As I walked eagerly into Target today, only one item was on my mental shopping list: One Direction’s new CD, Take Me Home. Upon listening to the album the moment I reached my car, I realized it was everything I had waited for. From their upbeat, energetic songs that made me dance and tap my foot to the songs that had me in awe of the boys’ melodic voices, the album took my breath away.

I was skeptical when I heard of the production of a second One Direction album. I was worried that the songs chosen would not live up to my expectations and leave me wanting more, unlike the first album Up All Night. I was surprised though, when listening to the songs, that I couldn’t control my smile and the giddy feeling inside my stomach.
The album consists of songs focused on a single subject: love. This is, of course, a very relatable topic to their target audience of teenage girls. Several of the 17 tracks are more upbeat and encourage the listener to clap and sing along to the music. Tracks like “I Would” consist of catchy lyrics and several synthesizer sounds to make the verses flow together.
A few other tracks on the album are slower and let you really listen to how talented the group of boys are. The song “They Don’t Know About Us” brings up the struggles the boys face dealing with their love lives and fame. It uses harmonized vocals to send the emotional feelings through to the listener.

Take Me Home used input from the fans to improve their music for this new CD. For instance, in Up All Night, band members Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson were given fewer solos than their other three band mates. Fans requested that this second album include more solos for the two boys and their wish was granted. Tracks like “Little Things” showcase both Tomlinson and Horan’s talent.

Two singles were released previous to the album coming out. “Live While We’re Young” and “Little Things” gave fans a preview before the long-awaited album came out. “Live While We’re Young” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, selling 341,000 downloads in its first week, according to Billboard.com. “Little Things”, written by Ed Sheeran, debuted at No. 4. The album is expected to sell millions copies by the end of the week.

Take Me Home definitely includes very exciting new material, giving fans the songs they’ve been craving. The album will effectively be another success for the boys.

By Alyssa Piecko