Recent User Reviews
Critic's Review
MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
The boys of Maroon 5 have certainly come a long way since their days in the indie outfit Kara's Flowers. After the band's demise in 1999, frontman Adam Levine surrounded himself with New York City's urban hip-hop culture and found a new musical calling. Maroon 5 was born and their debut album, Songs About Jane, illustrates an impressive rebirth. It's groovy in spots, offering bluesy funk on "Shiver" and a catchy, soulful disposition on "Harder to Breathe." "Must Get Out" slows things down with its dreamy lyrical story, and Levine is a vocal dead ringer for Men at Work's Colin Hay. Don't wince -- it works brilliantly. Songs About Jane is love-drunk on what makes Maroon 5 tick as a band. They're not as glossy as the Phantom Planet darlings; they've got grit and a sexy strut, personally and musically. It's much too slick to cross over commercially in 2002, but it's good enough for the pop kids to take notice.
Critic Blurbs
"...Levine's sexual politics occasionally lapse into casual senior-year cruelty, like in "Through With You," where he's just another emo chump blaming his heartache on a dishonest female."
- Mikael Wood | Dec 7, 2004
With songs of rage, love and beauty, Maroon 5 gives its audience an eclectic album with distinctive taste and mass appeal.
- Staff | Jul 9, 2004
Sensitive guy Adam Levine and his friends mix a bit of vintage Motown, some swooning sweater rock and even a smidge of 'N Sync on other potential breakout hits like "Harder to Breathe" and "Must Get Out."
With more energy than a pre–felon James Brown, the band showcases a vibrant, powerful collection of funk–rock grooves.
- Will Wiess |
