THE ALBUM BEFORE THE HIATUS: One Direction “Made In The A.M.” Review
Yesterday, I was #blessed to have been able to attend an event called #1DFirstListen. Where I got to feel like a queen in a comfortable IMAX theater seat and listen to One Direction’s fifth and final album before their hiatus this coming year. I have been a One Direction fan since Liam had blonde in his hair. So basically 1987 in One Direction time. I was here when they were that cookie-cutter-take-me-home-to-your-mother band of boys. Now, although its been years since 1D’s very poppy music people just can’t seem to let them grow out of it, but let me tell you. THEY HAVE GROWN OUT OF IT. The album has incredibly classic sounding songs including some containing strings and bigger productions like anthemic hooks and choruses. A perfect stocking stuffer for that uncle you have who’s best joke is calling them gay. You’re hilarious Uncle Jonathan!!!! Keep em coming!!! What direction do gays walk in again????
So what has changed since the last album?
Creative Control: The boys wrote this album almost in entirety. Unheard of for a boy band. I hate calling them a boyband because of the connotations that come with it. THEY ARE A BOY BAND THOUGH! I LOVE A BOY BAND!
No Zayn- The biggest change of them all. The band is one member down, R.I.P. However, halfway through the album I was like Zayn who? lmao. It didn’t feel like there was someone missing, it just felt new. It felt exciting. The band did an amazing job of splitting solos this album, speaking of that.
Louis Solo’s and Range- I am not a religious person but louis’ solos on this album make me believe that Jesus rose and he ran across that water without a problem. With the absence of Zayn it gave louis a chance (chonce lol) to showcase his incredibly unique and edgy voice even more. His range from the first album has significantly improved. Including a high note that made me turn into a puddle on the movie theater floor.
Very little Pop- I’m serious, the notorious pop one direction can’t seem to grow out of to the media is dead. The single “Perfect’ is really the only song that can be identified solely as a pop song. There were sounds from Paul Simon to Simon and Garfunkel to Coldplay to Neon Trees and even some sultrier beats carrying songs. The album has so many sounds yet sounds perfectly coherent and flows so nicely. Let’s take it track by track shall we?
Hey Angel: Almost reminded me of Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles in the fact it is an upbeat song with a bit of a dark side lyrically. The song basically is a conversation you have with an “Angel” asking if they ever wish they were back on earth or alive like “me.” Written by Harry Styles it really makes you wonder. I absolutely love this track and think it sets up an amazing tone for the rest of the album.
In one word: depressinglybeautiful (just let me pretend it’s one word)
Stand out lyric: “Oh I wish I could be more like you. Do you wish you could be more like me?”
Drag Me Down: The one you’ve probably heard on the radio. A fun fact I learned about this song is that the boys we’re actually really unsure about releasing it. “It just seemed too different” Liam Payne said, but he now is very happy they choose to release this as the first One Direction song in 1D A.Z. (After Zayn)
Stand out lyric: “I got a river for a soul and baby you’re a boat”
Perfect: POPPY BEATS AND UNFORGETTABLE MELODIES, ONE DIRECTION HAS DONE IT AGAIN. This song is a smash. Harry explained it as “Obviously a love song.” saying, “But it’s more like do you wanna do a bunch of fun stuff with me?” This boy is looking for a no-strings attached type love. Fun, risky, secretive, it makes me want drive down the highway with my best friends screaming the lyrics out at the top of my lungs.
Stand out lyric: “If you like cameras flashing every time we go out, oh yeah. If you’re looking for someone to write your break-up songs about, baby I’m perfect.”
Infinity: Louis and Harry have both called this song one of their favorites and an “epic song.” This song is very peaceful and is a great song to have a waltz at a wedding to. I imagine this playing at the wedding I will never have.
Stand out lyric: "One step closer to being, two steps far from you"
End of the Day: EASILY the coolest song on the album. End of the Day was a song I knew from the beginning will be my favorite once the album is released. The song has parts where a cool beat comes in then it becomes huge anthem and it is hard to explain. It really is just a melting pot of so many different sounds. It feels like you’re listening to two different songs and you’re just going back and forth. The song also has a beautiful meaning of just being a dreamer and accepting that you actually really love the guy that sits behind you in your Writing class, so just ask him out!! (omg don’t follow any of my advice)
Stand out lyric: “I said you’re on fire, babe” and “You follow your heart, even though it will break sometimes.”
If I Could Fly: The most beautiful ballad of One Direction’s Time this vulnerable song brings out sad Mr. Styles again. Written by Harry, who explained this song as just coming together easily and that it “Felt Natural.” The song basically is reassuring your lover that you are solely theirs and only have your eyes on them by letting all your emotions out.
In one word: Unconditional
Stand out lyric: “Right Now I’m Completely Defenseless”
Long Way Down: This song is sad, its all about love and the timing of love Liam explained it as “A relationship you want to work, but you’re just not ready for it.” It’s the whole wrong place wrong time scenario where you and someone seem to have everything, except a chance to actually stay like that. :( The lyrics match the music in a way that I can’t put into words correctly. It felt nostalgic. Songs like this remind me of Romeo and Juliet and WOW I HATE THAT LOVE STORY WHY COULDN’T IT HAVE WORKED OUT? WHY DID THEY HAVE TO BE DESTINED ENEMIES? JULIET CAPULET-MONTAGUE WOULD’VE BEEN A KICK ASS NAME, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT SHE GOT INSTEAD? SUICIDE.
Stand out lyric: “We built a Cathedral, but we never prayed”
Never Enough: Wow one direction are really utilizing the fact they are a foursome now, with this barber shop quartet-esque song. There is even a cool section of strings that can be heard in the background. Complete with du-ops and snapping this song really just wants to make you get up and dance like no one is watching, or maybe dance like everybody is watching if you’re an “all eyes on you” type. Niall also called this song his favorite on the album.
Stand out lyric: “Lips so good, I forget my name”
Olivia: Solo Paul McCartney and a Young Beatles is the way I would explain this song. The song clearly has a very old influence. Harry called this song “Feels like a so much old stuff I love” Styles wrote on this song as well, saying that he loved the fact this song will totally be seen as a love song for a girl names Olivia but it is much more ambiguous then the title lets on. “Olivia could be a place” says styles in his very husky and slow voice.
Stand out lyric: “Live in my imagination, Summertime, butterflies, All belong to your creation”
What A Feeling: WOW IS THIS COOL. This song is like if Fleetwood Mac and Aerosmith had a chill little baby. With an anthemic feel and really like really good lyrics this song takes you places. It feels like you just stepped into a cloudy room full of hippies that has those beads hanging in the doorway. I just picture a bunch of people holding hands and running through an endless field of flowers, marshmallows or corn, just great things like that. This is a peaceful rock song and the perfect song.
Stand out lyric: “What a feeling to be a king beside you, somehow"
Love You Goodbye: ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS LOUIS HIGH NOTE. JK, I have so much more to say about this song. Louis calls this song the “most personal” and for that reason it’s his favorite on the album. You can just feel it. He also said that it’s about that time when you break up with someone but you still have to see them. It’s basically saying, if this is the end of our relationship lets end it on a really good, passionate and angsty note. Again with the theme of a broken love story, why does One Direction hate me?
Stand out lyric: “One more taste of your lips just to bring me back, to the places we’ve been and the nights we’ve had”
I Want to Write You a Song: With an ironic title this song is all about wanting the song you write for someone to be as beautiful as they are. Fully equipped with cute and panty dropping lyrics. It’s a very stripped song and throughout the entirety of it you can hear a pencil scribbling sound in the background. This song is cheesy, but in the best way.
In one word: “I want to lend you my coat.” (equally cute and panty dropping)
History: An ode to One Direction fans everywhere, Louis called it a song about the relationship that we have built as fans and a band. It’s the song every fan who was worried about the hiatus being the end of the band. At one point louis even belts “This is not the end” three times, three times. THREE. With lyrics like “we could live forever” It shows the eternal side to all of this, one direction’s music will be alive for the rest of history. The fans stories will be told for decades and decades to come. One Direction isn’t going to be leaving our minds any time soon people. This song would be amazing live as the whole song has clapping in the background. #2017 #ICanSeeItAlready #ImReady
Stand out lyric: “You and me gotta whole lot of history, we could be the greatest thing, that the world has ever seen.”
Temporary Fix: Niall wrote this one, saying he was going for a “Sex on Fire” vibe and boy is that what this song is. This song straight up sounds like it’s on a Neon Tree’s album. It’s about being a temporary fix for someone, a booty call, you can make their hotline bling even if it’s just for the night. This song is gritty and sexy. It’s the song you could just shake and jump like your back at the eighth grade dance and are too afraid to grind still.
Stand out lyric: “Let me touch you where your heart is” ( and then what?;) )
Walking in the Wind: I’d like to title this, the one that got away but will always mean the world to you. With a James taylor-y guitar part and spoken word melodies this well-crafted masterpiece of a song is a bittersweet song to a lost friendship. Harry wrote it and said it was influenced by the album Graceland by Paul Simon, and boy is that influence evident. It’s about that friend you might have grown apart from or fell out with, but will always live in your heart. It’s a very I’m-not-sure-why-but-i’ll-still-always-be-here for you song. I personally see this as a song for the he who shall not be named fallen brother of One Direction.
Stand out lyric: “Yesterday I went out to celebrate the birthday of a friend, but as we raised our glasses up to make a toast I realized you were missing.”
Wolves: “This song is when you’re at the bar and all these guys are trying it with your girl” That was a quote from Liam who is letting us know that he is in fact the #JealousType, but he’s not gonna let all these hoes scare him off. It’s basically about having to deal with thirsty guys tryna come out here and be Mr. Steal Yo Girl. The song is really clever lyrically and creative. It is a fun and upbeat song as well, with a VERY catchy hook and chorus.
Stand out lyric: “In the middle of the night when the wolves come out, heading straight for your heart.”
A.M.: This song Niall described as after a party when only your best friends are still over and you just sit and recap the night. He even says “If you can’t remember what happened at 2am, at least you’ll remember 6am because you’ll have sobered up by then” The nostalgic song makes me feel like if I had friends in high school this is what we would’ve done together. Just sitting around with your friends shit talking, enjoying the early hours of the A.M. Also this is first song with a swear in it. (Harry says asses) (we gotta bad add over here everyone)
Stand out lyric: “All my favorite conversations, always Made in the A.M.“ (CUE: and it all makes sense to me)
Overall, this is the best album they have made. You can hear in the music that this is the most they have cared and put into an album. Go pick it up in stores everywhere on NOVEMBER 13TH.
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