No matter how much they try to deny it, Maroon 5 can't shake off the 'we have famous fans like Natalie Portman and Kirsten Dunst' tag that seems to follow them around like a trail of bog roll hanging out of their trousers.  For their second single, the tiresome fact is still being hammered in their press release.  Yeah, whatever.  It's boring, it's unimaginative and it means no confidence in plugging the music, which is supposed to be the most important thing bands bang on about.

'Harder To Breathe' was an impressionable pop record.  'This Love' is just the same, mixing funk and blues with rock'n'roll and the second best song from Songs About Jane.  It's also probably got the steamiest video for daytime viewing - frontman Adam Levine simulating sex with a near-naked model who's his girlfriend too.  If you have seen it, the floating petals running around their bodies is intentional for before-the-watershed broadcasting. 

Having the cheek to shoot a soft-porn video with his real-life girlfriend while the other band members stand around on another part of the set, miming their instruments shows how arrogant frontman Adam Levine is.  It also makes George Michael's 'I Want Your Sex' look pathetic, considering how much of a shockwave that record caused in the 80s.  Good thing this song is so good but how far can being smug go?
(4/5)

Release Date: 19 April 2004

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This Love