Music Review: Maroon 5 – Hands All Over (Deluxe Edition)

Maroon 5 is back on the music scene with Hands All Over, the follow-up to 2007’s It Won’t Be Soon Before Long. The band (Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, James Valentine, Mickey Madden and Matt Flynn) worked with acclaimed and legendary producer Robert “Mutt” Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard) while recording the album in Switzerland.

The music on Hands All Over is very different from Maroon 5’s previous albums. The band really experimented with their sound, in which the final result was a fantastic pop album.

The album kicks off with the first single, “Misery.” The song definitely works sound-wise as a bridge from It Won’t Be Soon Before Long. Like lead singer Adam Levine said recently on the band’s IHeartRadio.com channel, the song sounds very much like a Maroon 5 song. However, as soon as the three minutes and thirty-six seconds are over, a new musical side of Maroon 5 is unleashed.

The second track and also the band’s second single, “Give A Little More” has a funky, yet fresh sound to it. It’s an absolute fantastic choice for a second single. There’s a good chance that you will be singing along with the chorus before the song ends.

Hands All Over may throw some longtime fans of Maroon 5 for a loop because of how different the sound is from the band’s previous two albums. Tracks like “Stutter” and “I Can’t Lie” are prime examples of this. That said, Levine continues to write catchy, relatable love songs.

Other standout tracks include “Never Gone Leave This Bed” and the sexy title track, “Hands All Over.”

“Never Gonna Leave This Bed” is hopefully in contention to be a single. The song talks about trust and forgiveness within a relationship. The melody has this sweet feeling to it that makes the lyrics feel sincere.

“Hands All Over” has a rich rock vibe to it that is sure to get bodies moving during the band’s current tour. The beat is just infectious.

The song that is sure to get people talking is “Out of Goodbyes,” which is a collaboration with the popular country act Lady Antebellum. It seems to be the trend lately for Top 40 artists to cross over into country music (i.e. John Mayer’s “Half of My Heart” with Taylor Swift and Daughtry’s “Tennessee Line” with Vince Gill). Maroon 5’s venture into country proves that this musical risk was one worth taking. It’s a fantastic song.

Included with the deluxe version of the album are five extra tracks, including wonderful acoustic versions of “Never Gonna Leave This Bed” and “Misery.”

There is a live track, which is a cover of Alicia Keys’ hit, “If I Don’t Have You.” This song was a perfect choice for the band to cover. Levine’s voice is a great match for this soulful tune.

Hands All Over (Deluxe Edition) will be released September 21.

For tour dates and more information on Maroon 5, check out their website.

Check out the new music video below for Maroon 5’s latest single, “Give A Little More.”