As for me namely OneRepublic most of all are thrilled just these lyrics!
And these are all from first to jetztigen album great, in every song. When dealing times with the text, then you realize quickly that this music easily stands out from the rest of the music world, because so far I've never seen in my life such lyrics that still so perfect from the music scene were set so that it literally takes my language. I love that about this band especially, their songs / music are not necessarily completely new, but by the perfect words, this music is just something very special.
I admire this ability also to Ryan Tedder: He is an incredibly good way to make music for the masses (which indeed does not have to be necessarily always bad), but to bring a meaning in the songs that are neither too complex nor too general and is undemanding. Both in music production, as well as in songwriting (yes, he actually does everything). And can write the man truly masterfully, that's why he has become my favorite songwriter when I the text of "Counting Stars" look at me, I always feel like I'm sitting in front of a masterpiece, which are also loose somewhere in an English poem book could. Since rhymes a lot, the text makes you curious, but is not too complicated and harmonious with the melody of the song. And most important: He has a message and you have the feeling, it is a story!
For me he is the best songwriter and you can hear especially in his band.
Compared to the two previous works is "Native" naturally become quite different. The first album a little more melancholy and more rocky, the second then almost symphony-like strikes, always consistent and great lyrics, but it is different from the previous one. So also with Native much more electronic influence and let's say ... altered gait, most of the lyrics are a lot more cheerful than the from the first album. That's why I can understand if some perceive the album as a failure, you get to know a band and love, and then it changes.
I do not know also from the music business, but I also believe that if you're not careful, it can as quickly be over and change is therefore pretty much essential, also because hardly ever so loyal fan for 10 albums, the wants to hear the same.
For me it makes no difference how the music changed, so long as it is homemade and the artist himself is behind it.
And make this 5 luckily again what what one also impressed me and also - in my opinion - can be heard. All self-written, self-produced everything (apart from a few guest writer / -produzenten, as well as Ryan Tedder has been through).
The music on this album draws a simple in its spell, everything is harmonious, no song is a kind of out of place, but one so has his "Huh, what's next?" - Moments that make one curious and ensure that album completely down splashes, without being truly respected.
"Light It Up" and "Can not Stop" were these songs for me, this I did not understand at the beginning, because I had to check it myself, now I love it.
Every song has its own way to inspire and one also notices that the boys like to experiment by not only use the same processes in a song, but also other musical influences and song courses intersperse ("Light It Up" has a great outro, "Do not look down" is a rather brief interlude song before it goes on the Deluxe version and ending on the normal version).
Overall, as I said, it may not please everyone older fan, but you can hear just that there are OneRepublic and since the style is break me then care less.
You have now, more developed of the "The Fray" -like style with which they were compared with the first album so in the direction of Coldplay, but as a poor imitation can not describe it. The texts of OneRepublic are more demanding and more expressive than that of Coldplay, the voice of Ryan Tedder has more expression and extent and the synth pop direction is indeed the same, but a clear distinction between the two bands. In addition, "I lived" and "Counting Stars" again very different influences from country and folk, and rather less electronic, but they fit perfectly into the album, which is why one can not speak of a pure direction.
Overall, I like them as Coldplayfan now OneRepublic precisely because of the lyrics and the voice a little better.
The cello of Brent Kutzle I would like to see in some of the songs even more, because I hear in person only 2 songs, I hope they bring this on the next album again a little more to advantage, because the diverse instrumentation makes OneRepublic unique for me And now for my favorite band. No one plays only one instrument, and they change also live on stage again and again between the instruments.
Of which you will hear a lot and I grew with this album a big fan!