Released: November 17, 2014

By: One Direction

It was unknowingly the final album to feature the five men – Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson – of One Direction before Malik’s surprising departure shortly after this release.

While there are some great songs on the album, it’s like the band is still falling into songs that could’ve been released on their first album. Their sound isn’t changing despite their growth as people and artists. The music is catchy, but it hardly digs deep.

On the positive side, the Ed Sheeran-penned track “18” is one of the most beautiful songs that also makes them sound their age. They ache for a love that they’ve always had. There’s also “Act My Age,” which is incredibly fun and features a bit of an Irish jig where they dream of long-lasting love.

Final say: Not their best effort. ★★★☆☆