The boy band craze made a comeback, and British pop quintet One Direction is leading the way. In order to impress those of us who grew up listening to ‘N Sync, Backstreet Boys and 98 Degrees, One Direction had a lot to prove – and it managed to do so with its sophomore album “Take Me Home,” which released Tuesday. The album is a recipe for fame and success, but how could it not be with the backing of Simon Cowell, who gave the band its start on UK’s “The X Factor?”
The band’s first album “Up All Night,” which included singles “What Makes You Beautiful” and “One Thing,” had millions of teenage girls falling in love and weakening at the knees. Even some of us college students can call those songs our guilty pleasures. A year later, with each member of One Direction more confident, mature and experienced, the band has delivered another album with 13 songs that sound like they could all be top 10 hits. The lead single “Live While We’re Young” has already become a frequently played song on the radio before the album’s release.
My favorite part about this album is that you don’t hear any over-used guest rappers, featured top artists or dubstep. One Direction has stayed true to itself by highlighting each member’s outstanding vocals and giving each of them time to shine with their own solos.
“Take Me Home” also includes a few ballads, such as “Little Things” and “Over Again,” to break up the overall cheerfulness of the album. “Little Things” is a song that will make every girl’s heart melt, as each band member describes the things he loves about his girl with lyrics such as “You’ve never loved your stomach or your thighs / The dimples in your back at the bottom of your spine / But I’ll love them endlessly.”
As the members of One Direction have grown up and matured, their music has improved and remained impressively catchy. I’m sure the band’s loyal fanbase is thrilled to be dancing and bopping its heads to this new album.
Grade: A
