AJR’s new album, The Maybe Man, has my jaw on the floor. Once again, the band of three brothers has churned out an absolute hit—a work with musical genius in every song, each deserving to be listened to over and over and over again. In fact, that is what I did — at this point, I can sing every song, hum every tune, and name the melody by its first note. I would say I have grown to love this album, but in fact, it was love at first listen. The Maybe Man, I can say without a doubt and with great pride, is certainly AJR’s greatest yet.
“Maybe Man” – 5/5
A beautiful opening melody, one that follows in step with every album which has come before. AJR is known for their “overtures,” a musical summary at the start and end of their albums, and Maybe Man is no different. Although it takes on a more abstract form, speaking to the message of the album rather than the actual music, this song perfectly encapsulates a fear of growing up, an uncertainty of who you are, and the trust one must have in themself to keep living every day anyway.
“Touchy Feely Fool” – 6/5
People who struggle with confrontation and find themselves stuck in unfulfilling, one-sided relationships will love Touchy Feely Fool. The song describes the difficulty of speaking your mind, and wanting to quickly move through the most uncomfortable aspects of life, but suffering through it anyway. The song is supremely catchy, with beautiful instrumentals and vocals, and definitely worth a listen.
“Yes I’m a Mess” – 9/5
I hope you notice that these songs just keep getting better. This is definitely one of the best songs on the album, as it is not only relatable — speaking to the desire to start over and live life uninhibited — but also sounds absolutely incredible. You must give it a listen. The song will be stuck in your head within 30 seconds, and won’t leave until you know it front to back.
“The Dumb Song” – 6/5
This song is perfect to scream out the open window of the car, especially after failing a math test or being called stupid by someone you care about. Although the concept is somewhat juvenile, AJR has never claimed to be anything fancy and this song will really take you back to their roots.
“Inertia” – 10/5
I take back what I said about Yes I’m a Mess. Inertia is truly the masterpiece on The Maybe Man, created with both emotional and technical skill. You simply have to listen to it to understand the breathtaking lyricism and effort that went into its creation.
“Turning Out Pt. iii” – 7/5
The Turning Out Trilogy has reached its conclusion in the most perfect song. If you are a follower of AJR, you know that Turning Out is an important song to the singer’s real relationships, and in Turning Out Pt. iii, he succinctly and beautifully surmises the conclusion of an important, all-consuming relationship.
“Hole in the Bottom of My Brain” – 5/5
I think I need to listen to this song a few more times. It is the only song that I can’t seem to catch onto the lyrics of, only because it is a song, within a song, within a song. It just keeps going, requiring multiple listens to even begin to comprehend — so get listening.
“DJ is Crying for Help”- 5/5
The reason this rating is only 100% is because this song was pre-released, so as I listened to the new album it simply did not hold the same pizzaz as all the new songs. Still an incredible listen.
“I Won’t” – 4/5
Love this song! Just not for me.
“Steve’s Going to London” – 15/5
Okay, bear with me here. I changed my mind again. This. Song. Is. Incredible. It isn’t what you would expect, but then again, no AJR song is. There truly is no better song to get to know this band, and starting with Steve’s Going to London will help new listeners understand exactly what AJR is all about.
“God is Really Real” – 8/5
Only listen to this song if you want to sob. Describing the grief of losing a parent, and the lingering hope that everything might soon become okay, God is Really Real is truly the most emotional, deepest song on the entire album. When driving I am careful to skip this song, as I fear the tears might become so overwhelming that I can no longer see. Still, this is one of the greatest songs on the entire album and definitely worth a listen.
“2085” – 4/5
This song is a disappointing conclusion to an incredible album, but it still retains the same larger-than-life orchestral quality that all AJR songs feature. I was sad to see that the band has moved so far away from their original overtures, but still the song wonderfully concludes one of my favorite albums ever.