20/09/10:

This week signals the release of blue-eyed soul five piece Maroon 5’s third studio album; ‘Hands all Over’. I had a listen to the extended version of the album, with an impressive 19 tracks. I also take a look at electro-pop band Fenech –Soler’s single ‘Lies’.

Without further ado...

Maroon 5 - Hands All Over:

Maroon 5 are a band whom I have a lot of admiration for and a group that composed the soundtrack to a good handful of my teenage years, (without wanting to sound like a middle aged woman). So it comes as no surprise that eight years since their debut ‘Songs About Jane’ and another three years since ‘It Won’t Be Soon Before Long’, I have been eagerly awaiting their latest offering, ‘Hands All Over’.

Levine and Co kick off with ‘Misery’, a quirky and catchy number which was the first track to be released from the album back in June. Ever more enticing with each listen, it makes for an excellent homecoming for the guys, rekindling their well deserved place as one of America’s best bands.

The second single from the album follows and is in my opinion one of, if not the, strongest out of the whopping nineteen tracks on offer. ‘Give A Little More ‘is a brave move from Levine, who although pushing forty, manages to throw in a few risqué lyrics; ‘You’re wrong for turning me on, and on and on.’ Ending abruptly with a Jacko-esque squeal, it’s most definitely one for the ladies, (as is the video!).

It is at this point that the album takes yet another turn, swapping lust for good old fashioned love during ‘Never Gonna Leave This Bed’, with Levine promising ‘... I will never run away again’. (I doubt many girls would let him!) ‘I Can’t Lie’ follows the same theme; a soulful and strangely upbeat track which tackles regret, exclaiming ‘... I wanna feel your heartbeat like yesterday’.

With nearly twenty tracks in total, it’d take a lifetime to go through each and every one, (and wouldn’t make for very good reading either!), so I think it’s fair to say that the album goes on to take several twists and turns. Levine dips his toes into a pool of slow melodic musings to dramatic rock ballads, all the while nurturing that enviable star quality most bands these days don’t possess. Although it’s not to the standard of ‘Songs About Jane’, (in my opinion of course), it’s a brilliant album, with the only reason it doesn’t compare being down to nostalgia and not necessarily the quality of the songs themselves. So, to cut it short, for all those Maroon 5 fans or the hordes of girls screaming for a piece of Levine – buy it!

Here’s ‘Give A Little More’:

Fenech-Soler - Lies:

Next on this week‘s agenda is Fenech Soler’s superb single, ‘Lies’. Having a hidden penchant for dance music and being Calvin Harris’s second biggest fan, (there’s got to be another psycho out there, right?!), ‘Lies’ encapsulates everything I’ve come to look for in an electro floor filler. The only negative factor to come from this track is the fact that it wasn't released earlier on in the summer months - I'm sure it would have given Example's 'Kickstarts' a run for it's money.

Gaining momentum from the off, Ben Duffy’s vocals give the track the depth it deserves, and to be perfectly honest it’s difficult to explain just how good it is without having a listen yourself.So at the risk of writing the shortest single review yet, that's exactly what you need to do.

So, here it is, Fenech Solar’s ‘Lies’. An undeniably healthy dose of electro-pop goodness: