Songs About Jane

Songs About Jane by Maroon 5 (CD)

Release Date: June 25, 2002

Label: J Records/Octone

Time: 47:06

ASIN: B00006879E

Band Members:
            Jesse Carmichael – keyboards, piano, vocals
            Ryan Dusick – drums, percussion
            Adam Levine – lead vocals, guitar
            Michael Madden – bass guitar, vocals
            James Valentine – guitar, vocals

Summary: The album contains twelve tracks. This is their first studio album. The tracks from this album include:
           Harder to Breathe                               Must Get Out
            This Love                                            Sunday Morning
            Shiver                                                  Secret
            She Will Be Loved                              Through With You
            Tangled                                               Not Coming Home
            The Sun                                              Sweetest Goodbye

Critical Evaluation: Songs About Jane received both critical and commercial success.  The album went on to receive platinum certification. All of the songs were written or co-written by Levine who states that the songs and the title of the album were inspired by his tumultuous love affair with a girl named, you guessed it, Jane. Many of the songs’ lyrics are gritty and raw. The music has R&B rhythms infused into pop-rock which results in a funky soulful vibe.

Listener’s Annotation: With catchy verses and funky rhythms, this album will not disappoint.

Artist Information: Levine, Carmichael, Dusick, and Madden formed a high school band named Kara’s Flowers. In 2001, they added Valentine and formed Maroon 5. Dusick has since left the band and has been replaced with another drummer. The band has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards winning three, including Best New Artist in 2005. In 2012, they won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Band. They have several Top 10 hits including three at Number One.

Their website can be found at http://www.maroon5.com/home

Genre: Pop Rock; Funk Rock

Reason for Item’s Inclusion: Adam Levine’s tenor voice is beautiful and many of these songs are fun to sing along to. An anniversary edition of this album was released in early 2012 and is enjoying a new legion of fans thanks in part to Levine’s participation in The Voice, a hit television show where he serves as mentor to other singers.

References:
 
Songs About Jane (album). (2012, August 31). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_About_Jane

Maroon 5. (2012, August 9). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maroon_5