The Fourth World (album)
| The Fourth World | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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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The Fourth World is the debut studio album and major label debut by the band Kara's Flowers, who later became known as Maroon 5. The album contains 11 tracks, plus one bonus track on the Japanese edition.
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
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [7] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[8] |
| Pitchfork | 3.5/10[9] |
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 tracks are written by Adam Levine, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Soap Disco" | 2:40 | |
| 2. | "Future Kid" | 4:44 | |
| 3. | "Myself" | 3:05 | |
| 4. | "Oliver" | 2:38 | |
| 5. | "The Never Saga" | Levine, Jesse Carmichael | 3:58 |
| 6. | "Loving the Small Time" | 3:32 | |
| 7. | "To Her, with Love" | 2:52 | |
| 8. | "Sleepy Windbreaker" | Levine, Carmichael | 3:05 |
| 9. | "Pantry Queen" | Levine, Carmichael | 3:46 |
| 10. | "My Ocean Blue" | 3:11 | |
| 11. | "Captain Splendid" | Levine, Carmichael | 5:59 |
| Total length: | 39:30 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Buddy "Two Shoes" Wilson" | Levine, Carmichael | 2:29 |
| Total length: | 41:59 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Soap Disco" | Levine | 2:40 |
| 2. | "Captain Splendid" | Levine, Carmichael | 5:59 |
| 3. | "Yesterday When I Was Handsome" | Ryan Dusick, Josh Dusick, Levine | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Buddy "Two Shoes" Wilson" | Levine, Carmichael | 2:28 |
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
Release history
| Region | Date | Edition | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | August 19, 1997 | Standard | CD | Reprise | [10] |
| Japan | October 5, 1997 | WEA Japan | [11] | ||
| United States | May 25, 2004 | Reissue | Rhino Entertainment | [12] | |
| Various | January 24, 2020 | Limited | Vinyl | Music on Vinyl | [13] |
References
- ^ Buss, Bryan. "Kara's Flowers - "The Fourth World"". AllMusic. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- ^ Cafarelli, Carl (1998). "Kara's Flowers". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. p. 623.
- ^ a b "Kara's Flowers". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
- ^ VH1.com: Kara's Flowers Artist Page Accessed August 18, 2007.
- ^ allmusic: Kara's Flowers Accessed August 18, 2007.
- ^ a b The Fourth World (CD booklet). Kara's Flowers. Reprise. 1997.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ AllMusic review
- ^ a b Lanham, Tom (August 15, 1997). "The Fourth World". Entertainment Weekly. No. 392. p. 74. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ Moll, Susan (January 2005). "Kara's Flowers: The Fourth World". Pitchfork. Archived from a dead link on November 2, 2005. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- ^ "Kara's Flowers – The Fourth World". Rate Your Music. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ "Kara's Flowers – The Fourth World" カーラズ・フラワーズ (フォース・ワールド). Discogs. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ "Kara's Flowers : Fourth World CD (2004) - Rhino". Oldies.com. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ "Kara's Flowers – The Fourth World (Limited Edition)". Music on Vinyl. Retrieved August 8, 2023.