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With their sophomore release due out on May 22, Maroon
5 is enthused to unveil their newest collection of songs.
Regardless of potential awards and accolades—and
even critiques—frontman Adam Levine says It
Won't Be Soon Before Long is "more of a creative
success" than their glorified debut, Songs about
Jane.
For many fans, it's hard to imagine anything
better than Jane, which blasted this seemingly unknown
quintet into the spotlight almost overnight with tracks
like "This Love," "Harder to Breathe"
and "She Will be Loved."
That's why it was so important to the group that
they took their time to create a thoughtful follow-up
album that they are proud of.
"It took about a year," says Levine of making Soon.
"But we wanted to do it right. It was so important to
us to deliver on this one."
New Material for This Fab 5
The album features 12 electrified tracks and is a
montage of lively, solid, and sometimes disco-like rhythms
with some R&B and hip-hop tossed in along with some
acoustic guitar. The first single, "Makes Me Wonder,"
features an edgy mesh of electric riffs and thumping
beats while Levine sings, "I still don't
have a reason and you don't have the time. And
it really makes me wonder if I ever gave a fuck about
you."
"Wake Up Call" opens with a burst of electronica
while its hip-hop sensibility tells a shadowy tale that
explores the depths of betrayal and rage. "If
I Never See Your Face" offers an honest look at
life after a fling, with guitar strums flowing over
a steady beat.
The track "A Little of Your Time" stands
out to Levine, who says it is the most unique track
on the album spotlighting "some of the best lyrics
we've ever written." The song delves into
overcoming broken trust and miscommunication in a relationship.
And with the bass pulsing, Levine asks for "one
more chance to make it right" in "Won't
Go Home Without You."
Levine says it was easy to hear the band's musical
influences in Jane. Now stepping more into their
own character, Soon isn't as straightforward in that
respect. With a listen, you can't quite tell where they've
derived some of their tempos and harmonies. There are
flecks of sound reminiscent of idols from Prince to
Michael Jackson, and even some Talking Heads in the
mix—all of which Levine says were huge inspirations
when making the album.
"It's definitely a step up for us,"
says Levine of Soon. "And it doesn't lack
feeling and emotion."
Putting Sentiment into Song
Overall, the sound of Soon is undeniably more
fired up. The guys know how to hone in on expressing
hostile feelings in a positive way. "There's no better
way to tell somebody to fuck off than to sing it in
the song," says Levine.
Levine says songwriting—and being able to croon
what he writes—is very therapeutic. "It's
a huge release for me."
In that respect, Soon will definitely win listeners
over because it provides more of the same of what this
band is good at—creating songs you can groove
to while letting you vent out your frustrations at the
same time.
Though they've been touring like mad, Levine
says he's ready to get back on the road. They're
moving forward, even though the loss of drummer Ryan
Dusick due to a nerve injury really affected the band.
"It was one of the most traumatic the band has
ever dealt with," recalls Levine. Matt Flynn replaced
Dusick on drums, and the gang is going strong as ever
with regulars James Valentine on guitar, Jesse Carmichael
on keys and Mickey Madden on bass.
So will the sophomore slump hit this powerhouse? Probably
not. They're putting out an album they truly believe
in, which encompasses a sound that is solidly theirs.
So when compared to Jane, Levine says Soon
is a favorite. Levine says Soon is "sexier and stronger"
than what Jane had to offer.
"This one I think is better."
See the full interview in the July/August 2007
issue of Skope Magazine.
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