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“Red Pill Blues” – Maroon 5

Listen, I could sit here and make a joke about how Maroon 5 has been the “Adam Levine Show” for their last few albums, but that’s not a secret. I could comment on how humorous it is that with seven official members, the band sounds more minimalist than ever, but they have been on that path for a while now. The truth is, “Red Pill Blues” is a pop album so alright that it hurts. Most tracks feature Adam Levine doing his best Drake or The Weeknd tribute, a sound that doesn’t best suit the band’s strongest points. I guess the most frustrating part of Maroon 5 as a whole right now is that we know they can write incredible pop songs (take a look back to 2002 or 2007 for proof), they’re just choosing not to.

“The Thrill Of It All” – Sam Smith

Here’s the thing… If you enjoyed Smith’s debut smash LP “In the Lonely Hour,” you will more than likely find much to like about “The Thrill Of It All.” In many ways, it’s essentially part two of his freshman LP. Many of Smith’s gospel and r&b influences are still very prevalent, but his songwriting skills are a bit more subdued this time around and less hook focused. Maybe “The Thrill Of It All” wasn’t the best name for the album, as it wasn’t as thrilling as maybe Smith had hoped.

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