It Won't Be Soon Before Long

Background

It Won't Be Soon Before Long has 12 songs, plus 6 bonus tracks. The band stated in interviews that the album has a different feel to it from their 2002 debut album Songs About Jane. The songs are not all based on one specific relationship, as in Jane, and also have a different sound than their first album, being more electric and drawing inspiration from such artists as Talking Heads, Michael Jackson and Prince. A review written prior to the album's release described the songs as having a very retro feel. Adam Levine explained that this record is a little more self-confident and powerful lyrically: "...you can dance to it, there's a little more attitude."

According to Levine, working with other artists had influences on the album: "Kanye West and Alicia Keys are amazing talents, in totally different ways. Just seeing such amazing people working in the studio. I definitely took things away from them."

The chorus of "Nothing Lasts Forever" is the same as the one used in the Kanye West single "Heard 'Em Say", which features Adam Levine, with exclusion to the line: "...the distance between us makes it so hard to stay..." The song has also featured in a trailer for the movie Definitely, Maybe.

Critical reception

Initial critical response to It Won't Be Soon Before Long was positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 66, based on 14 reviews.

Allmusic rated the album 4.5 stars out of 5, commenting that the production of the album "is so immaculate that it glistens". Billboard rated it 4.5 stars. This album was #32 on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.

Singles

"Makes Me Wonder" was released as the lead single from the album on March 27, 2007.

The second single, "Wake Up Call", was released on July 17, 2007.

"Won't Go Home Without You" was released as the third single on November 19, 2007.

"If I Never See Your Face Again" was re-recorded to feature singer Rihanna, and released digitally on May 2, 2008 as the fourth single to promote the June 2008 re-issue of the album, impacting mainstream radio stations on May 15, 2008.

The music video for the fifth and final single, "Goodnight Goodnight", was released on August 21, 2008. On November 3, 2008, the single was released in Brazil.

Despite not officially being released as a single, "Nothing Lasts Forever" managed to chart at number 23 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, which is equivalent to #123 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Performances

Standard edition

All tracks written by Adam Levine, except where noted.

Reissue

It Won't Be Soon Before Long was reissued in expanded form on June 29, 2008 in Australia and July 8, 2008 for the rest of the world via A&M/Octone. The package included a bonus DVD with four music videos and a full concert recorded on June 13, 2007 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The reissue contained the original 12 tracks plus five B-sides: "Infatuation", "Miss You Love You", "Until You're Over Me", "Story" and "Losing My Mind". Also added onto the track list is "If I Never See Your Face Again", Maroon 5's then-newest single featuring Rihanna. The Australian and UK versions included one more track, a remix of "Wake Up Call" by Mark Ronson featuring Mary J. Blige.

In Australia, the CD was only available as the "Special Edition", and the DVD was not included as the Limited Edition featured a DVD. The UK version also does not include the DVD.

Certifications

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Credits and personnel