Released: November 25, 2013

By: One Direction

One Direction tries to break away from their boy band pop sound on their third album but end up getting a bit lost in deciding what they want to become. Regardless, Midnight Memories has some hidden gems that are too often looked over.

“Story of My Life” is potentially the band’s most genuine song and you their harmonies on the chorus drive their passion, especially with each member getting a solid solo throughout.

The songs that deserved more attention though and show a different direction – no pun intended – the band could have gone as they matured are the ones with more of a folk-rock melody. “Happily” and “Through The Dark” both have a style that’s more similar to The Lumineers than it does to One Direction’s, and they are amongst the best on the album.

Final say: Mostly fond memories. ★★★☆☆