Most of us probably know OneRepublic from their first breakthrough hit, “Apologize”. The song was featured on their first album, Dreaming Out Loud. The remix version was on Timbaland’s Shock Value CD. The song was literally everywhere, from Grey’s Anatomy episodes, to blockbuster movies and even commercials. Then, seeing them open for Maroon 5 in concert a few years ago sealed the deal for me as being a fan of their music. I must admit, I haven’t heard their first album in its entirety, but I love their second release, Waking Up. That album was just pure genius in my opinion. So, needless to say, I had extremely high expectations for their new CD, Native.
First of all I will say that no artist should try to capitalize on prior hits by making the same kind of music over and over. Unfortunately, sometimes that can be a letdown for the fans. But OneRepublic are true artists, because Native is definitely not a carbon copy of their previous work. There are no pop rock anthems like “All The Right Moves” and “Good Life” from last album. “Feel Again”, the group’s teaser charity single is probably the closest to almost bubblegum mainstream, but pulls back just enough to not be classified as such. Instead, the group opts for a more contemporary adult style that surprisingly works. Ironically, all of the album’s tracks are very melodic and have memorable hooks. But the group does this with ease and it doesn’t appear to be a contrived situation.
The one great thing that OneRepublic has on their side is that the lead singer Ryan Tedder can actually sing. Although the group’s musicians are also outstanding, it always helps to have a nice voice over a great track. In case you’ve been sleeping on OneRepublic vocally, make sure to check out the song, “Burning Bridges”. I have a feeling this one will eventually be a single. With their third album in only 7 years, One Republic proves they are much more than a one hit wonder and they have plenty of hits left in them. I really hope Native goes far for them. Real music is seldom applauded and One Republic definitely is deserving of a round of applause for their contributions to the music industry.
What do you think of the group? Have you heard their new album?
