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And it another simple fact that it is a quite brilliant piece of work. Split into two halves of six tracks apiece by the fairground instrumental 'Intermission', Maroon maintains a remarkably consistent quality of tune. Opening up with a couple of absolute crackers, you would expect it tail off. Let's face it, most albums do. But - thrillingly - it doesn't.
The lyrics of 'Liar's Club' betray a devastatingly acerbic critique of the phoney social mores of the modern male. And they're welded to a blinding melody - result!
Hard on its heels comes 'I Can't Believe You're Gone', a textbook example of a single that really "should have been massive". It wasn't of course, but that's because less than 1% of the record buying public have heard of The Webb Brothers.
This is a very woozy record. It's seeped in paranoia, comedown, elation. To invent a phrase rather than coin one, it is 'musique verite'. It feels real, although it sometimes depicts a reality that you can only imagine, but you know does exist. Pretty young things OD-ing in LA mansions (Powder Pale). Other times, it talks of a reality that you can identify with quite easily (Sleep if You Can, Flourescent Lights).
And the boys certainly know their way around a tune. There's plenty on here that the proverbial postman could whistle. Essentially, this is a pop album, albeit a pop album with non-pop lyrics. This is particularly handy for people who like listening to their favourite music in order to show their appreciation of it, as opposed to people who just like talking about their favourite music. I mean, how often do such people ever actually listen their My Bloody Valentine albums?
Anyway, in today's climate, it's bands like Travis who are cleaning up, despite peddling inferior material to the Webb Brothers.
But this is nothing to be down about. Instead, take pleasure in the fact that you can whizz along in your motor with "In a Fashion" crashing out of your stereo, whilst passers-by can only scratch their heads and wonder: "Who the f%$k is that? Is sounds BLOODY GREAT!".
Not wishing to appear out of touch, I thought I'd inspect the hype and give Maroon the once over myself.
Trying to sum up this record is hopeless; the strange mixture of despondency and disaffection in the lyrics coupled with wayward, sometimes pop-like harmonies is an uneasy union. Yet Maroon, unsettling as it is, remains addictively compelling. Opening tune, The Liars Club, about false happiness and bogus social codes, demonstrates the album's contradictory themes with its seemingly inappropriate catchy melody. While Fluorescent Lights is full of grand orchestration, talk of failed social events and endured unattractiveness. On the other hand Are You Happy Now? Features the repeated lyric "Happy, happy all smiles", and still manages to be the most downhearted track on the album. What exactly is going on!!?? Who knows? Who cares? What matters is that Maroon is a brilliantly unique record, the sort that gets played when all you want to do is cry, yet come track 13 you'll find yourself brimming with excitement and wearing a great big grin.
This is a really great record, never completely understood yet bizarrely simplistic and instantly appealing, you'll never grow tired of this one.
It's atmospheric, catchy and best of all the lyrics hold up. If you like bands like Jellyfish, Built To Spill, Grandaddy and so on, give it a go. I really can't see too many people feeling that they will have wasted their money if they buy this album. Unless you're into nu-metal. But then that's your problem isn't it?
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