Maroon 5, Middle Ground | Track Review 🎵

Although short of a triumphant comeback, Adam Levin and Maroon 5 manage to ‘step up their game’ a notch on the thoughtful single, “Middle Ground.”

“Ineed light, I need life, I need what I never felt.” In all honestly, it has been a minute since I’ve been excited about 🎙 Maroon 5.  The band’s previous album, 💿 JORDI (2021) left a lot to be desired.  Sure, it had its moments, but JORDI was lackadaisical at best.  With the single, 🎵 “Middle Ground”, 🎙 Adam Levine and company appear to be in a better place.  Moving away from glitzy modern pop and synths, you can hear guitars and vocals sans effects.  Don’t call it a triumphant comeback but “Middle Ground” is a partial return to form – a step in the right direction.

“Sisters and brothers are picking sides / And both of our mothers are terrified,” Levine sings in the pre-chorus, perturbed by a polarizing state.  He continues singing, “And I’m crying out to an empty sky.” On “Middle Ground,” he and the band seek just that – balance in between two extremes.  The songwriting isn’t the second coming – even with seven writers (!) – but seems to have good intentions.  In the chorus, he questions how to survive such toxicity. In the second half of the chorus, he sings, “Am I crazy to think that we / Could make it out? / Am I crazier to believe / There’s a middle ground?” The bridge truly highlights that middle ground.  All in all, this 🎛 watt, Pet Nappi, and Jon Bellion production feels like a step in the right direction for the band.  🎵 “Middle Ground” isn’t a home run but am improvement over some of their recent work.

via GIPHY

🎙 Maroon 5 • 🎵 “Middle Ground” • 🏷 Interscope • 🗓 5.19.23

[📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Interscope; OpenClipart-Vectors, PIRO via Pixabay]