Boy bands: You can’t live with them and you can’t live without them.

The new wave of boy band has gone in a new direction in the past couple of years. British group One Direction has built up a fan base that rivals even Team Jonas, perhaps because of its similarly boyish charm. But One Direction’s talent and catchy lyrics may have bought the band members more than 15 minutes of fame. In their sophomore album, “Take Me Home,” they show that they have at least a little potential.

One Direction has been capturing hearts across the pond since 2010, when the band formed and competed on The X Factor UK. The band finished in third, but soon picked up a sweet deal with Simon Cowell. In 2011, it released its debut album, “Up All Night,” and utter mayhem ensued. Young girls across the globe fell in throw-panties-on-the-stage, pass-out-at-the-concert love with Harry, Zayn, Naill, Louis and Liam, and hits, like “What Makes You Beautiful,” were in heavy radio rotation.

Like it or not, One Direction is fostering the biggest British Invasion since The Beatles. And you have to give its members props: They’re actually pretty talented. The group has tough-as-nails Simon Cowell’s stamp of approval, so you know it can’t be too awful.

You can really see the group’s vocal ability and musicality in songs like “Little Things.” Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran wrote the mid-tempo song as a more subdued version of One Direction’s usual hits, and it is sweet enough to make any girl melt. The song has simple guitar backing and an acoustic feel that lets listeners appreciate each member’s solo.

You then are welcome to take joy in the “little things” that make One Direction shine in the song, such as the small inflection of the band members’ accents or the adorable way they talk about loving the dimples in a girl’s back.

But their staying power lies in their catchy, up-tempo pop songs. The album’s lead single, “Live While We’re Young,” has already been heating up charts due to its fun vibes and danceable lyrics that disguise not-so-subtle innuendos. Unfortunately, that just about sums up the rest of the album. The band has found that it wins with those overly energized pop anthems about love and is sticking to it. But it gets a little repetitive.

We see a little variation in “C’mon, C’mon” when the band uses a more electronic-sounding track, but is soon dissolved in a cliched pop chorus. Then, in “Rock Me,” the group gets a little inspiration from the legendary Queen song and surprisingly doesn’t miss a beat. Heavy percussion and handclaps drive the track, which even shows off a different vocal pattern and style with an edgy rock vibe.

There’s something wrong about “oh” and “nah, nah, nah” being the primary lyrics in a band’s chorus, but that’s One Direction’s gimmick. And so far, it’s working. “Take Me Home” will be another hit for the band. Its songs are catchy and fun, and thus the group has captured listeners under its British boy-band spell.

It’s a little disappointing that the band members don’t have the tight choreography of ’N Sync or the smooth vocals of Boyz II Men, but they do have that undeniable talent and appeal that you wouldn’t dare admit you’d pay for.

Published on November 13, 2012 at 12:43 am

Contact Ibet: ieinyang@syr.edu