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Yes, I am a serious One Direction fan (and a Harry girl) aka “1D AF” (don’t ask) and that’s for life. Nothing about their lives goes unnoticed by me. So you could say that this track by track review of their new album Four, which came out on November 17, is biased. I mean, I can totally be critical about them… ok, not really, but that doesn’t mean you should just dismiss this post outright. Simply see it as all the reasons you should check it out and listen to it and maybe, you’ll even end up getting a copy for yourself.
Four, is the band’s fourth album in four years (hence the title). The day it was released it went number one on iTunes in 167 countries. 167. Let that sink in for a moment. And, it will be their fourth consecutive album to debut at number one on the Billboard charts.They are the biggest band (boy and otherwise) in the world and Four is, without a doubt, their best album yet. I
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can say this because I have listened to every 1D album on repeat for the last 2.5 years. My least favorite of their albums is their first one, Up All Night, which I know is absolute sacrilege! But as much as I like the songs “What Makes You Beautiful” and “One Thing”, the album is a hodge podge of pop songs that they’re not always confident on nor does it fully showcase all their voices. However, their confidence has grown over the years as has their music. This is not your '90s boy band, influenced by R&B complete with dance moves. This is a boy band of five guys (four British and one Irish) raised on the arena rock of the '80s and the Brit Pop of the '90s/'00s and it shows. Four sounds completely retro and modern all at the same time. It propels their sound and songwriting forward by looking back. Its full of guitar riffs, loud drums, sexy growls, plaintive pleas, honeyed high notes and soaring harmonies and PS it’s really fun to listen to. I honestly don’t think there is a bad song on the album (which is the first time I can say this—see, I’m critical) but there are definitely some that I like better than others. So let’s get started.
"Steal My Girl"
What it’s about: Their fans. The girl in question is a stand-in for all their fans. It’s a warning to all other pop artists to leave Directioners alone. (We are the best fans in the world). The video for this is a circus with some Danny Devito thrown in for good measure. Watch it here.
Fave Lyric: Everybody wants to steal my girl/ Everybody wanna take her heart away/Couple billion in the whole wide world/Find another one 'cause she belongs to me
Listen for: The great acoustic piano intro that builds into a full band and takes you to another place complete with hand claps and “na na’s”. The best part is Zayn’s layered high notes at the end. Warning: Zayn, his long eyelashes and his high notes can 100% steal your girl, your boy, your heart, your mother, your wife, your sister, your grandmother, your aunt…etc...
"Ready to Run"
What it’s about: You are the peanut butter to my jelly and hey, we’re young—wanna runaway together?
Fave Lyric: Wherever you are is the place I belong/ cuz I wanna be free and I wanna be young/ I'll never look back now/ I'm ready to run
Listen for: The stadium readiness of it. You can already hear the fireworks in the background and the streamers falling down. The perfect road trip song, it reminds me of 80s rock band Journey or some 90s-era Bon Jovi. It demands some air drumming as you dance around and sing along. It opens with Harry and Liam's hopeful lyrics and by the time it launches into the full chorus I'm ready to go in whatever direction they are headed. Take me I'm yours. Really.
"Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
What it’s about: I broke your heart and I’m feeling really guilty about that…wanna get back together? Co-written by Harry I’m sure people will be wondering who this could be about. But not all songs have to be autobiographical people! Sometimes a song is just a song!
Fave Lyric: Yeah the taste of your lips on the tip of my tongue/ It’s at the top of the list of the things I want
Listen for: More stadium guitar riffs, Niall's starting vocals (this is his favorite song) and Zayn's gorgeous voice leading the chorus. Its full of big sounds, booming beats and I can't wait to hear 65,000 people singing along to it next summer.
"18"
What it’s about: I’ve loved you since we were 18 and that’s like totally a long time ago but when I look at you it feels like yesterday.
Fave Lyric: All I can do is say that these arms were made for holding you/ I wanna love like you made me feel/ When we were 18
Listen for: Beautiful, heartfelt lyrics written by Ed Sheeran and Passenger. It oozes sweet sincerity. The chorus is full of lush vocals and every member's solo is guaranteed to make your heart beat a little faster but it's Louis's solo at the end that really makes this song special. If your limbs aren't pure jelly by the end of this then you just may not have a soul.
"Girl Almighty"
What it’s about: I’ve fallen for the most amazing girl EVER! And all I want to do is worship her.
Fave Lyric: Let's have another toast to the girl almighty/ Let's pray we stay young/ Stay made of lightning
Listen for: A full on retro vibe. It would fit perfectly into any of those Elvis movies or 60's surfer films. The beat is infectious and will have you bopping around your room. When it slows down though and Zayn sings, "Am I the only/ only believer" and his voice goes up high at the end...well.... he's made me a believer. Don't be surprised if you find yourself singing along very loudly to, "I'll get down on my knees for you."
"Fool’s Gold"
What it’s about: You are a horrible manipulative person but I love you anyway—basically I’m a masochist… let me just say, that when you hear this and hear their hearts breaking, you will feel like tracking this girl down and messing her up. At the same time it’s going to sound very personal, because that’s exactly what it can feel like to love One Direction.
Fave Lyric: Yeah, I know your love’s not real/ That's not the way it feels/ That's not the way you feel
Listen for: Another great ballad, this one written by Jamie Scott (Unbreakable) and MoZella (Wrecking Ball). Niall kicks it off with beautiful vocals and then it segues into Harry carrying the chorus which ends with a high note of "fools gold" that gets me every time. By the time you get to Zayn's heartbreaking solo you will be a puddle.
"Night Changes"
What it’s about: Those first date jitters with someone you really like. Feeling every moment and not wanting to regret anything! This is their latest single and the video has the viewer going on dream dates with each of the boys and it is totally messing with my head it’s so perfect. Watch it here.
Fave Lyric: Moving too fast, moon is lighting up her skin/ She’s falling, doesn’t even know it yet/ Having no regrets is all that she really wants
Listen for: At first listen, this is a deceptively simple tune. I didn't like it much the first time I heard it. But the vocals are so dreamy and full of hope, that you feel in your bones every line they sing. It's just Harry carrying that chorus backed by Liam's "oohs" and "aahs" and I am transported. Between that, Zayn's solo and Harry's last "it will never change, baby" i did a complete reversal and now it's a favorite.
"No Control"
What it’s about: Umm…err..you know… stuff. If many of the songs on their third album Midnight Memories were about convincing girls to stay the night (but, Harry, honestly, you had me at hello) than Four is about what happens when they do. So, yeah, this is about that.
Fave Lyric: Taste on my tongue/ I don't want to wash away the night before/ In the heat where you lay
I could stay right here and burn in it all day
Listen for: The total awesomeness of it. It opens with Niall's slinky vocals followed by Harry's growl that makes your skin tingle. Next up is Louis's perfectly delivered chorus and Liam's honey smooth solo. Between all this, is the addictive beat and by the time you get to Zayn's solo (can you tell how much I love Zayn's solos?) layered with Louis's chorus you are completely powerless to the utter gloriousness of this song. Co-written by Louis and Liam, this is definitely one of the best tracks on the album.
"Fireproof"
What it’s about: You’re my lucky charm and my savior and I love you like crazy and together we can get through anything.
Fave Lyric: 'Cause nobody knows you, baby, the way I do/ And nobody loves you, baby, the way I do,/ It's been so long, it's been so long, you must be fireproof,/'Cause nobody saves me, baby, the way you do
Listen for: How sweetly old school it is. Reminiscent of songs of the 70's, it's an easy going, chilled out tune that perfectly showcases their harmonies. However, it's Liam's higher register and Louis's confident vocals that make me love this song so much.
"Spaces"
What it’s about: Our relationship is falling apart, we’re fighting and miserable and its breaking my heart . It’s so sad! Honestly, who are these people who are breaking these precious boys’ hearts? Who!
Fave Lyric: Who’s gonna be the first one to compromise?/ Who’s gonna be the first one to set it all on fire?/ Who’s gonna be the last one to drive away?/ Forgetting every single promise we ever made
Listen for: Another heartbreaking ballad, Louis and Niall's delicate vocals pull you in at the beginning and then WHAM! it breaks into a gorgeous full chorus. Each boy's voice is fully showcased and the harmonies are completely dreamy. Can every break-up song please be this pretty? However, it's Harry's last "goodbye" that really gets me every time.
"Stockholm Syndrome"
What it’s about: Well Harry, who co-wrote it, has jokingly said it’s about being trapped in a room with a nympho. I wouldn’t go that far but my guess it’s about a single guy who loves his single life and swore he’d never get serious with someone. Now he’s met a girl who makes him never want to be single again and he’s seemingly happy about that, if not really scared by that idea. (in a nutshell)
Fave Lyric: Baby look what you've done to me/ Baby you got me tied down/ Baby I'll never leave if you keep holding me this way
Listen for: Where do I begin? This might be my favorite song on the album (it changes all the time) and probably (kinda sorta) the most boy-bandy of the bunch. It starts with a driving beat and Harry's growly, wry delivery of the opening line and Zayn's lush voice before launching into the "WHOA! Baby look what you've done to me" of the chorus. Let me just say you feel this song everywhere. It's full of want and need and desperation and the beat is sick. By the time you get to Liam's solo, you will be as addicted as me and unconsciously dancing to every "Whoa!".
"Clouds"
What it’s about: A very bad break-up. No survivors. No going back. The kind that crashes and burns and lays waste to everything. And damn girl, are you ever gonna regret breaking up with me. So, no, not about happy, puffy clouds.
Fave Lyric: Someday, you’re gonna see the things that I see/ You’re gonna want the air that I breathe/ You’re gonna wish you never left me
Listen for: Wow factor. The opening vocals just take this song to another level. It's impressive, lush and full of attitude. The arrangement is gorgeous with vocals being sung on top of each other that break into a breathtaking full chorus. It ends with Harry's killer delivery of a higher register "clouds" and another amazing Zayn high note. The layered vocals at the end make this a stunner and maybe, just maybe, the best song on the entire album.
On the deluxe copy, you get several more songs which are worth hunting down, including: The 1975 inspired "Change Your Ticket", the pretty ballads "Once in a Lifetime" and "Illusion" and the amazingly fun and rowdy "Act My Age," which is the Irish drinking song sung by a boy band that you didn't know you needed. An ode to dedicated fans, "When I’m fat and old and my kids think I’m a joke/ Cause I move a little slow when I dance/ I can count on you after all that we’ve been through/ Cause I know that you’ll always understand"—it's not to be missed.
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So in conclusion, One Direction is not your average pop music boy band and Four is a impressive album of music that makes any day brighter just by listening to it. Now who doesn’t want that? If you’re a fan you’re probably already listening to it but if you’ve never listened to them before now is a great time to start and expand your musical horizons! You might just be pleasantly surprised.
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The perfect reading material to accompany your Four listening party? Why their latest book, of course. One Direction: Who We Are (2014) is full of true stories about being in the world’s most popular boy band (although probably sanitized for our protection). Their humor, their modesty and their sincerity pours off every page. And don’t even get me started on the full color pictures. Oh so many feels! Consider yourself warned!
If you need to expand your 1D knowledge, try these other equally feely books Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction (2011), Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story, 100% Official (2013) and of course, their three previous albums: Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013). And, don't forget the DVDs: the swoonworthy One Direction:This is Us (2013) and the fun and fetusy Up All Night Live(2012).
Before you know it, you’ll be a full fledged fan just like me. You’re Welcome.