“The new record is the most important record that we’ve made,” is what a band called The Maine told PopSugar about their seventh studio album,“Lovely Little Lonely”, that was released on April 7.  The Maine, having recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary, formed in 2007 in Arizona and have continued to release feel good, soul warming music.

“Bad Behavior” was released as the first single off of“Lovely Little Lonely” andis one of the few tracks on the album that holds true to what listeners would expect from The Maine. Besides the familiar feel, this track lacks any sense of diversity and is only kept afloat from the lyrical intrigue. 

The second single from “Lovely Little Lonely” is track four, “Black Butterflies and Deja Vu” which is catchy and entertaining. Speed plays a huge part on this track and is what keeps the listener involved. 

“Little,” “Lonely” and “Lovely” are all songs on the album as well as being the title. Although preludes and interludes have been an interesting venture on albums for years and still remain that way, The Maine really missed the mark with these three songs. 

“Lovely” appears as the third track on the album and can be explained as exaggerated elevator music for all 34 seconds of the song. The album would still portray the same meaning and context without this song which renders the track useless. 

The Maine told PopSugar, “all of the songs kind of go into the next one. It’s meant to be listened to in full, which is the first time we’ve ever made a record like that.”

Both “Little” and “Lonely” have some purpose on this album, but they still seem too full of electronic and vocal manipulation to ever be a core part of The Maine’s live performances. 

Surprisingly, The Maine told PopSugar, “the record was pretty challenging to make because the expectation that we put on ourselves….We didn’t let any songs pass through unless we felt it was exactly perfect.”

“Lovely Little Lonely” is a personal album, but it feels generic. Easy relatability might sell music, but it doesn’t provide anything in terms of artistic technique and influence. 

The Maine’s last album, “American Candy,” seemed to grasp the concept of relatability better but also understood that people need imagery to fully connect to an album. 

Nostalgia is something that The Maine has mastered and it’s a major part of “Lovely Little Lonely.” 

“Lost in Nostalgia” is a unique dance tune that compliments lead singer John O’Callaghan’s voice beautifly. The synth used on this track is different from the others and blends better with The Maine’s style. 

Another track filled with the golden bliss of nostalgia is “Do You Remember?” in which O’Callaghan sings, “Do you remember the other half of twenty three? All lit up together full of guts and dopamine.”

“I Only Wanna Talk to You” begins with a country derived intro, but continues to be a gentle ballad. Along with the upbeat bop “How Do You Feel?,” the second half of “Lovely Little Lonely” proves to be the glue thatholds album together.

“Lovely Little Lonely” is a conclusive album that flows together well, but it lacks a certain excitement that is associated with The Maine. It’s the kind of album that will grow on you overtime, but at first listen isn’t anything special.