Jasmine Allday
Release Date: 25th June 2012
It’s been ten years since Maroon 5 released their debut album ‘Songs About Jane’. Now, in 2012, they are releasing a special deluxe edition of their first album to commemorate its tenth anniversary. The deluxe edition includes demos of the 12 original songs, as well as new unheard tracks including ‘Take What You Want’, ‘Chilly Winter’ and a new mix of their track ‘The Sun’.
Harder to Breathe sets the album off with a bang, and is typical to the kind of style we’ve come to expect from Maroon 5 over the last 10 years. The strong beat is driven through the whole track and is cleverly coupled with the guitar riffs and very easy-to-listen-to lyrics, making for a brilliant opening song. The demo version really pulls out some of the harmonies towards the end of the song and adds a whole new dimension to the track.
This Love is arguably one of the most well-known tracks on this album and is definitely one of my favourites. The chorus has catchy lyrics: “This love has taken its toll on me / she said goodbye too many times before / and her heart is breaking in front of me / and I have no choice cos I won’t say goodbye anymore.” The demo is something else entirely; it’s absolutely brilliant! The whole instrumental is stripped down and the vocals from Adam Levine really shine through. One of my favourite parts is the mini guitar solo in the middle, which is executed perfectly by lead guitarist, James Valentine.
She Will Be Loved is another of my favourites – very classic “Maroon 5”. It was the third single released from the ‘Songs About Jane’ album and came within the top 10 in nine different countries across the world. The track is a little different to the rest of the album and I actually think having a big ballad included in the track listing does the album a world of good. This song has some of my favourite lyrics: “It’s not always rainbows and butterflies / its compromise that moves us along / my heart is full and my door’s always open / you can come anytime you want.”
Take What You Want is my favourite of the unheard tracks. The guitar riff introduction sets you up perfectly for the whole flavour of the track. The chorus has some of the best lyrics: “You’ve been so good to me / giving me everything / Take what you want cos it doesn’t belong to me.” The meaning behind the track is one that I feel many people could relate to.
Overall, the album is definitely set to excite and please Maroon 5 fans – but not as much as their brand new album, ‘Overexposed’, will when it’s released later this year.
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