V [Explicit Content]

Description

True to its title,Vrepresents the fifth full-length studio effort from Grammy Award winning superstarsMaroon 5. Considering that career benchmark,Maroon 5slatest provides a sonic summation of the groups journey to date capturing the essence of the earliest M5 hits through to their most recent successes, as well as providing a picture of its artistic growth into the future. Bringing it all back home, V also marks the return of M5s original keyboardist Jesse Carmichael to the fold, rejoining frontman Adam Levine, guitarist James Valentine, bassist Mickey Madden, drummer/percussionist Matt Flynn, and keyboardist PJ Morton after a two-year hiatus.Valso builds on the momentum of the most successful period in M5s history, re-teaming the band with previous collaborators and featuring some unexpected new friends, too.
ForV,Maroon 5has created a set of irresistible pop juggernauts raising the bands sound to the next level.Vslead-off single Maps finds Maroon 5 taking the reggae-influenced vibes the group honed on Overexposed hits like One More Night to new heights, via an infectious pop-rock meditation on longing and obsession (I was there for you in your darkest times/I was there for you in your darkest nights), where Levines soulful ,elastic falsetto recalls none other than one of his biggest inspirations, Sting and The Police. It also reteams the songwriting collaboration between Levine andRyan Tedder(Adele, Beyonc, One Direction),Benny Blanco(Katy Perry, Britney Spears) andAmmar Malik(Gym Class Heroes, Lady Antebellum, Moves Like Jagger).
That reggae influence also shows up on the whoa-oh-ohs of Animals: a lustful anthem driven by a booming, Soul II Soul-style hip-hop beat, Animals hooky chorus (Baby, Im preying on you tonight/Hunt you down, eat you alive/Just like animals) evokes the otherworldly melodies of Miike Snow. As such,Valso findsMaroon 5returning to the dancefloor with standout track Feelings, whose disco-meets-Michael Jackson groove, 4/4 EDM thump, and Daft Punk-style vocoders suggests Moves Like Jagger on robot steroids.
Meanwhile, its become a M5 tradition to feature a collaboration with an unexpected guest artist, with major talents like Wiz Khalifa (Payphone), Lady Antebellum (Out of Goodbyes), Rihanna (If I Never See Your Face Again) and Christina Aguilera (Moves Like Jagger) having done the honors on hits past. On that level,Vdoes not disappoint, as My Heart Is Open features Levine performing a duet with none other thanGwen Stefani.
Thats not the only surprise onV, however. My Heart Is Open revealsMaroon 5at its most emotionally raw and direct: it features Levines passionate romantic testifying (I dont need another lover/I want you) over a spare, heart-tugging piano ballad, building to a soaring chorus with subtle orchestration. Leaving California, meanwhile, hearkens back to the classic M5 sound the bittersweet yet catchy confessionals of heartbreak fromSongs About Janethat propelled the band to fame in the first place. As such,Vbrings Maroon 5 full circle, moving strength to strength from the bands vital beginnings to its ongoing rise taking the listener down nostalgic and new paths alike to create the latest undeniable chapter in the M5 odyssey.
Maroon 5VTrack Listing:
1. Maps2. Animals3. It Was Always You4. Unkiss Me5. Sugar6. Leaving California7. In Your Pocket8. New Love9. Coming Back For You10. Feelings11. My Heart Is Open feat. Gwen Stefani