Maroon 5 - 'Misery'
Things I quite like about Maroon 5:
1: The way they seem to suggest that pop music is Real Man's Work, by making so many of their songs a bit pneumatic and muscley, and playing them as if they are lifting weights. And by having dirty videos.
2: The marked influence of Michael Jackson upon their music, without having to over-use the tremulous vocal quiver or go "HEE-hee!" or "DAH!" at the end of every line.
3: They are fundamentally Good At Music.
Things I do not like about Maroon 5:
1: The tunes, even though some of them are good, do not match up to the amount of cocky Adam Levine is.
2: Good At Music can be awfully dreary at times.
3: See point two, and underline it. Several times.
So, this could go either way.
(No video. It's violent, naturally.)
And to make matters more complicated, on this song the 'Roons seem to be doing a very creditable impersonation of a band doing an impersonation of Maroon 5. Specifically the Maroon 5 song 'This Love', the chorus to which reappears here, in a not-remarkably-altered form.
Which means this will do very little to change what you or I already think about Maroon 5, because it adds to the sum total of our Maroon 5 experience in no way whatsoever - apart from creating the impression that they have run out of ideas. I've heard their new album, it's not true. So...huh?
Now, I'm not the type to demand constant and total sonic innovation from my pop acts, as if this is the only reason why the music they make is any good. There are only so many notes, and so many ways to use them. Ideally you'd want a fresh perspective with every fresh song, but it's a lot to ask and in any case, standing at the side of a dance floor with your arms folded, just because you've already danced, is a poor way to spend an evening.
But there are limits. And I would say being able to sing one of a band's old hits over the top of their latest offering, particularly when that offering is the lead single off a brand new album and the band in question is not AC/DC, well that's the line, right there.
See Also: Estelle's new song 'Fall In Love', which is just 'American Boy' with a less impressive guest rapper.
Download: Out now
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
"Misery is by all means a proper Maroon 5 single. It certainly doesn't stray away from their previous material."
"A gleaming slice of romantic agony, Maroon 5 continues to excel at making pain irresistible."
"Maroon 5 is great doing this type of material and we should just be grateful that they amazingly excel at it."
Comment number 1.
At 16th Sep 2010, spirit wrote:Sorry Maroon 5 , but She Will Be Loved and Harder To Breathe remain your two best moments in my eyes , and Misery does nada to change this .
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Comment number 2.
At 18th Sep 2010, E wrote:good pick. thanks for this.
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