Maroon 5 plays it safe on ‘Love Is Like’

Recommended Tracks: “Hideaway,” “My Love,” “California”
Artists You Might Like: One Republic, The Chainsmokers, Charlie Puth

Maroon 5 didn’t quite hit the mark with Love Is Like, which struggles to stand out in their catalog of stronger hits. It’s been four years since the release of their last studio album, so fans expected Maroon 5 to come out swinging. Instead, they fall short, delivering 13 tracks that feel underwhelming. If you’re looking for depth, you won’t find it here, but in terms of production, the record is just sleek enough to keep it nightlife-friendly.

It’s rare for a band to nail their debut, but Maroon 5 did just that with Songs About Jane, delivering classics like “She Will Be Loved” and “Sunday Morning” — a level of artistry they’ve struggled to recapture ever since. Sure, they’ve had their fair share of hits over the years, “Sugar,” “Moves Like Jagger” and “Payphone,” but I’ve yet to be impressed by a full project from them since the first time I heard Songs About Jane.

The Grammy Award-winning band has the potential to be one of the greatest bands of all time, with Adam Levine’s unmistakable falsetto as their signature sound. Love Is Like is a mix of pop and R&B with a splash of jazz, a sound that is missing in music right now, and if executed properly with a little more lyrical depth, this record could have done wonders on the charts.

In true Maroon 5 fashion, they can’t resist pairing themselves with an “it girl” in pop music, this time around collaborating with Blackpink’s LISA on “Priceless.” The song explores a new relationship while trying to capture the magic found in Maroon 5’s earlier sound. The collaborations don’t stop there, though, with Lil Wayne hopping on the title track, Sexyy Red laying down a verse on “I Like It,” and Marshmello teaming up for “Closer.”

“Hideaway” has an infectious vibe and catchy lyrics that will surely be stuck in listeners’ heads for months to come. The song delivers one of the best chorus’ on the entire album: “Yea, we can just hide away / You and me, we can find a way / Take this permanent holiday / It’s a shit show world, you can come on over / I’ll pick you up in my Cadillac / Tell your friends you ain’t coming back / No regrets ’cause we’re done with that / It can be just us, I can pick you up / We can run and hide away.” That same vibe continues on “My Love,” a track that could easily fit into a record from the early days of their discography. Levine’s vocals matched with the band’s instrumentation result in one of the most memorable songs on the LP.

Love Is Like finally finds its footing at the end, with “California” and “Cigarettes” swooping in to almost save the whole thing. Too little, too late? Maybe, but at least you don’t walk away totally disappointed. The band will be hitting cities across the US this fall on the Love Is Like Tour, kicking off on October 6th in Phoenix, Arizona.

Tour Dates:
10/06 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena
10/08 – Palm Desert, CA – Acrisure Arena
10/10 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
10/17 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
10/18 – San Fransisco, CA – Chase Center
10/21 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
10/23 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
10/25 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
10/28 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
10/29 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
11/02 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
11/04 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
11/05 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
11/07 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
11/09 – North Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena
11/11 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
11/13 – Chicago, IL – United Center
11/14 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
11/16 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
11/19 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
11/22 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
11/24 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
11/25 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena