Artist: Maroon 5
Album: Songs About Jane
Release Date: June 25, 2002
Remember back in 2002 when Maroon 5’s ingenuity in bringing some funk and soul back to pop-rock? Remember how we applauded Maroon 5 for doing something different amdist the rank-and-file artists like John Mayer and Train. Maybe it’s because I was all of 14 when Songs About Jane came out, but this album was something truly different and kind of exciting for me. It didn’t have the influence that other albums from this time period did; for some reason, 9th and 10th grade were soundtracked by Good Charlotte’s The Young and the Hopeless and Dashboard’s A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. (I’ll defend the latter, but Good Charlotte…wow…) But “Harder to Breathe” was a pretty awesome track in my mind back in the day.
But now I listen to anything by Maroon 5 and I just shrug. Maybe it’s because pop music evolved a little bit and engulfed what made Maroon 5 cool to begin with, effectively killing the novelty. Or maybe what was exciting in high school turned out to be simply meh in the grand scheme of music. Songs About Jane is still a worthy, even at times a great album, don’t get me wrong. “Harder to Breathe” is a funky shot in the arm and a terrific first impression, and from start to finish the beats on this album are unique and interesting, especially for a typically bland genre like pop rock. In spite of it’s flaws (most of which are the fault of age and musical evolution), Songs About Jane is an album full of flavor and texture, making it a worthy record that stands out amongst its peers.
Filed under: Album A Day | Tagged: 2000s, Album A Day, Maroon 5
