Midnight Memories by One Direction

7.3/10
Rated:(I can't get no) Satisfaction 

The quintet has to release as many merchandise as they can before they get too 'old' and this is their finest but dull record to date. A bit more than a year ago the boys released an album that was supposed to be the step or the introduction to a more mature sound and this new one is really it,perhaps,far too mature. The band is once again trying to move away from the silliness and the doll-like commercial pop which is part of the youth and it worked for them well so there is no much fun tracks on this album and sounds so demure, they are young and they're supposed to have fun and fail, this album is like what you expect from a boyband in their 40's after they split 4 times in the past 12 years. It does sound better but for being One Direction album you expect/wish for more cheerful and memorable songs that will stuck in your head even though you don't like them.

The sound is as well trying to get rid of bubblegum-pop and gets more rocky, which is good because it improves their style and is less annoying, probably to a bigger audience.Surprisingly this 'new' sound doesn't sound forced but the voices sound a little young to what they are trying to create though. And there's still a voice that doesn't merge with the others and still causing horrible crashes like in the past album. For its style the album could fit in the rock-pop section alongside with Metro Station,The Script,Hellogobye ,(Latest Cage The Elephant)  etc. is like a Mcfly record without the craziness (or letting loose). Mainly the album turns around the song 'Story of My Life', {which is a song for a man that has lived 30 years ,at least} and all the other 13 tracks are basically the same in different shades/tones [which works for nowadays] and has nothing surprising or at least different from what we listen this days and is inspired by the 80's . Not a bad album, their most concrete to date but lacks of their youthfulness spirit.

Recommended: Best Song Ever,Story of My Life,Right Now

Take Me Home by One Direction

 6/10 

Rated:Mr. Personality 

If you are a grown up this album will be so boring. A bunch of catchy (or trying to be catchy) songs that last too much. Unless you are a die hard fan you won't notice the boredom of the album and that is too produced to be all catchy and that sounds like a one long song.

The good thing about the album is that the band sound more mature on the second half. One Direction are slowly becoming the next Beatles, (HA! they wish), actually are becoming like Back Street Boys in the Millennium and Blue era,could say  5ive but they were more complete. Some songs are very acceptable and instead of being so boring have some interesting bits when they get to different styles .

Basically the sound in every song are the same: a mellow acoustic guitar playing same note and lite electronic beats, the arrangements are the ones that create slightly different tracks. Voices are like pretending to be more faint and to sound less kiddish but are not blending very fine. The intention to do something different is there but probably producers managers and stuff wanted to go for the safe way.  

To Listen:Kiss You,Rock Me,Back for You

Avoid: Live While We're Young,Last First Kiss,Little Things,I Would