Laura Merrell
A&E Editor
One Direction’s newest album, Midnight Memories, came out on Nov. 25 to mixed reviews. I loved both of their previous two albums, so I couldn’t wait for more of their upbeat, catchy, accessible pop songs.
They released “Best Song Ever,” one of the tracks off the most recent album as a single a few months before, and I loved the cheeky music video and the fun, light lyrics. However, Midnight Memories didn’t follow the sound I expected based on the single. I was frustrated when I had to wade through cheesy, slow ballads for most of the album’s 14 tracks.
I understand and expect a band’s style and sound to develop or mature from album to album, but One Direction shouldn’t attempt to shed their boy band label. Their core demographic, hysterical teenage girls (and me) fell in love with them as a band because they’re a modern version of *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. I’m not looking for emotionally penetrating and melancholy lyrics from One Direction; they should leave that to Death Cab for Cutie or Mumford and Sons.
While I found their most recent album lacking in many respects, it has been an undisputed commercial success. It is already the fastest selling album of 2013, but its attempt to have an edgier rock sound is totally flat. The guitar riffs and chorus of the title track “Midnight Memories” sounded like a Journey cover band. However, if you’re a fan of bands with a misplaced and probably unintentional 80s sound, then this is the One Direction for you!
Despite the album’s flaws, some tracks still manage to stand out, including, “Story of My Life,” “Best Song Ever” and “Diana.” The only problem I had with “Diana” was the name seemed out of place and for the first 30 seconds I thought it was an ode to the late Princess Diana.
The album’s saving grace was that this was the first in which members of the band were involved in writing a majority of the songs. Their collaboration on the tracks didn’t save Midnight Memories overall, but I look forward to what their involvement in the songwriting process means for their future direction as a band.
The one instance of their more mature, rock sound being successful was in “Little Black Dress.” This track had a sexier beat and lyrics then their previous songs. The boys warn listeners, “I’ll take you home tonight.” As the more adult lyrics suggest, these five boys have grown up and they want you to know it.
The five members of One Direction have firmly left their teenager years behind them by trading in their pastel button downs for black leather jackets and a variety of strange tattoos (Harry Styles has a large butterfly in the middle of his chest). However, they started out as a boy band and that is how they continue to market themselves.
With that in mind, One Direction is unsuccessfully trying to break from their origins. Midnight Memories is the album fans have been waiting for — if they crave an endless number of One Direction ballads. However, the band has shown that they should still leave soul-searching lyrics and edgier instrumentals to the adults.