Maroon 5’s previous album, Songs About Jane, placed the band firmly in the public’s mind, with the hit single She Will Be Loved earning the decidedly 21st century accolade that is an appearance on the Singstar series. Their funk-lite feel and vocalist Adam Levine’s innuendo-laden lyrics left teenage audiences weeping, giggling and salivating for more.
Enter It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, an album anticipated with such fervour that the record company nonetheless felt the need to advertise the fact on its cover.
Mere seconds into the album’s opener If I Never See Your Face Again, it is clear that this album will be met with enthusiasm by Maroon 5 fans. The slinky guitar groove rides a jaunty little percussion rhythm into the song in unmistakeable fashion, a milder version of Motown’s loose-wristed funk that seems deliberately crafted to induce shoulder-bopping in adolescent crowds. Levine’s vocals, too, seem likely to induce swooning in fourteen year old fans, regardless of the bite to the lyrics.
The frustration with this song is the sense that we’ve heard all this before. If I Never… is a perfectly serviceable pop-funk song, but feels like a cast-off from the previous record. As an opening track, harking back to older work is fine, if the band is prepared to lead the listener down new paths as the album progresses.
Unfortunately, everything about It Won’t Be Soon… speaks of a band unwilling or unable to move into new territory. The disco-flavoured funk of Makes Me Wonder isn’t enough to disguise the lack of originality, as the band pillages not only their own back catalogue but those of more successful artists. Won’t Go Home Without You and Not Falling Apart draw too deeply on the *Police*’s brand of white-boy reggae, with the result that the former sounds like an almost carbon-copy of Every Breath You Take. Similarly, the FM-friendly balladry of Better That We Break feels insincere in its James Blunt-ish angst, a feeling only emphasised by the generic nature of the lyrics.
Though sonically much remains the same, there is a general sense that the worm has turned on Levine, whose lyrics imply a more frustrated view of relationships than their earlier work. A quick skim down the track listing establishes the theme (_Nothing Lasts Forever_, Wake Up Call, the aforementioned Better That We Break) and the lyrics reflect this, with Levine describing the effects of unrequited love in Can’t Stop like “[I] wrestle with you in my dreams, and wake up making love to a pillow”.
This thematic direction unfortunately promises more than it delivers. Levine is too caught up in his own world to offer any insights into the frustrations of one-sided romances or relationship break-ups.
Even when he finds a positive moment in Kiwi, Levine’s delivery turns the faint traces of romantic sentiment into sleazy innuendo. While his knack with a radio-friendly double-entendre won Levine some fans on Jane, it feels clumsy here, more like he’s bragging about his prowess than sharing a sly wink.
The production values, too, contribute to the feel of the album. While Songs About Jane wasn’t exactly lo-fi, everything about the production on It Won’t Be Soon Before Long feels slicker than an Exxon spill, to the point that it all seems too neat, verging on the artificial. This forces the spotlight onto Levine’s lyrics, and even his knee-trembling falsetto can’t disguise those flaws.
Songs About Jane was embraced by fans in spite of its lack of originality because it at least offered a wry smile and a cheeky wink into the familiar mix. Handicapped by the same heavy dependence on middle-of-the-road funk and soul, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long fails to offer the playful attitude or genuine depth that can make even the most derivative act interesting.
Without doubt, it will please the band’s dedicated fan set, but for anyone who doesn’t go weak at the knees for Levine’s voice, It Won’t Be Soon… offers little of interest.
Check out the clip for Makes me Wonder
