Before I get into each song, I want to address the album as a whole. The Maine's music has evolved quite a few times over the last eight years, but this new evolution may be one of my favorites. While the last albums touched on some dark themes, the music said something that isn't as easy to say in words. "American Candy" did that as well, but in a different approach. My first reaction was that it began with some easy going, fun to rock out to tunes, and then it transitioned into some heavier material beginning with the fifth track. Before really taking in the lyrics, I thought of it as being another shorter, slightly lighter version of "Forever Halloween." Surface level, sure, I guess you can still say that. However, this album is truly about hope and progress. I'll expand on that when I delve into the songs, but this album became a million times more important to me when I came to that realization. Every song tells a different moment about having priceless memories with friends, learning, becoming better, not giving up. It encourages you to be you. It's unique and rare to find an album that can have you thinking about the songs and lyrics even when the music isn't playing.
The first song on the album is Miles Away, which is filled with positive vibes that make you want to get up and dance. It's a fun song to sing along to with an easy beat that has you wanting to play it on repeat.
Same Suit, Different Tie
Same Suit, Different Tie is the next song which starts with a pleasing to hear guitar riff that leads into the vocals. This song is great because it makes you feel like a million bucks. Dear you don't need high-priced designs to feel dressed up. It's not about what you wear, it's how you wear it. Just a strut and a little style. It's a great transition into the next song.
My Hair
The first time I saw The Maine was at Warped Tour 2014, and John's hair was really long and he had this Kurt Cobain look about him. When the band left Joshua Tree, John sported a nice clean cut. The reason I'm talking about this is because the third song is called My Hair. It has this great vibe that's saying "I don't care what you think of me or what I should do or what I should look like, because I'm going to be me and that's going to make me happy." It makes me want to drive on PCH with the windows down and shout the lyrics into the wind.
English Girls
English Girls was the first single for the new album, and so far the only one with a music video (although Miles Away does have a pretty cool lyric video). It follows the same feeling as the first three songs - having good times, not caring what anyone thinks. This set such great expectations for the rest of the album. It made me think of their earlier stuff from "Black & White."
24 Floors
This song is the turning point. The happy and fast rhythms are traded in for something softer and has this introspective feeling about it. 24 Floors is about someone contemplating whether or not of jumping off a hotel building. On the surface, it could definitely be just perceived as a sad song. Even beyond the surface, it is still one of the saddest songs on the album, but it is so, so much more than that. After I read the lyrics, I found that it isn't supposed to be a sad song. This is a song about hope, about saving yourself. There's a voice that is talking to the person, calming them down. Every moment's relevant, bittersweet and delicate. Tomorrow may never come again, tonight is all there is. It's an extremely powerful song when you really listen to it.
Diet Soda Society
Just the name, Diet Soda Society, has you interested in this song. The song has a catchy rhythm including some whistles (well, it sounds like whistles) and well placed backing vocals that makes you love it instantly. Personally, I love the word choice in this song. Oblivion, supernova, omnipresent, psyche and the soma, person vs. persona. They aren't words or phrases you hear everyday. There's a lot more I can say on this song, but I was hoping just include a comment or two for each song. Also, I find this song really hard to break down. There are so many aspects to it.
Am I Pretty?
This next one I believe speaks to a lot of people. Am I Pretty? is filled with questions that I find we ask ourselves a lot. I understand that people will have different reasons why they might relate, but I feel like a good majority of us has wondered things like if people like us or not. Even after the efforts of trying to be someone else's definition of "pretty," you may still feel like you're confetti for the gathering. It's the last line in the song that stands out to me most. The more Am I Pretty? is repeated, the more sarcastic I feel it becomes. Then it ends with some murmured comments, and There's beauty and grace in the flaws of your face, all candor and style in the crook of your smile.
(Un)Lost
As soon as this song begins, I get the urge to go outside and just stare up at the stars. Or maybe go on a night drive with no destination in particular. There's a lyric in (Un)Lost that I feel sums up pretty nicely what this song is about: I know I'll take the leap if it is worth the fall. It's that in between area of being lost and being found. A destination isn't important, as long as you keep moving. I loved the piano in the beginning of the song because it is so crucial to the mood of the song. Everything about this one is so well recorded, the emotion is captured perfectly.
American Candy
The title song has been stuck in my head all day. The song is not as cheery as the name may lead you to believe. The same piano vibe that set up the mood in (Un)Lost can be heard in this tune. The vocals are also vital to delivering this song. The chorus has this back-and-forth thing going on that really captures my attention: they've got American candy, (you're sweet and sated, so sedated), for the American kids (you're hooked and baited, annihilated). The American candy is described the same way as I imagine any drug would be.
Another Night on Mars
The second I heard this song, and especially the chorus, I thought of the song We'll All Be from their first album, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop." This song is dedicated to those friends that are there for you through thick and thin, the ones that make you feel comfortable being you. I love in the middle to the end of the song where John cuts into the chorus with his own shouts (What's one more night!? We are here under the stars! I hear you singing!). While I mentioned before that The Maine has gone through quite a few changes over the years, it's obvious that they have stayed grounded. They've grown with their music, but they haven't given up who they are. They are still the same group of friends that sang We'll All Be.
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| Daytrotter |
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| Selfies with The Maine |
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I am so looking forward to seeing The Maine again on Friday as they kick off the American Candy Tour with Knucklepuck, Real Friends and The Technicolors. "American Candy" is now available on iTunes, Spotify and The Maine's YouTube channel.Hope you enjoyed my review. :)
Until next time,
Nikole
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