V (CD) by Maroon 5

CD. It wasn't noted much at the time, but founding keyboardist Jesse Carmichael sat out Maroon 5's 2012 album Overexposed -- a circumstance that just happened to coincide with Adam Levine capitalizing on his <i>Voice</i>-fueled stardom. Overexposed and over-filled with guest producers and songwriters drafted to compensate for the absent Carmichael, rapper Wiz Khalifa, reliable Swedish hitmakers Max Martin &amp; Shellback, and icy OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder gave the group a steely sleekness to suit contemporary charts. Some of this is retained on V, the 2014 record that marks Carmichael's return to the group, partially because all those guests save Khalifa return for a second helping. The absence of the rapper suggests Maroon 5 aren't quite as concerned with sounding youthful as they were last time around, which is generally true. Some tracks maintain the glossy veneer that overwhelmed Overexposed -- not entirely a surprise with Martin billed as the record's executive producer -- and, despite some unnecessary vocal processing on Levine scattered throughout the record, these are largely the ones featuring returning guests: Tedder co-writes and co-produces the album's lead single, "Maps," a song where Levine's Sting mannerisms steamroll the hooks," while Shellback helms "Animals," "In Your Pocket," and "Feelings," with all but the last placing emphasis on brittle beats. Elsewhere, the vibe shifts slightly back to the soulful pop that's remained at Maroon 5's core since the beginning, here given an ever so slight maturation to balance the modern moves heard on the rest of the record. Sometimes, the group achieves a delicate balance between the two extremes -- "It Was Always You," "New Love," and the aforementioned "Feelings" -- but the best moments on V are when Maroon 5 embrace the tuneful, slightly soulful adult contemporary pop band they've always been, as they do on "Sugar," "Coming Back for You," and the Gwen Stefani duet "My Heart Is Open." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

American pop/rock group Maroon 5 release their aptly titled fifth album, V, which was recorded by the band at Conway Studios in L.A. Keyboardist Jesse Carmichael returned to the lineup here after a brief hiatus during the recording and release of 2012's Overexposed, and the album also features vocals from Gwen Stefani on the track "My Heart Is Open." ~ Scott Kerr, Rovi

Performer	Maroon 5
Music genre	Pop, Pop Rock
Music release type	Album
Media format	CD
Original release date	2014-07-25
Language	English
Number of tracks	11
Has parental advisory label	N
Number of discs	1
Track listing	1. Maps 2. Animals 3. It Was Always You 4. Unkiss Me 5. Sugar 6. Leaving California 7. In Your Pocket 8. New Love 9. Coming Back For You 10. Feelings 11. My Heart Is Open (feat. Gwen Stefani)
Record label	Interscope
Music producer	Max Martin
Track name	Maps
Digital audio file format	CD
Music media format	CD
Is edited	N
Is enhanced	N