One Direction : Made In The A.M.

One Direction just released their latest record, Made in the A.M., which was announced back in September. Some speculate this will be their last album ever and they will go the route of every other boy band, where someone becomes a solo artist and they never actually get back together. Every interview, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne say that they will indeed come back, just need some well-deserved rest. It is indeed a rest the band deserves, but I can say I would be both not surprised and saddened if they did not come back in two or so years. Most if not all fans are holding out hope about the promises.

Made In The A.M. is by far the most diverse and most mature album from One Direction. This has been quite the year for this foursome and the band has never been better. Starting in March of this year when Zayn Malik quit during the beginning of the global On The Road Again tour (OTRA) where the band continued on until Halloween in Sheffield, England. This is the fifth release in 5 years, which is unprecedented for any artist let alone an artist/ band with such an aggressive touring schedule as One Direction’s. The band also was a lot more involved in the writing process this time around.

The album opens with “Hey Angel” penned by Harry Styles and their producers. The lyrics and chorus have an airy feel with lyrics such as “Hey angel, do you ever cry when we waste away our lives? I wish I could be more like you. Do you wish you could be more like me?” I think this track is a good opener for the album because it kind of sets the tone. At times, they sound more like a pop rock band than a massive boy band. Like a lot of their songs, the chorus is repeated so it is easy to pick up and is a song that deserves to be screamed.

Track two on the record is the ever-massive chart topping “Drag Me Down,” which premiered in late July and sent the Internet and world into chaos. This song was on their set list for the OTRA tour and everyone who went appreciated it as a taste of what was to come. This song, in a lot of ways, could be about their last year starting again with the departure of Zayn Malik. It seems like this track was released for the tour to prove they could make music that was just as catchy and good as anything off of their previous albums.

The third track is also a single that became an instant hit, “Perfect.” This song also is a Harry Styles penned track that people speculate is a response to Taylor Swift’s “Style” about their relationship. The lyrics quoted to support such a claim are, “If you’re looking for someone to write your break-up songs about then baby I’m perfect. Baby we’re perfect.” It can also be argued that the video looks a lot like the “Style” video. For example, the clouds on the wall in the hotel room as Harry Styles lays on the bed singing the chorus over a background that sounds like it belongs in a pop track from the 80s. The video also shows the band in a much more normal setting which is different to see from them. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho32Oh6b4jc). This song much like “Drag Me Down,” does not lack the big notes for Harry, Louis, Niall and Liam to hit and demonstrate why they’re still on top of the world five years later.

Track number four, “Infinity,” was released with the announcement of the record but is still a pretty track that would have fit in the OTRA set list somewhere between “Story of My Life” and “Little Things.”

Several tracks on this record are full of melancholy and sadness but sound much brighter and upbeat. For example, “If I Could Fly” discusses love and missing their other half. “For your eyes only, I’ll show you my heart. When you’re lonely and forget who you are. I’m missing half of me.” There is struggle within the track but the band has never sounded better in such a sad song.

The standard edition of the album ends with “History” which has been discussed as the band’s promise to come back to their fans and just a general track about the fans that have been with them for the last five years. This is the kind of track that would translate well for an acoustic guitar around a fire or on the beach. The deluxe edition has four extra songs and one of my favorites is the song, “Temporary Fix” penned by Niall Horan. This song is a bigger, sleazier version of “No Control” from the last record, in the sense that it’s a lot more blunt with lyrics like “Your body is saying everything, I don’t need to read your mind.”

The deluxe album ends with “A.M.” about hanging out with your friends and chit chatting after a party ends and everyone has left. This song also features their first actual swear in a song which tries to prove they’re more mature. This song ends the album well with easy lyrics and the thought of the band talking to each other in the early morning writing. But “A.M.” is very relatable for those who like to stay late at house parties enjoying the company of their friends.

This album is easily one of my favorites of theirs if not my top favorite. I love every song for a different reason and how there is a song for almost every mood. Definitely worth picking up if you love good pop tracks.

This is their massive end of sorts until we get a hint as to the definite decision from One Direction. This also is the first album the band will not be doing a massive stadium tour behind despite the stadium-ready hits on Made In The A.M. The only chances to see them perform these songs live is either awards shows or the press junket they do. In two years I do not see another pop band blow up as fast or as much as One Direction did, there will be a sort of vacuum left in the pop world for a while.