You Are OK

You Are OK
Studio album by
The Maine
ReleasedMarch 29, 2019
Recorded2018[1]
GenreAlternative rock[2]
Length44:27
Label8123
ProducerMatt Squire
The Maine chronology
Lovely Little Lonely
(2017) 		You Are OK
(2019) 		XOXO: From Love and Anxiety in Real Time
(2021)
Singles from You Are OK
  1. "Numb Without You"
    Released: January 16, 2019[3]
  2. "My Best Habit"
    Released: February 22, 2019[4]
  3. "Broken Parts"
    Released: March 22, 2019[5]

You Are OK is the seventh full-length album by American rock band The Maine, released on March 29, 2019.[6] "Numb Without You" was released as the lead single and "My Best Habit" and "Broken Parts" were the last two singles released from the album.[7]

Background and recording

[edit]

The band worked with producer Matt Squire for their seventh album You Are OK. Squire previously worked with the band on their first album, Can't Stop Won't Stop in 2008.[8] The album was influenced by Tears for Fears.[9]

In December 2018, lead singer John O'Callaghan confirmed that the album had been completed.[1][7] It was also revealed that guitarist Jared Monaco had almost quit the group prior to the release of You Are OK.[10]

O'Callaghan revealed the meaning behind the name You Are OK via an Instagram post saying, "I decided to name this album those three small words for no better reason than to speak to myself." He continues by stating, "Selfish as it may be, I need to hear those words often, and if they somehow resonate like they did with this someone across the world then I accidentally did at least a little good while I was alive. Moral is, words are more powerful than ever, use them with the utmost care."[11]

In support of the album, the group toured across Europe, the US and Brazil from April to June 2019.[12] They also performed at the 2019 Sad Summer Fest.[13] The band embarked on the Mirror Tour in the fall of 2019 with support from Twin XL.[14] You Are OK won the Rock Sound award for Album of the Year in 2019.[15]

Release

[edit]

The album was officially released on March 29, 2019.[6] Upon the album's release, it spawned three singles. The lead single, "Numb Without You" was released on January 16, 2019.[7] "My Best Habit" was released as the second single from the album on February 22.[16] Just a week before the album's release, the third and final single, "Broken Parts" was released on March 22.[17]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
idobi10/10[18]
Sputnikmusic1.5/5[19]
Upset[2]

You Are OK was met with positive reviews from music critics. Timothy Monger of AllMusic described the album's sound as an, "increasingly slick contemporary pop territory with big melodic choruses, loads of hooks, and a more varied palette of sounds."[20] Sam Devotta of idobi praised the band for consistently mixing up their sound and rewarded the album a 10 out of 10 rating.[18] Jack Press of Upset stated that the album is, "by far the most confident album The Maine have made, stacking risk after risk up on a pedestal from EDM-wrapped orchestral strings ('Numb Without You') to nine-minute alt-prog jams ('Flowers On The Grave').[2]

A negative review came from Sputnikmusic remarking, "You Are OK's main problem: The Maine are at their most ambitious, I guess, but in the wrong ways. Production flourishes and a new song structure hamper their strengths here [...] The Maine best go back and start caring about the right things and who they are as a band."[19]

Track listing

[edit]
You Are OK track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Slip the Noose"4:03
2."My Best Habit"3:54
3."Numb Without You"3:32
4."I Feel It All Over"4:00
5."Heaven, We're Already Here"4:39
6."Forevermore"2:51
7."Tears Won't Cry (Shinjū)"4:12
8."One Sunset"3:33
9."Broken Parts"4:20
10."Flowers on the Grave"9:23
Total length:44:27

Personnel

[edit]

Members

  • John O'Callaghan – lead vocals, piano
  • Jared Monaco – lead guitar
  • Kennedy Brock – rhythm guitar, vocals
  • Garrett Nickelsen – bass guitar
  • Patrick Kirch – drums, percussion

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for You Are OK
Chart (2019) Peak
position
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[21] 74
US Billboard 200[22] 52
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[23] 1
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[24] 4
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[25] 5

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Geordie Gray (December 7, 2018). "The Maine announced tour dates and confirmed that their album is finished". Don't Bore Us. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Jack Press (March 25, 2019). "With everything sounding bigger and better than ever before, 'You Are OK' is The Maine's definitive soundtrack". Upset Magazine. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "Numb Without You - Single by The Maine". Apple Music. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  4. ^ "My Best Habit - Single by The Maine". Apple Music. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  5. ^ "Broken Parts - Single by The Maine". Apple Music. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "You Are OK - Album by The Maine". Apple Music. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Geordie Gray (January 16, 2019). "The Maine announce new album 'You Are Ok', release first single". Don't Bore Us. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  8. ^ Logan White (July 30, 2018). "The Maine To Begin Work On New Album With Matt Squire In October". Substream Magazine. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  9. ^ "The Maine unveil details, influence for forthcoming album 'You Are Ok'". Alternative Press. January 31, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  10. ^ "Jared Monaco almost quit the Maine prior to 'You Are Ok'". Alternative Press. March 12, 2019. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "The Maine offer heartfelt explanation for 'You Are OK' album title". Alternative Press. February 27, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  12. ^ "THE MAINE announces new album 'You Are Ok' for March 29th release". Rock 'N' Load. January 16, 2019. Archived from the original on August 11, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  13. ^ Logan White (March 19, 2019). "Sad Summer Festival 2019: The Maine, Mayday Parade, State Champs, The Wonder Years, More To Appear". Substream Magazine. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  14. ^ "Are You Ready to Step into The Mirror? The Maine Announce The Mirror Tour". idobi Radio. August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  15. ^ "Introducing Your 2019 Rock Sound Award Winners!". Rock Sound. December 6, 2019. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  16. ^ Alex Darus (February 22, 2019). "The Maine release second single 'My Best Habit' from upcoming album". Alternative Press. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  17. ^ Alex Darus (March 22, 2019). "The Maine release emotional third single from 'You Are OK'". Alternative Press. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Sam Devotta (March 28, 2019). "Album Review: The Maine - You Are OK". idobi. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  19. ^ a b "The Maine - You Are OK". Sputnikmusic. March 31, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  20. ^ Monger, Timothy. "You Are OK - The Maine Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  21. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  22. ^ "The Maine Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  23. ^ "The Maine Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  24. ^ "The Maine Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  25. ^ "The Maine Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
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