One Direction - Alive

"Hey, it's alright"

I've not disappeared! Sorry for the extended absence. As part of my job as an author, I sometimes travel to speaking engagements and workshops and that's where I've been. During that time, One Direction's new album leaked and it's soundtracked my travels. I've always gone on record saying that I think 1D have been an interesting and welcome addition to the limited boyband pool. I'm delighted that they (and their producers) have gone for a classic powerpop sound rather than the drippy material usually given to acts of their ilk. With the new album, they've taken that even further and really distanced themselves from what is expected of a group like theirs. In some ways, it's a brave move. The album is infused with heavy rock and folk influences, amping up their sound in unexpected (yet naturally progressive) ways. It's different, and I really like it. Do I like it as much as their last album? Time will tell. For now, tracks like Alive are surprising me in wonderful ways. I'm shocked at how credibly they've managed to do real rock music. I honestly didn't know they had it in them.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.