There are many words than can be used to describe One Direction's newest album, "Made in the A.M.," but "honest" may be the best choice.
Producer Simon Cowell discovered the young lads on Britain's television show "X Factor" in 2010. Today, they are grown men and showing their sentimental side in the new album, which was released on Nov. 13.
Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Liam Payne sing about their skyrocketing climb to fame, and the events that happened along their path to becoming the hottest boy band in the world.
Although Zayn Malik is no longer a member of the group, the famous "bad boy" of One Direction is hinted to in lyrics. Many of the lines speak about the sadness of going separate ways. Although the lyrics might sound like the guys are just sad about losing a girlfriend, chances are high that they're really talking about the effect of Malik's split from the band.
It's also clear that the guys are interested in pursuing their solo careers. Many of the tracks deal with being on their own, or simply having fun without responsibilities.
During the One Direction premier party on Sirius XM's Hits 1, Styles admitted that the group wanted to "sing nice little songs that people would like."
There are fast dance hits that are reminders of their first albums, but much of "Made in the A.M." is emotional in mood.
For the song "If I Could Fly", the singers are only accompanied by a piano and seem to grieving the loss the freedom they once had.
In addition to being reflective of their five-year success, One Direction shows signs of inspiration from other artists. Older fans may be able to hear a resemblance to Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, and the more playful songs of Ringo Starr. In fact, some tracks were recorded at Abbey Road Studios, which was the site for many of the Beatles' greatest hits.
Some of the tracks are also easily comparable to today's artists like Maroon 5, Coldplay and Jack Johnson.
In a recent interview on Hits 1, a Sirius XM radio station, band member Liam Payne described recording one of the new tracks, "I Want to Write You a Song," while suffering from a sore throat.
Ironically, his 4 a.m., sore-throat taping of the song turned out to be on of Payne's best efforts.
Fans will agree that much has changed for the band over the last year. With the sudden departure of Malik, Styles has taken over higher-pitched parts and more demanding vocals.
The group also introduced brass instruments, international beats, and a strings section to a few songs. "End Of The Day" sounds like two completely different songs merged into one.
Some characteristics remain the same, though. Horan continues to play acoustic guitar throughout the album. Most tunes are about troubled relationships, yet more upbeat tracks are still flirtatious.
"Made in the A.M." is an album that proves the group has had to work harder to write as well as perform. Each of the singers had a hand in creating lyrics that share their personal stories. The song, "Long Way Down" reveals a sorrow for the group they once were; as if the four singers know they'll never experience the same popularity again.
But, One Direction insists that their upcoming break, which was announced in August is not a break-up, as implied in "Walking In The Wind." They've made many posts on social media stating that the break doesn't mean a break up. Instead, they'll use the time to work on solo projects.
Until they reunite, expect songs like "History" to be used as graduation tributes, prom themes, and backgrounds for class videos.
The "Made in the A.M." deluxe, fan-edition album contains four bonus tracks that do not appear on limited edition cover CDs.
Some critics will argue that this is One Direction's farewell album.
Will the band be able to pick up where they left off, or will they find greater happiness in being single? Despite their promises, no one is certain which direction the group will take.
For now, One Direction and its fans will have to decide if "Perfect" is the best way to go out.