Grade: 70/100
A mention of One Direction brings to mind life-sized cardboard cutouts, screaming girls and a marijuana mishap.
The boy band formed in 2010 from the British version of the vocal competition show “The X Factor.” The group is composed of five British and Irish heartthrobs, and they all have teens appearing from every nook and cranny with huge signs and marriage proposals.
Now, One Direction has released its fourth album, aptly named “FOUR.” From this record, it’s obvious it wants to mature.
For three albums prior, only teenagers and their parents had taken them seriously. However, as the band members begin to age, they want to make music that pertains to them. This creates that awkward growing phase, where a band is between making what they used to create and making what they want to create.
One Direction is attempting to reach that older phase of its career, but it’s still slightly stuck in what it used to be. The record is a mish-mash of sounds, with some songs coming off as a mature, alternative rock band and others coming off as a childish, boy band.
One of the album’s singles, “Steal My Girl,” hits the mish-mash directly on the head. The song displays exactly what the album is — a mix of both older and younger One Direction — but it’s catchy nonetheless.
One of the more mature tracks is “Stockholm Syndrome,” and it’s worth a listen, with themes of a tumultuous, adult relationship. While it has a bit of a pop beat, it’s primarily an alternative-rock song. It’s something that could be heard on an album from The 1975 or recent Panic! At The Disco.
The matured sound is even found on the track “18,” where the members discuss being older now, in love and in life. If that doesn’t express One Direction’s desire for respect from an older audience, nothing does.
On the other hand, the track “Ready to Run” is a perfect example of young One Direction. It’s a feel-good pop song that feels more appropriate for the band’s teen audience instead of its over-18 fans.
Overall, the album is a positive sign that One Direction is working on becoming more mature. It’ll allow for the band to have longevity in the industry and keep any future records fresh.
“FOUR” is an album you can pick through to find a song or two you’ll like, but otherwise, wait for number five.