On April 7, The Chainsmokers came out with their first album, “Memories.. Do Not Open.” However this wasn’t always part of The Chainsmokers’ plan — in past interviews they have mentioned that an album was not a top priority. They just wanted to continue to put out singles. But, it wasn’t until they were getting feedback from the fans, that they decided to go through with releasing an album.
They have been very successful, with hits such as, “ROZES,” “Closer” and “Paris” (which ended up being added to the album). Within the last year, the duo has taken a shift with their music, starting with “Closer,” where the song was about sex, regret and passage of time. This single changed the DJs from a true EDM sound, to more of a EDM’s soft “future bass” sound, according to Rolling Stone.
However, with “Memories.. Do Not Open,” critics have felt like The Chainsmokers might be trying too hard, saying that each song sounds similar. An article by Pitchfork commented, it felt like they were trying to top their recent singles, “Closer” or “Paris.” The negative reviews might be due to the DJs being very repetitive with their lyrics, requiring each song being dependent on a hook.
Since the album has come out there have been mixed reviews. I personally would give it about four out of five stars, but it only got two from Rolling Stone magazine.
“Memories.. Do Not Open” has twelve songs about past love, regret, hook ups and loving someone who cannot love you back.
“Breakup Every Night” is about the commonality of couples that break up and get back together. Arguably the best song, “It Won’t Kill You” is about when you see someone from a distance and need to make a move before the moment’s gone. The lyrics might be repetitive, but the hooks just make you want to sing along with your car windows down.
There are some songs that have a great chorus, “Something Just Like This” featuring Coldplay and “My Type” featuring Emily Warren, which give a good story line besides repeating the same two lines.
If you like pop EDM and enjoyed their last few singles, then this album is for you. It’s their type of style, if you’re going to compare it to artists such as Calvin Harris, Zedd or JackÜ then you most likely will not enjoy the album. The Chainsmokers aren’t trying to change who they are again with this album, they just want you to be able to have a good time to their music and catch on to the lyrics quickly.