Maroon 5: It Won't Be Soon Before Long B

"Makes Me Wonder" is the perfect name for the first single off of Maroon 5's sophomore studio album. It Won't Be Soon Before Long begins great, and it is different from anything we've ever heard from this band before, similar to the sounds of Prince and Michael Jackson. From there, however, it goes downhill, with few other tracks that really impress, so much so that it makes me wonder what could have been if they had just stuck to their guns.\nThe band has done several interviews in the last year in which they talked about their upcoming album. They discussed how they felt that their first album, Songs About Jane, didn't really portray the true character of the band. Lead singer Adam Levine told fans that they were much weirder than their first album let on.\nThe first track on the album, "If I Never See Your Face Again," introduces the listener to a new Maroon 5. It's the same old pop-rock with a little bit of soul, but it is bigger and more in-your-face. The single "Makes Me Wonder" does the same, but is much more danceable and synthed out. It's definitely a tune that is going to be stuck in your head. Fans might recognize the chorus of "Nothing Lasts Forever" as the hook that Levine provided for Kanye West's "Heard 'Em Say." One highlight that infuses the album with a little bit of rock is "Can't Stop." The band then reveals the truly new, weird sound they alluded to in "Kiwi," which also includes a pleasantly surprising guitar solo from James Valentine.\nIn this album, Maroon 5 really shows what kind of sound they are capable of. Hopefully, we'll be hearing more of it in the future.