V [LP]

by Maroon 5

Overview

It wasn't noted much at the time, but founding keyboardist Jesse Carmichael sat out Maroon 5's 2012 album Overexposed -- a circumstance that just happened to coincide with Adam Levine capitalizing on his Voice-fueled stardom. Overexposed and over-filled with guest producers and songwriters drafted to compensate for the absent Carmichael, rapper Wiz Khalifa, reliable Swedish hitmakers Max Martin & Shellback, and icy OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder gave the group a steely sleekness to suit contemporary charts. Some of this is retained on V, the 2014 record that marks Carmichael's return to the group, partially because all those guests save Khalifa return for a second helping. The absence of the rapper suggests Maroon 5 aren't quite as concerned with sounding youthful as they were last time around, which is generally true. Some tracks maintain the glossy veneer that overwhelmed Overexposed -- not entirely a surprise with Martin billed as the record's executive producer -- and, despite some unnecessary vocal processing on Levine scattered throughout the record, these are largely the ones featuring returning guests: Tedder co-writes and co-produces the album's lead single, "Maps," a song where Levine's Sting mannerisms steamroll the hooks," while Shellback helms "Animals," "In Your Pocket," and "Feelings," with all but the last placing emphasis on brittle beats. Elsewhere, the vibe shifts slightly back to the soulful pop that's remained at Maroon 5's core since the beginning, here given an ever so slight maturation to balance the modern moves heard on the rest of the record. Sometimes, the group achieves a delicate balance between the two extremes -- "It Was Always You," "New Love," and the aforementioned "Feelings" -- but the best moments on V are when Maroon 5 embrace the tuneful, slightly soulful adult contemporary pop band they've always been, as they do on "Sugar," "Coming Back for You," and the Gwen Stefani duet "My Heart Is Open." [V was released on LP in 2015.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	07/20/2015
Label:	Interscope / Polydor
UPC:	0602547391070

Tracks

1. Maps
2. Animals
3. It Was Always You
4. Unkiss Me
5. Sugar
6. Leaving California
7. In Your Pocket
8. New Love
9. Coming Back for You
10. Feelings
11. My Heart Is Open
12. This Summer

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Maroon 5   Primary Artist
Adam Levine   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Gwen Stefani   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Dr. Luke   Synthesizer Bass,Drums,Guitar,Keyboards,Percussion
Phil Peterson   Strings
Matt Flynn   Drums,Percussion
Jesse Carmichael   Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Sam Farrar   Vocals (Background)
Mickey Madden   Bass
James Valentine   Guitar
Ammo   Drums,Keyboards,Percussion
PJ Morton   Keyboards
Ross Golan   Vocals (Background)
Mattias Bylund   Strings
Jason Fields   Vocals,Handclapping
Shellback   Bass,Drums,Guitar,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Big Sean   Featured Artist
Aryn Wuethrich   Vocals (Background)
Ashley Cahill   Vocals (Background)
Ryan Jackson-Healy   Vocals (Background)
Sam Schamberg   Vocals,Handclapping
Travis Leete   Vocals,Handclapping
Mike Posner   Vocals
Shawn Tellez   Vocals,Handclapping
Johan Carlsson   Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Cirkut   Drums,Keyboards,Percussion

Technical Credits

Jordan Johnson   Composer,Composer
Vincent Perini   Photography
Jeremy "J Boogs" Levin   Production Coordination
Tim Blacksmith   Executive Producer
Linda Carbone   Publicity
Rocwell   Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Danny D.   Executive Producer
Noah Passovoy   Engineer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Producer,Instrumentation,Additional Production,Production Coordination
Serban Ghenea   Mixing
Stargate   Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
John Wozniak   Composer
Gregg Alexander   Composer
Doug McKean   Engineer
John Hanes   Mixing
Ryan Tedder   Composer,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Maroon 5   Programming,Instrumentation
Sam Martin   Composer,Composer,Vocal Producer,Composer
Max Martin   Programming,Vocal Engineer,Executive Producer
Noel Zancanella   Composer,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Mikkel Storleer Eriksen   Composer,Engineer
Tim Roberts   Mixing Assistant
Adam Levine   Composer,Producer
Cirkut   Instrumentation,Producer,Programming
David Silberstein   Production Coordination
Rachael Findlen   Assistant
T. Jimson   Composer
M. Flygare   Composer
Carleen Donovan   Publicity
Michel Flygare   Composer
Karl Schuster   Composer
Matthew Tryba   Engineer
Ammo   Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Cameron Montgomery   Assistant
Seif "Mageef" Hussain   Production Coordination
Eric Weaver   Assistant
Sia Furler   Composer
Danielle Brisebois   Composer
Sia   Composer
Paul Epworth   Composer
Benny Blanco   Composer,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Ross Golan   Composer
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins   Composer,Producer
Nick Lashley   Composer
Eric Eylands   Assistant
Shellback   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Engineer,Instrumentation
Jacob Kasher   Composer
Benjamin Levin   Composer
Tom Coyne   Mastering
Joshua Coleman   Composer
Jason Evigan   Composer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Producer,Instrumentation
Dr. Luke   Programming,Instrumentation
The Monsters & Strangerz   Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Isaiah Tejada   Vocal Producer
Jacob Hindlen   Composer
Lukasz Goltwald   Composer
Jung Lee   Cover Art
Henry Walter   Composer
John Armstrong   Assistant
Mike Posner   Composer
Todd Russell   Design,Art Direction
Phil Seaford   Mixing Assistant
Nate Ruess   Composer
Johan Carlsson   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Producer,Instrumentation
Astma   Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Andrew Luftman   Production Coordination
Tor Erik Hermansen   Composer
Oscar Goerres   Composer
Ozgo   Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Artie Smith   Instrument Technician
Tobias Jimson   Composer
Andre Lindal   Composer,Producer
Clint Gibbs   Engineer
Stefan Johnson   Composer,Vocal Producer
Nick Southwood   Composer
Lukasz Gottwald   Composer
Bradford H. Smith   Assistant
Ammar Malik   Composer
Marcus Lomax   Composer
Chris Sclafani   Engineer
Jonathan Sher   Engineer