By Claire Ebbitt, Editor-in-Chief

One Direction has done it again. In case you’ve been hibernating in a cave the past two years, One Direction is five mostly British (one singer is Irish) members of a boy band who gained fame on the United Kingdom’s version of the TV show, “The X Factor,” in 2010.  Each had entered the competition as a solo act, but after all of their eliminations, judge Simon Cowell decided to form them into a band.  Shortly after they won third place, he signed them onto his record label.  Their first album, “Up All Night,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, making One Direction the first UK pop group ever to debut at the top.

The group’s second album, “Take Me Home,” is much like the first with fun songs that are perfect for dancing as well as beautiful, slower tunes. It released on Nov. 13, 2012, and for the Directioners (the official name for avid fans), there is a deluxe version of the album available for $14.99 on iTunes, which includes two bonus songs and exclusive videos.  You can also have five exclusive songs only on Target’s deluxe version for $13.99.

By now, most people probably have heard their first single, “Live While We’re Young.”  It has a catchy beat that is perfect for dancing and is all about taking full opportunity for whatever comes in life.  The lyrics are all about living in the moment and having fun. Watching the music video shows just how much fun One Direction can have. It’s hilarious.

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Other dancing songs are “Kiss You” and “C’mon, C’mon.”  Both have catchy rhythms and addicting lyrics that will make people want to stop whatever they’re doing and have a dance party. Another hilarious song is “Heart Attack.”  The best part is when one of the guys – I’m not sure which one; one of their flaws is they all sound alike – yells “ow!” repeatedly during the song.  It’s a funny addition that just makes you laugh

One Direction took inspiration from another British band, Queen, in the song “Rock Me,” which has the same “stomp-stomp-clap” beat that is in Queen’s classic, “We Will Rock You.”  The lyrics are mediocre, however. They simply repeat the chorus, “I want you to rock me, rock me, rock me, yeah” over and over, but at the end of the song, they switch it up.  They beg for the girl to “R-O-C-K” them again.

The group injects more humor into “Take Me Home” with the song “I Would,” which is a wish for their crush to break up with her current boyfriend because he doesn’t treat her right – like they would. One of their comparisons reveals that they can’t compete with her boyfriend “cuz he’s got 27 tattoos!”

“Take Me Home” also reveals a softer side to the boys, with songs such as “Last First Kiss,” “Change My Mind” and “They Don’t Know About Us.”  These slower songs will make fans across the globe swoon.

The well-known British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran wrote “Little Things,” the other released single. It sounds like a slower, acoustic version of One Direction’s hit song, “What Makes You Beautiful.” The lyrics reveal that a girl’s imperfections – her little things – add up to make her a beautiful person. And, again, the music video is priceless with this song.

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The low points of the album reveal poor singing ability, and all of the songs illustrate the same topic: love. At times, the songwriting is repetitive, but the beats are so catchy you won’t mind so much. In short, “Take Me Home” is the perfect album for the fans who already love One Direction. Those who don’t like the band’s music, however, should probably just stay home.

Click here to visit the official One Direction website, where you’ll find information on getting the new album.

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