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After huge worldwide anticipation from Directioneers everywhere, the boys are back in full force. And not just any boys either -- I'm talking the boys of our current U.K. obsession, One Direction.

 

Their second album, Take Me Home, will be officially released tomorrow (November 13), and although it has not been very long since the boys’ first album, Up All Night, we are thoroughly excited that we now have new material to listen, dance, swoon, and fangirl to and completely obsess over.

 

Although a much more mature sound than their first album, Take Me Home still consists of the same fun, exuberant, and feel-good songs the boys are known for while playing around with new ideas and lyrical content. With some of the tunes penned by some of our other fave U.K. imports, including singer-songwriter extraordinaire Ed Sheeran and McFly’s Tom Fletcher, let’s take a closer look the album, track-by-track, and see why we love it so much and why it deserves a crowning spot in boy band history!

 

"Live While We’re Young"

The first single off of the sophomore effort, "LWWY" is the perfect ode to being young and having fun, accompanied by an amazing video that made everyone who listened to it just want to get up, dance, and party the night away.

 

"Kiss You"

If this song won’t make you want to hit the beach and jam all night long to it, we don’t know what will. “Kiss You” is like a modern-day spin on and reminiscent of those old '60s beach movies, and we would absolutely revel in being able to wiggle and jive in the sand to lyrics like "We can go out any day, any night / Baby, I’ll take you there, take you there.”

 

"Little Things"

One of the slower songs on the album, “Little Things” knows exactly how to pull on our heart strings and make you swoon. What fan wouldn’t want to be told by five handsome British boys that, no matter their flaws, they are still perfect? This is also the first song on the album written by Ed Sheeran, making for a killer songwriting combination of Sheeran lyrics and 1D vocals.

 

"C’mon C’mon"

A more club-themed tune than most of the other tracks off of Take Me Home, this song is obviously a great dance track that shouldn’t go unnoticed, even though most of the album is sentimental. Consider it like the dance break of the entire album, which has a more touchy-feely, acoustic vibe.

 

"Last First Kiss"

Another swooner song, this tune beckons star-crossed lovers who might not have had the easy road in any relationship to take a chance and “let me be your last first kiss / Take it all the way like this.”

 

"Heart Attack"

A personal favorite from a lot of Directioneers, because of the jaunty “OWW” you can hear throughout the chorus, “Heart Attack” is like the perfect cheesy-yet-endearing pickup line for any guy trying to win over an incredibly gorgeous girl with lines like, “You’re all I ever wanted,” and “You’re giving me a heart attack / Lookin’ like you do.” Smooth!

 

"Rock Me"

“Hit the petal, heavy metal, show me you care,” beckons this rocking banger that is almost suggestive of old-school, classic rock songs, and all we ever really want to do is, indeed, rock it out with 1D!

 

"Change My Mind"

A soft acoustic guitar is all you really need to accompany the vocals of this fundamental love song that is not only one of the main characteristics of the Take Me Home album, but the entire sound of our favorite boy band.

 

"I Would"

This song finds the boys comparing themselves to other guys who are in love with their girls, and although we admit we might be more than a little bit enamored with the fact they are in a mega-huge boy band, we might have to be partial and pick 1D over all others. Fave line: “I thought things were going all right / With a sign on my back saying ‘kick me’ / Reality ruined my life.” 

 

"Over Again"

It’s obvious that “Over Again” was the second Take Me Home track written by Ed Sheeran, made evident in the way the boys try to sing like him throughout the entire song. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? So, why not? The song is really good to listen to on a chill day when all one really has to do is lounge around on the couch drinking hot chocolate and watching the rain fall outside the window.

 

"Back For You"

THIS song is what every girlfriend wants to hear from their busy boyfriend, with lines that read, “Baby, you don’t have to worry, I’ll be coming back for you,” you can rest assured that, although someone may not be with you at your side all the time, they will always be there for you. “Back For You” is probably the best song on the entire album, showcasing how much their sound has matured and grown since Up All Night.

 

"They Don’t Know About Us"

Rumored to have been written about band member Louis’s longtime girlfriend Eleanor, “They Don’t Know About Us” motions for those pesky relationship haters to step to the side. Another good song for boyfriends to sing to their girlfriends when they are feeling low, how can you not fall in love with the lyrics, the supple piano playing in the beginning, and the boys belting out, “I just wanna tell the world that you’re mine, girl!”?

 

"Summer Love"

Although certainly the dark horse of the lineup, “Summer Love” sounds sort of like a mix of folk and country but is a solid stand-alone ballad, and a sweet way to end one of the most highly-anticipated sophomore albums of the year.

 

There you have it! Anything but a sophomore slump, this album is jam-packed with sure-fire hits, and if you have yet to pick up Take Me Home, make sure to go out and grab a copy when it hits store tomorrow. You definitely won’t be disappointed with its performance; after all, it is One Direction!

 

In the meantime, get you 1D fix with our exclusive chat with Zayn, Louis, and Liam backstage after their big performance on the "X Factor"!

 

 

 

 

- Raffy Ermac, YH Staff