Exciting. Invigorating. Ravishing. Refined. All of these words and more can be used to describe One Direction’s fifth album, ‘Made in the A.M’ which came out today. This album is unlike anything we’ve ever heard before and its the beginning of a new era. It’s the product of the aftermath of everything that’s happened this year and it came out as a work of art. It completely blew their previous album, ‘Four’ out of the water and that album was a masterpiece in itself when it came out as well. And as of today, we have entered a whole new era of One Direction. It’s time to say farewell to ‘Four’ and hello to Made in the A.M.
One Direction has completely left the “boy” out of “boy band” and have taken this album into their own hands. You can really tell where their influences are coming from when you listen to the music, The Beatles, Coldplay, and Fleetwood Mac to name a few. Its really given them a more reflective and mature musical inspiration and improved the quality of the music all around. This is a mature, classic, timeless album that anyone of any age can enjoy. It has so many different sounds and arrangements yet they all stay true to the continuous vibe of the album.
The lyrics were really implicit and emphasized a new form of expression. ‘Made in the A.M’ really held a lot of aesthetic elements and carried some direct feeling as well. One Direction has not only proved that they are musically capable but lyrically inclined as well, and this album is a prime example of that. Songs like “If I Could Fly” and “Love You Goodbye” written by Styles and Tomlinson really showcased their capabilities and how they’ve grown as lyricists, as well as the rest of the band. The style seems to be a cross between imitation indie and synthpop, already made for stadiums across the world, which of course will be waiting for them to sell out when they come back from their break.
Certain songs on the album should definitely be brought to light and praised for various reasons. “Olivia” was really Harry’s time to shine. The song itself is very textured and sophisticated and brings some 60s pop vibes to the table. Extremely Sgt. Pepper in that sense. “Hey Angel” was a really vibey song in general and has a nice winsome quality to it. All in all, every song on the album was fresh, unique and offered a little something for everyone.
This is the new era of One Direction and this is something we’re all proud to be here for. Having been here since the start and watching them start from nothing and rise to the top has been one of the hardest things to do but one of the most rewarding as well. Proud is an understatement and we hope this break keeps them well rested and light on their feet for when they come back to something even bigger and better than when they left off. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, this is not the last of One Direction and it won’t be for a while. This isn’t a goodbye, just a simple “See you later”. Welcome to the era of “Made in the A.M”