Maroon 5, Cold | Track Review 🎵

Pop band Maroon 5 collaborates with southern rapper Future for frigid new single, “Cold,” which arrived Valentine’s Day, 2017.  

Maroon 5 have evolved over the years. Simply put, Adam Levine and company aren’t quite the same band that were singing Songs About Jane.  Arguably, album Overexposed marked the most dramatic shift, though Hands All Over was transitional in its own right (“Moves Like Jagger”).  After dropping so-so single “Don’t Wanna Know”, Maroon 5 returns with “Cold,” assisted by Future. Uh-oh.

“Cold,” like Maroon 5 singles of late, is firmly planted in the electro-/urban-pop vein. Levine establishes this vibe early on on the chorus:

“Cold enough to chill my bones
It feels like I don’t know you anymore
I don’t understand why you’re so cold to me.”

Expectedly, Adam nails the vocals, particularly the falsetto. A spirited first verse follows, as Levine depicts a dying, continually empty relationship.  He asks:

“Are we taking time or a time out?
I can’t take the in between
Asking me for space here in my house
You know how to fuck with me.”

On the second verse, he challenges his soon-to-be ex:

“What you holdin’ on, holdin’ on for?
If you wanna leave just leave
Why you gonna bite your tongue for?
The silence is killing me.”

Essentially, things have gone sour for guy and girl – it’s “cold.” Future puts his two cents in on the third and final verse. It should come as no surprise that the results are mediocre at best. Still, the rapper gets his point across:

“We goin’ two separate ways
You ain’t been actin’ the same
You gotta go, but where your heart used to be
You gold dig every day.”

Final Thoughts

How does “Cold” compare to “Don’t Wanna Know?” Arguably, it’s a smidge better.  Still, “Cold” lacks some of the distinctiveness of the band’s classic material.  The collaboration with Future seems unnecessary, with commercial intentions in mind.  It’s not bad, but don’t call it a tour de force either.

Maroon 5 • Cold – single • Interscope • Release: 2.14.17 

Photo Credit: Interscope