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One Direction’s new day begins with ‘Made in the A.M.’

Before you read any further, I feel obligated to share with you that I don’t know much, if anything, about One Direction. I’m aware of the basics (like what the guys’ names are and a couple of their popular songs), but anything outside of that is over my head like algebra.

So, if anything in this review is offensive or frustrating to you as a fan of the group, know it wasn’t done out of malice, but out of sheer, blissful ignorance. That being said, “Made in the A.M.” is a noticeably mellow, but undeniably upbeat experience that should please avid 1D listeners and newcomers alike.

After kicking off with the ethereal, organ-backed “Hey Angel,” the boy band’s fifth album immediately follows up with its two lead singles, “Drag Me Down” and “Perfect.”

Due to the fact that it could perpetuate the inferiority of the rest of the track listing, it’s rather odd to hammer listeners with a string of singles so early. That is, unless you’re Adele, and every song on your album is a hit single.

In the case of “Made in the A.M.,” the non-singles are probably the strongest thing about it, as they fully showcase each member’s vocal abilities, lyrical maturity and harmonies so tight and crisp that it seems like they should have been named “N’Sync” as opposed to those other dudes.

For example, “End of the Day” is a masterful mix between a Maroon 5-ish ballad and a typical anthemic pop powerhouse similar to those that put One Direction on the map in the first place. Other tracks, like “Temporary Fix” and “History,” also have the same effect, despite their inherent lack of “danceability.”

However, it’s the slower, more somber offerings that truly give the audience a peek at how the group has evolved since we last heard from them – Besides the fact that they’re now a quartet in the aftermath of Zayn Malik’s departure earlier this year.

Many of the songs are basically testaments to that one special girl the guys long for, but the subject matter also touches upon many of the not-so-sunny aspects of young love.

“Long Way Down” recreates the astronomical highs and bottom-dwelling lows of a failed relationship, “Love You Goodbye” is a final plea to a lost lover and “A.M.,” the title track of the album, is a tender throwback to those late night/early morning conversations and moments shared between friends.

One could say “A.M.” essentially serves as One Direction’s swan song, as they prepare to go on hiatus for an undisclosed period of time in 2016. Others could say the song is a goodbye to Malik, as the bond between bandmates was irrevocably broken once he announced he was leaving.

Either way, it’s a fitting finale for what could potentially be the final time we hear One Direction together before they become boy band nostalgia.

It’s a sad thought, especially if you’ve followed the group since the beginning, but “Made in the A.M.” ultimately will serve as a reminder that no matter what direction Harry, Louis, Liam, Niall and even Zayn take next, the memories they created as one will last a lifetime.

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