- Five Films to Watch About Stonewall … Besides Stonewall - 29 September, 2015
- Symphony: An interview with Raymond Yiu - 25 August, 2015
- Raymond Yiu’s Symphony to debut at BBC Proms - 12 August, 2015
Maroon 5 – Maps
I’ve been a fan of Maroon 5 since their debut album Songs About Jane, so I was excited when I saw their new album, V, was released this week. One of the album’s standout tracks is the first single titled ‘Maps’. The song finds Adam Levine singing about his confusion over how and why his relationship fell apart. The song is a safe opener which is typical of what you’d expect to get from Maroon 5. However, while this can prove to be a hindrance for most other acts, Maroon 5’s insistence on sticking to their formula has helped ensure they consistently make good and enjoyable music for their fans with very few missteps. ‘Maps’ is no exception to this rule, and fans from all vantage points will find themselves putting this song on repeat for hours on end.
Maroon 5 – Sugar
Another great song off of the album is ‘Sugar’, which is more pop than ‘Maps’. The beat sounds like something listeners could have easily heard Jessie J or Katy Perry singing over. The meaning of the song is no mystery, with Adam singing about his need for ‘sugar’ and how his world isn’t right without it. Any lingering doubt about the songs meaning is squashed during the bridge with Adam singing,
‘I want that red velvet/I want that sugar sweet/Don’t let nobody touch it/Unless that somebody’s me’
The song is nothing heavy, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. If we don’t hear this within the next few months as the next single, I will be quite surprised.
Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar – Never Catch Me
Flying Lotus recently gave a sneak peek of a song on his upcoming album which featured Herbie Hancock, and he has done it again with ‘Never Catch Me’ featuring Kendrick Lamar. When the beat first dropped, I was surprised by how fast-paced it was. It definitely wasn’t what I’ve come to know of Flying Lotus and his usually laidback, lounge music sound – even though you still hear some elements of that. But this doesn’t hinder Kendrick at all as he shows just how versatile a rapper he can be. While this is far from my favourite song from either artist, I’m curious to see what else Flying Lotus will have in store for listeners on You’re Dead! when it is released in October.
