Made in the AM

Anna Navarrete

Made in the AM marks the fifth album release for the folk/ indie pop boy band sensation, One Direction. There has been much talk about the band splitting and becoming irrelevant since the former member, Zayn Malik has left the band. One Direction fans across the globe can happily say that this if far from true.

As expected, there was a lot of pressure put on the band for this album to be great. Not just because of the recent loss of Malik but also because of the huge buzz over their last album, Four, that they released in November of 2014. The sound of Four was noticeably refined from all of their previous records, bringing a wider range of fans into the One Direction camp.

Made in the AM, although containing 17 songs, is the shortest of the bands albums. The album as a whole shows everything One Direction has become so popular for; diversity. It ranges from upbeat songs to powerful ballads and slower indie pop, which is the kind of diversity the boy band has been showing on their album for a couple years now. But Made in the Am introduces a totally new side of One Direction. The album involves moods form the 70’s and 80’s as well as jazz and blues.

However, a One Direction album wouldn’t be complete without classic “bubble gum” pop songs such as the lead single on the album, “Drag Me Down” and the second single, “Perfect”. But as far as change goes, there was a noticeable change involving vocals in the song “Olivia”. Niall and Liam both use a lower vocal range in this song, a style similar to Michael Buble’s. “End of the Day”, a personal favorite on the album, includes a steady beat, one to which you can’t resist tapping along to. “Never Enough” is a track that caused a lot of discussion very quickly because the mashup of so many different styles such as old- fashioned acapella vocals, pop/dance and jazzy instruments.

Overall, the album has many different styles, making it enjoyable for all audiences. No matter what you’re in the mood for, Made In the AM provides a lot of variety.