By Nisali Fernando – Staff Reporter

One Direction released their fifth and final album on November 13. “Made In The A.M.” represents the resilience of the British-Irish four piece. Unlike past releases, MITAM follows members Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, and Niall Horan through a loss. This “loss” being the departure of member Zayn Malik. Malik’s time in the band boiled down to a cursory goodbye on social media. As expected, the fans were left in the dark about the aftermath following this sudden change. Yet aside from all the smoke and mirrors, One Direction released a surprisingly honest and vulnerable album.

“MITAM” itself offers a more well-rounded view of the pop turned rock boy band. The album itself is littered with lyrics deep enough to be printed on a wall sign and hung up in a home. The use of full orchestras and synthesizers push fans into a new cornucopia of sound. It makes the same boys who gained popularity singing “What Makes You Beautiful” seem like a distant memory.

The band got their start on the X-Factor UK, they lost and placed third in the overall competition but that wasn’t the end of One Direction.  They’ve released four other albums; “Up All Night” “Take Me Home” “Midnight Memories” and “FOUR” and with this current release it boils down to five albums in five years. While most groups would consider this task overwhelming, the growth and maturity between albums is apparent.

The pop album has 13 songs on the standard version and 17 on the deluxe version. Songs “Temporary Fix” “Walking In The Wind” “Wolves” and “A.M” are featured on the deluxe version

“Drag Me Down”, the first single off of the album, was released on July 31st with no warning. It debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and broke the record on Spotify for most streamed track in one day, earning 4.75 million global streams. The mid-tempo track is peppered with reggae influences similar to the band Magic! and closes with strong riffs from Styles.

The album opens with “Hey Angel” a song that draws influence from another popular british band from the 80s. The repetitive hook, “Oh I wish could be more like you, do you wish you could be more like me?,” eerily reminds listeners of the Beatles. It is a distinctively British-pop track and leaves listeners feeling nostalgic once the song is over.

“End of the Day” opens with a strong percussive line, the chorus is previewed with three percussive beats that allow for a beat drop that is unlike 1D’s original sound. Tomlinson finishes the song by belting a high note followed by a unique guitar riff.

“Never Enough” the most unique and eclectic track on the album opens with a war cry. The lyrics are artfully spoken and to most sound like gibberish. The fast-paced track sounds like a modern “Hooked on A Feeling,” but with trumpets.

“If I Could Fly” speaks of long distance love and leaves the listener crying over a love so strong it survives any obstacles. Lyrics such as, “ For your eyes only, I show you my heart. For when you’re lonely and forget who you are. I’m missing half of me when we’re apart.” strikes a literal chord with anyone who’s ever been in love.

“What a Feeling,” which is influenced heavily by Fleetwood Mac, has a synth-heavy, retro sound. The song talks on love at first sight and the feeling of letting love overtake you. Imagine a roller rink on 80s night, colors and sharp,disco music fill a listener’s senses as the song progresses.

While the album and the band itself have taken leaps towards developing a new sound. One Direction continues to play it safe with the songs they choose to release as singles. “Drag Me Down” which introduces a throbbing bass line and intricate guitar riffs still manages to be reduced down to another basic pop track. “Perfect” while a unique track in its own right, lyrics like “Baby I’m perfect, Baby I’m perfect for you” seem repetitive and vague. One Direction recently announced “Infinity” as their next single, essentially copping out and picking a pop-driven song to be played on the radio. While there’s nothing wrong with pop music, songs that show a different side of 1D slowly die out, unheard of by those who choose to only judge One Direction for their pop, bubbly exterior.

While 1D does rarely change it up, they are always identifiable. Regardless of the hatred one may feel for artificial boybands crying about the same old heartbreak. Their music sells. One Direction isn’t for everyone, but if a well-rounded, musically adept album still doesn’t sound appealing, that is 100% okay. There will always be 8-12 year old girls who cry over the love ballads sung by an endearing British beauty. There will always be fans “directioners” as they’re called, who feel a fierce loyalty to their boys, and will support their endeavors.

A song like “History,” dubbed “ a love letter to the fans,” embodies five years of friendship. A sort of parting gift and a sincere thank you for all the fans have done before embarking on their 18-month hiatus. And as of Monday, December 14th, One Direction changed their final single release from “Made In The A.M.” from “Infinity” to “History” due to overwhelming fan support for the folk track.

Though the album may be called “Made In The A.M.,” people will find themselves listening to the album for years to come.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars