Maroon 5's Overexposure Shows Off Just The Right Moves

You gotta sympathize a bit with Maroon 5 tonsil flasher Adam Levine. Where matters of the heart are concerned he's one conflicted dude. He wants to leave her but can't. His mind tells him she's no good for him but her body is convincing him to stick around. Such concerns take center stage throughout his band newest offering, "Overexposure". "Payphone" has already made serious Billboard chart impact by showcasing Adam's somewhat legendary cynicism about the likelihood of smooth flowing love. Wiz Khalifa slices and dices the point that she doesn't know what's she's giving up. "The Man Who Never Lied" magnifies the dilemma of a man who in fact never lied until he had to come to grips with staying with a woman who hurt him even though he very much wants to bolt Reason? He couldn't hurt her the same way. There's an undeniable crescendo building due in no small measure to Matt Flynn's showdown inducing efforts behind the kit. Adam's the ringmaster for this circus of unrest. "Beautiful Goodbye" is a fragile creation but by no means unworthy of repeated listenings. James Valentine applies a delicate touch with his guitar. Levine's lyrics will melt hearts in seconds. Many's the man who could identify with how perfect his woman looks when crying. That's a juxtaposition of feeling that Adam has down to a science. If you need something that coos "dance floor" then look no further than "Doin' Dirt". Temp keyboardist PJ Morton liberally shakes his pixie dust all over this ballsy treat. Sometimes even naked songs come across better than bells and whistles overload. "Sad" narrows the heartstring focus down to PJ's keys and Adam kicking himself for making the wrong moves along romantic pathways. Another mouth watering attraction is "One More Night" which I swear comes complete with a reggae embossed flavor that's sure to win converts to the Maroon 5 camp and reinforce the devotions of the already converted. This band's previous set "Hands All Over" was an embarrassment of riches that left me exhausted after its 60 minutes plus voyage completed. While "Overexposed" isn't quite that grandiose in presentation but is still an admirable addition to Maroon 5's body of work. Expect a nice rocket ride back to the top of the heap for this California quintet.