Maroon 5’s first album Songs About Jane saw the band rocket to multi-platinum selling artists. The band’s second effort It Won’t Be Soon Before Long has been labelled as a sexy and strong album by lead singer Adam Levine. The debut single Makes Me Wonder stayed true to the success of the debut album and was the most added track in Australian radio in its first week and peaked at number five in the charts. However, there are subtle differences between the Maroon 5 of today and yesteryear. Physically the band is dressed to kill in formal wear, and the album itself has a distinct combination of soul and electric funk with shades of the pop/rock that made them famous in 2002. Each song on the album is catchy, and there are influences from several 80s icons, including Prince, Talking Heads and Michael Jackson, on tracks like Can’t Stop and Kiwi. A successful debut album is hard to follow up on, yet the same talent and flair is apparent in Maroon 5’s new album, making it just as edgy and exuberant as the last.

Review by Cassandra De Wind