CD review of Maroon 5 album Songs About Jane (From Barry And District News)

CD review of Maroon 5 album Songs About Jane

MAROON 5 have burst on to the British music scene only very recently with the first two songs off their album Songs About Jane, even though it was released in 2002.

While they aren't the first band to fuse many different sounds together, they have certainly found a convincing way of doing it.

The LA group, made up of Adam Levine's vocals and guitar, James Valentine on guitar, Jesse Carmichael, keyboards, Mickey Madden on bass and Ryan Dusick picking out the beat on drums, has a cracking flavour.

On the 12-track CD, there are so many influences brought into play that you can almost hear Simon and Garfunkel fighting with Stevie Wonder, bursting with rock n roll beats and a funky latter-day Motown vibe.

Said to be mainly written about Levine's ex-girlfriend (in that case, This Love might make her blush a little) the raw vocals are at once honest, bitter, nostalgic and optimistic, and between them the songs provide anyone who's ever been in - and out - of love with something to relate to.

Plus the fan-pleasing bunch have added on a fistful of extras to the end of the CD. Although there are a dozen strong and independent tracks, each worthy of a place in the charts, there are four bonus listings. The Harder To Breathe video, the This Love video, an exclusive photo gallery, and for dyed-in-the-wool followers, there's even a screen saver, so you're never too far away from the lads.

While their first incarnation as Kara's Flowers (their band name in high school) may have wilted away, Maroon 5 prove you can have another stab at making a first impression.