Made in the A.M.: Exclusive Track-by-Track Review

Made in the A.M. is the fifth studio album from pop superstars One Direction before they officially embark on a hiatus. The band, made up of Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Niall Horan, have insisted they will be back and as they take a break, this album is what they leave behind until further notice.

Hey Angel

Contrary to what you’d draw from the title, Hey Angel is a fast-paced, up-beat track written by Mr Harry Styles. Hey Angel is the equivalent to the first song on their previous album (Four), Clouds, because of its electronic edge. While it doesn’t tug at any heart strings, the track is a wonderful introduction.

Drag Me Down

Drag Me Down‘s irresistible hook and rhythmic beat is its best quality. It was the first single from Made in the A.M. and (thankfully) shows a whole new level of musical maturity in this album.

Perfect

As the second single from the album, Perfect had to be catchy and lyrically easy-going. And it is just that. The track, penned by band members Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles, is one of the most polished, bubble gum songs on the album and sounds strangely similar to Taylor Swift’s hit song Style.

Infinity

Perhaps one of One Direction’s most beautiful songs ever, Infinity is pitch perfect. There’s a lot of pain and raw emotion in the boys’ voices when you listen to this song, despite it not being written by any of the band themselves. Infinity is stunning and definitely something we can look forward to more of.

End of the Day

Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson have outdone themselves with this up-beat and extremely clever love song that has a hook to die for. It’s one of their most impressive to date and really showcases the boys’ talent for songwriting that has simply flourished over the past five years. A thumbs up from us.

If I Could Fly

If I Could Fly is one of the best songs on the album, of the band’s and, frankly, ever. It is a beautifully written (by no other than Harry Styles) love ballad about missing someone who you clearly have an intimate bond with – evident from the lyric, ‘for your eyes only, I’ll show you my heart’. The most painful part, though, is Louis Tomlinson’s solo about having ‘scars’, accurately recounting the harsh realities of many of their fans.

Long Way Down

Long Way Down in particular isn’t a song that many can identify with. Clearly about the height of One Direction’s fame, it’s something that we can only spectate on, rather than experience. Despite this, the slow and laid-back ‘attitude’ of the song, penned by the band’s own Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson, is elegantly done and transports you into their world at the top of pop.

Never Enough

We’ve never had grunting in a One Direction song, but it fits surprisingly well with Never Enough‘s bridge and chorus. The track completely gets you and you’re hooked immediately on the irresistible melodies.

Olivia

Harry Styles’ Olivia is by a mile the most up-beat, soppy love song they’ve got on Made in the A.M. but you can’t help but fall in love with its sound, the hooks and the vocals from both Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne in particular.

What a Feeling

Personally, What a Feeling isn’t one of my favourites and ranks low when it comes to the best of 1D. The grunge track has recently been compared to Fleetwood Mac – and rightly so, as it does have their vibe, but unfortunately I just don’t ‘get’ it.

Love You Goodbye

It’s not often that a One Direction really, really moves you to the point where you actually feel pain, but Love You Goodbye does that the whole way through. The epic breakup ballad written by Louis Tomlinson is the one he had the biggest “personal influence” in, blows all and any expectations out of the water. It’s emotional and it’s evidently Louis’s song, which surges forward with a huge key change towards the end.

I Want to Write You A Song

I Want to Write You A Song is lyrically impressive (‘I want to build you a boat, one as strong as you are free’) and also has Louis Tomlinson’s soft, hot caramel voice taking the lead vocals. For One Direction, a song like this is not their usual and it’s clear that the four-piece are no longer phased by following musical trends. And if I Want to Write You A Song is the end result, perhaps it’s for the best.

History

Everything about History is faultless. This track is the one that the boys have dedicated to their fans as it describes how without them, ‘life is just a lie’. It was released to those who pre-ordered the Deluxe album on Friday and almost instantly became the top trending topic in the world on Twitter. History is genuine, authentic and mature and it is also a fitting tribute by Louis and Liam at the end of the standard edition of the album. It’s also important to note that ‘this is not the end’ is repeated in the track as a key component of the message they’re sending out to fans.

Temporary Fix

Temporary Fix is the raunchy song of Made in the A.M. and was penned by Niall Horan who never usually appears to be so, er, rock influenced. Nevertheless, I love the rock undertones in the track and how it allows the band to explore a different corner of music and lyrics. It’s poles apart from the likes of Perfect, but it is One Direction at their prime.

Walking in the Wind

The rhythm throughout Walking in the Wind is very ’80s – something greatly welcomed by many of the fans and critics alike. Penned by Harry Styles, the track emphasises once again that ‘it’s not the end’ and the vocals from both himself and Louis Tomlinson are effortlessly stunning.

Wolves

Wolves is irresistibly One Direction at their most ‘boy band’ with its catchy lyrics and chorus penned by Niall Horan. The track is something you’d have heard on their second (and best) album Take Me Home and is therefore very pop, fun and lively.

A.M.

Co-written by all four boys, A.M. is clearly about all of the late nights and early mornings they have shared together on tour buses and private jets while travelling the world. A fitting tribute to the past five years of their life, A.M. is melody after melody and it’s a song loved dearly by fans.

Made in the A.M. is released this Friday (13th November).