Forgotten Treasures: Songs About Jane

After all of the hype about them and screaming ladies that are in love with a handsome and charming front man of Maroon 5, Adam Levine, I’ve decided to sit down and go through their old albums to make my own opinion about this band. I’ve noticed these boys before and I must admit that their songs were beginnging to get on my nerves during the times they were all around the magazines and everywhere on the TV, but gladly they’re not everywhere anymore. Last year, when One More Night came out and I couldn’t get it out of my head for a week, I realized that it was time to find out more about them. As a music lover, I’m always trying to find something new, and even when I do not like it, I try to go through everything out in the music world. When making an opinion about something new, I love to go from the beginning, so I picked their debut album, Songs About Jane, and I guess I’ll never regret that choice.

The album itself is musically and lyrically astonishing. It has it all – secrecy, nudity, love, hate and sex – in one album. Rough lyrics are mixed with some broken hearts and also a bit of hate is added. This all plus the beautiful music in the background. It is like reading a very interesting book that catch you at the beginning and doesn’t let you go till you reach the end. You hate it or love it.

Everyone, even somebody who is not a big fan of Maroon 5, knows their biggest hits – "This Love" and "She Will Be Loved". These, generally, most played and adored songs by them, belong “surprisingly“ to this album. I considered these songs to be over-rated and over-played, and I still believe it. The album has lots of under-rated songs that should be given much more attention that those sugary-sweet songs, that are being and have been released. Amazing example is "Through With You" or "The Sun". The sound is pure and wicked; you need to listen to them few times until they get under your skin. The same thing can be applied to "Shiver", "Tangled" or "Secret". Levine’s unique voice and the way its mixed with Jesse Carmichael’s keyboards (and synths). Especially in "The Sun", Ryan Dusick made a great contribution with his drums in the beginning. It gave the song a blues feeling. Lyrics give it even more radical feeling that is intensifying when it comes to the chorus and slowly fading of during the verses. With every single track the album is getting better and better. The highlight, although, for me is "Secret". Just the way it is composed is quite interesting and the lyrics are full of pure imagination about all forbidden. The order of songs, which surprised me a lot, was quite good. They really cared about it because the order determines whether you get bored with the album or you stay with it til the end. And in my case, I like the way album ends – with "Sweetest Goodbye".

Even though, the album wouldn’t be so good without contribution of all talented people in the band. James Valentine and his sometimes edgy guitar riffs, gives me the feeling that he would love to play us some solo, but the song (or better to say – record company) does not give him that chance. Personally, I think it would somehow raise the value of the songs. Jesse Carmichael has already been mentioned, but his piano collaboration with Levine’s voice is sometimes simply delightful. This guy has some secret talent in himself. Mickey Madden is rather silent. He’s showed nothing mind-blowing, but on the other hand I know that without a bass-player a band can’t exist. So it should be appreciated that he did his work on the album. Ryan Dusick and his drums are always on the right place, not loud and not too quiet. And finally, Mr. Levine. I must admit that he has the voice of some hidden (almost) perfection, raspy depths vary with flimsy highs.

After all that has been said, Songs About Jane album is the one you can love or hate. Sometimes fell both at the same time. There are times I’m fed up with it and sometimes I just can’t stop listening. It’s an excellent album that is rather under-rated and pushed aside because of over-played singles. Such a shame.

Suggested listening: "Shiver", 'The Sun", "Tangled", "Through With You"