Kelsey Mix – Online Editor/Copy Editor
The day has come! One Direction has released their third album titled “Midnight Memories” and the hype for this album is bigger than the past two by leaps and bounds. Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, and Zayn Malik have found their sound with this new pop-rock 18-track record. The album has already gone number one in 97 countries and counting, a record these five U.K. boys have never even dreamed of.
This album contains a lot of writing from the boys as well. The past two albums featured small snippets of their original lyrics, but this one highlighted their writing skills. In an interview with E! News, Louis Tomlinson, one of the five superstars, told Jason Kennedy that they broke off in pairs and small groups and wrote a lot for the album. Harry Styles also admitted to Kennedy that it’s a great feeling to have something they produced be recognized and loved by their fans.
In one of their songs, “Better Than Words,” the writers and the boys took titles from other songs to create the verses in this new hit. “Everytime we touch, I’m all shook up, you make me wanna, how deep is your love,” is just a snippet, taking lyrics from Cascada, Elvis Presley, Usher and the Bee Gees. Pretty creative on their part.
Some of the songs on this album sound like their last album, “Take Me Home,” “Diana,” “Half a Heart,” and “Happily” being amongst those few that are true to their old sound. The typical lovey-dovey boy band songs that are about girls; missing those girls, loving those girls, holding those girls, you know the deal.
Something I didn’t expect from this new and improved One Direction was the rock element that’s in some of these songs, the title track included. “Midnight Memories,” “Alive,” and “Little Black Dress” sound like they belong on a Bon Jovi album, in all honesty. Although, I’m not complaining. They still fall into the pop category and will never part from that genre, like many of their boy band colleagues, The Wanted, Emblem3, and Five Seconds of Summer.
Another song I didn’t anticipate, and wanted more of, was the track “Through the Dark.” Many are comparing this to Mumford and Sons and I definitely see the similarities. Even though they’re both part of two completely different genres, this track has a Mumford feel to it. Niall Horan and Harry Styles have the voices to carry this song and make it work like Mumford would. The guitar in this song plays a major part of the vibe you get when you listen to it and I highly recommend you give it a listen if you like Mumford and Sons; just keep in mind that it still is pop.
With the deluxe version having 18 tracks on it, you would think at least a few were complete duds, but I disagree. I think they did a phenomenal job on this album and One Direction is progressing like a boy band should. They’re all growing into their early 20s so the lyrics are becoming more serious and their sound is developing more.
On Good Morning America, the world’s biggest boy band just announced their North American leg of their “Where We Are” tour starting next August in Vancouver and fans are already going wild over the $400 VIP tickets. I’m already considering dropping another couple hundred on the Boston date in early August…get that disgusted look off your face. Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Justin Timberlake tickets go for the same price!
Regardless of their crazy fans and ridiculous ticket prices, One Direction isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, especially not with this huge album release. These five boys are some of the wealthiest people in the world right now and this album will only bring them more concerts, more fans, and more success.
Five out of five owls!
