that has the gall to wonder out loud “What about the children?” But these songs aren’t here to be listened to, they’re here to tell us how sorry Justin is.

Really, if there’s one song and one sentiment to take from Purpose, it’s “Sorry”. It’s got the hallmarks of the album’s sound, but filtered through a slightly more dancehall sound, and the melody to it is quite nice (even the lyrics delve into ick). Otherwise, Purpose is more functional as a hard rest on Bieber’s career than an album. The singles are good, and you could argue that Halsey duet “The Feeling” is a nice production exercise, but don’t believe the hype. “Justin’s back” is reserved for whatever his next album sounds like.

If One Direction ever made an album concerned with narrative, this would be it: Made in the A.M. is their fifth album in as many years, their first without fifth man Zayn Malik, their last album before a temporary hiatus while they try solo careers, and they planned it for the same release date as Purpose. But does that translate to the album? “No!”, I can hear Harry Styles shout defiantly, “We’re not in the narrative business; we’re in the records business!” I can hear one of the three not-Harrys and not-Zayns adding.

Malik himself just did a Fader interview where he straight up admits that One Direction was designed to be “generic as fuck”, and whatever the band put out was handed down through management without room for that pesky artistic interpretation or some shit. Listening to Made in the A.M., this seems 1. totally believable, 2. something the remaining members are aware of, and 3. not that big a problem. Well, okay, it might be a problem for Harry and the other guys, but as a listener, it is disturbingly easy to if not enjoy, at least appreciate this album.

Made in the A.M. is the musical equivalent of those knockoff sandwich cookies you can buy sixty of for like, four bucks: you can turn your nose up at it, you can know it’s a fleeting, flimsy product, but you can’t quite dismiss it outright. Each song’s designed to be a cheaply enjoyable listen for its three to four minute run time while leaving a dimly positive reaction; the efficiency is nearly artistic in and of itself. And because the whole project has a flavor (loosely arena rock-y) and is bereft of the cynicism found in say, Maroon 5’s last few albums, it’s surprisingly hard to hate.

The album needs to skate by on that goodwill, because even a glance at Made in the A.M.‘s ingredients reveals wholesale lifts from other artists. Why yes, that is “Bittersweet Symphony”‘s drums on opener “Hey Angel”, thank you for noticing! Boy, sure was nice of the guys to reheat soggy Coldplay balladry for “Infinity”, wasn’t it? Look, there’s Sgt Peppers‘ worship on the jaunty “Olivia”, and don’t forget to wave at It Won’t Be Soon For Long era Maroon 5 when they show up on “Drag Me Down.” Oh, speaking of Beatles worship, did you see “Long Way Down”, an Oasis mid-tempo strummer, complete with Gallagheran lyrics like “We had a spaceship, but we couldn’t land it”? Or, best of all, “Perfect”, a Styles led response to Taylor Swift’s “Style” that straight up jacks the melody and beat on “Style”‘s chorus, and includes “If you’re looking for someone to write you breakup songs about/Baby, I’m perfect.” “Perfect”, like most of Made in the A.M., isn’t an especially great or memorable, but I almost gave it a point or two for the audacity alone.

That said, an album of cheap thrills can only get you so far, and Made in the A.M. doesn’t do enough to justify itself over most other pop albums. The guys sound fine, but faceless, and shiny but generic only works for six or seven songs, not thirteen; you might like storebrand cookies, but not enough to eat the whole package at once. The album’s in an odd place, better and more fun than I thought it’d be, but nothing I’ll go back to in a few months.

So, Purpose or Made in the A.M? Honestly, it’s practically a tie that comes down to preference: Purpose has a stronger identity, and more powerful singles, while Made in the A.M. is more rewarding as a whole, despite fewer aspirations. Gun to my head, I’d go with One Direction overall, but “Sorry” is the best thing on either album. If you’re a fan of either of these acts, go ahead and check’em out, but really, these are both set up albums for whatever comes next. The narrative continues.

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