AJR: The Maybe Man

By Nikitha Mennem

AJR’s newest album “The Maybe Man” released on Friday November 10. The album is a tribute to their previous releases, continuing the use of sharp and intriguing mixed instrumental audios that they’re known for. The brothers, Adam, Jack, and Ryan, amplified the themes that emerged from previous albums: grappling with mental health from the pressure of fame, finding love, dealing with the emotions of their parents’ divorce, and self-discovery.

The titling song “The Maybe Man” sets the tone for the story being told. Across the group’s discography, one can intake their growth from young men with wild ambitions singing about what’s on their mind to a shared sense of coming to terms with growing up and searching for the purpose of their music and futures. The song highlights the indecision of wanting to be perceived and how to deal with the back-and-forth of the never-ending problems that keep piling on top of each other.

Another song to highlight is “Turning Out Pt. III,” a continuation to the rest of the series. Like the others, it’s the somber midpoint of the album; the lowest low before finding solace in fame and parties and then sobering up again.

Overall, the album balances the continuation of musical theatricalness that set them ahead while expanding on emotional motifs from the past to meld together this new chapter in their lives. It’s a beautifully melancholic album, meant to be listened to alone on a cloudy day, knowing that the sun will peek out again tomorrow.