The Fourth World (album)
1997 studio album by Kara's Flowers
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The Fourth World is the only studio album and major label debut by the band Kara's Flowers, who later became Maroon 5. The album contains 11 tracks, plus one bonus track on the Japanese edition.
| The Fourth World | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 19, 1997 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 39:30 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producer | Rob Cavallo | |||
| Kara's Flowers chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
 Japanese cover | ||||
| Singles from The Fourth World | ||||
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Following their 1994 self-released demo album ...We Like Digging?, Kara's Flowers signed with Reprise Records, teamed up with the people who worked with Green Day and released The Fourth World on August 19, 1997.[4] The band had little success with the album and parted with the record label two years later. They continued to explore different musical styles until finally coming together again with James Valentine under the name Maroon 5.[5]
The album was re-released on CD in 2004 with an added message from the band. "Here is a good example of how much we changed over the course of five years. This is the album we made in high school, before James joined the band, before we became Maroon 5. To paraphrase Monty Python, 'Get Ready for something completely different'."[6]
Critical reception
Giving the album a B+, Tom Lanham with Entertainment Weekly said the "optimistic, lyrically awkward kids spend 10 more happy tracks turning the tables on lethargic slacker cynicism, with Green Day producer Rob Cavallo bridling all that youthful zeal."[8]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Adam Levine; all music is composed by Levine, except where noted.[10]
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Soap Disco" | 2:40 | |
| 2. | "Future Kid" | 4:44 | |
| 3. | "Myself" | 3:05 | |
| 4. | "Oliver" | 2:38 | |
| 5. | "The Never Saga" | Levine, Carmichael | 3:58 |
| 6. | "Loving the Small Time" | 3:32 | |
| 7. | "To Her, with Love" | Levine, Carmichael | 2:52 |
| 8. | "Sleepy Windbreaker" | Levine, Carmichael | 3:05 |
| 9. | "Pantry Queen" | Levine, Carmichael, Mickey Madden, Ryan Dusick | 3:46 |
| 10. | "My Ocean Blue" | 3:11 | |
| 11. | "Captain Splendid" | Levine, Carmichael | 5:59 |
| Total length: | 39:30 | ||
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Buddy "Two Shoes" Wilson" | Levine, Carmichael | 2:29 |
| Total length: | 41:59 | ||
Personnel
All credits for The Fourth World are adapted from the album's liner notes.[6]
Kara's Flowers
- Adam Levine – lead vocals, lead guitar
- Jesse Carmichael – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Mickey Madden – bass
- Ryan Dusick – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
Production
- Rob Cavallo – producer
- Jerry Finn – mixing, engineer
- Ken Allardyce – engineer
- Steve Holroyd – engineer
- Mark Agostino – second engineer
- Billy Bowers – second engineer
- Tony Flores – second engineer
- Barry Goldberg – second engineer
- Brandon Harris – second engineer
- Billy Kinsley – second engineer
- John Srebalus – second engineer
- Mike "Micro" Shaw – guitar tech
- Adam Day – guitar tech
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
Design
- Katherine Delaney – layout
- Kara's Flowers – layout
- Noah Gershman – photography