Like clockwork, they arrive each November.
We’re talking, of course, about One Direction albums. The British boy band, which formed on the U.K. version of “The X Factor” and quickly escalated to filling stadiums, has given us a new record every year since 2011.
Now, right on time, comes the fifth — and perhaps final — installment: “Made in the A.M.,” which follows the group’s recent announcement that it will take a break next year. In March, Zayn Malik quit One Direction, saying he wanted “some private time out of the spotlight,” then later revealed that he’d signed a solo record deal. It’s virtually impossible to imagine his former bandmates not doing the same.
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So “Made in the A.M.” arrives loaded with heavy-hearted farewell songs. Even if One Direction gets back together, an emotional opportunity like this isn’t to be wasted.
The most memorable of those is “Love You Goodbye,” a throbbing ballad about keeping a doomed romance alive for just one more night. (Like much of the group’s stuff, it’s designed so that fans might reasonably interpret the lyrics as being about them.)
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Madonna performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 27, 2015. Read the review.
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Don Henley performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 9, 2015. Read the review.
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Los Lobos perform at El Gallo Plaza in East Los Angeles on Sept. 29, 2015. Read the review.
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Silversun Pickups perform at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery Masonic Lodge on Sept. 28, 2015. Read the review.
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R. Kelly, cigar and mike in hand, performs at the Forum in Inglewood on Oct. 10. Read the Times review.
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Grace Jones in concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Sep. 27.
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Lauryn Hill performs at the Greek Theatre on Sept. 14, 2015. Read the review.
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Little Big Town band member Phillip Sweet performs at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Sept. 10.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 9/82
Miguel performs at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Sept. 4, 2015. Read the review.
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D’Angelo and the Vanguard performs at FYF Fest at Exposition Park on Aug. 23, 2015. Read the review.
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Morrissey takes the stage at FYF Fest on Aug. 23, 2015. Read the review.
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Solange onstage at FYF Fest on Aug. 23, 2015.
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FKA Twigs performs at FYF Fest at Exposition Park on Aug. 23, 2015.
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Kanye West performs during FYF Fest on Aug. 22.
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Jehnny Beth performs with Savages at FYF Fest on Aug. 22, 2015.
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Taylor Swift performs at Staples Center in August.
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Shania Twain at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Aug. 20.
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Aretha Franklin at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on Aug. 2.
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The Weeknd performs during Hard Summer at the Fairplex in Pomona on Aug. 1, 2015. Read the review.
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Mötley Crüe celebrates the end of another concert, at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore., on July 22.
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John Famiglietti, left, front man Jake Duzsik, and Jupiter Keyes of the L.A. experimental band Health performing at the Echo in Los Angeles on July 22, 2015.
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Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie performing at the Hollywood Bowl on July 12.
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Kendrick Lamar performing at the BET Experience at Staples Center on June 27.
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Underworld performs at the Hollywood Bowl on June 21. Read the review.
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Brian Wilson at the Greek Theater on Saturday, June 20. It was also his 73rd birthday.
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D’Angelo performs at Club Nokia on June 8, 2015. Read the review.
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Ciara performs at Club Nokia on May 30, 2015.
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U2 guitarist The Edge, left, and lead singer Bono perform at the Forum on Tuesday, May 26. It was the first night of five at the venue.
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Guitarist Ron Wood, singer Mick Jagger, drummer Charlie Watts and guitarist Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones play Petco Park in San Diego on May 24, on the opening night of their 2015 American tour.
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Neil Diamond performs at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, May 23, 2015.
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Steve Aoki, EDM DJ, producer and recording artist, performs on Broadway between 4th and 6th streets in downtown Los Angeles, May 16, 2015.
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Rapper Big Sean performs at Rock in Rio in Las Vegas on May 16.
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Sia performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Justin Bieber performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Kanye West performs in shadowy lights during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Ne-Yo performs in front of a full house during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105, in Carson.
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Nick Jonas performs during the Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Center on May 9, 2105 in Carson.
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James Hatfield fronts Metallica at the Rock in Rio Festival in Las Vegas on May 9.
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Chester Bennington and Linkin Park play the Rock in Rio fest in Las Vegas on May 9.
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Tim McIlrath, lead singer for the Chicago-based, melodic hardcore band Rise Against, wades into the crowd at Rock in Rio on May 9.
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Gwen Stefani fronts No Doubt at Rock in Rio in Las Vegas on May 8.
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Janet Weiss, left, and Corin Tucker perform during the
Sleater-Kinney concert at the Palladium in Hollywood on April 30.
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Carrie Brownstein performs during the
Sleater-Kinney concert at the Palladium in Hollywood on April 30.
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Swedish-born soft-indie-rock artist
Jose Gonzalez performs at the Regent on April 30.
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Bassist Dusty Hill, left, and guitarist Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top perform on the Palomino Stage at the
Stagecoach Country Music Festival on April 25.
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Rumer performs at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetary in Hollywood on April 23.
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Kanye West makes a surprise appearance during the Weeknd’s performance at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18.
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Marina and the Diamonds perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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FKA Twigs performs at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Barry Manilow performs at the Staples Center on April 14.
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Florence + The Machine perform during the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12.
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El-P, left, and Killer Mike of
Run The Jewels perform at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 11.
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Brittany Howard of
Alabama Shakes performs at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 10.
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Ariana Grande performs at the Forum in Inglewood, April 8, 2015.
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Rivers Cuomo of Weezer performs with his band at Burgerama on March 28. Weezer was one of the headliners for the two-day festival at Santa Ana’s Observatory.
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Lead singer Zac Carper of FIDLAR performs with his band at Burgerama, the two-day Santa Ana festival thrown by OC DIY impresarios Burger Records.
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Experimental artist Lustmord makes his Los Angeles debut on March 21 at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever.
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R&B singer Chris Brown performs at the Forum in Inglewood. The March 8 show was a stop on his tour with Trey Songz and Tyga.
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Trey Songz performs at the Forum on March 8.
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Alan Jackson performs at the Nokia Theatre on Feb. 27 as part of his
Keepin’ It Country tour.
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Brandy Clark performs as part of Alan Jackson’s
Keepin’ It Country tour at the Nokia Theatre on Feb. 27.
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Caribou performs at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood on Feb. 26.
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Roots rocker
Bob Seger performs at the Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on Feb. 25.
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Tegan and Sara perform with the Lonely Island during the 87th
Academy Awards on Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
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Sarah Barthel of Phantogram performs at the
Air + Style concert and snowboarding event at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Feb. 21.
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Kendrick Lamar performs at the Air + Style concert and snowboarding event at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Feb. 21.
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John Legend performs during a rehearsal for “Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life - An All-Star Tribute” on Feb. 9 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Madonna interacts with a dancer during the 57th Grammy Awards on Feb. 8.
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Patti Smith at the Roxy on Feb. 2.
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R&B singer Tinashe sings to a packed crowd at the El Rey Theatre on Jan. 22.
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Eric Church rocks the house while performing at Staples Center on Jan. 23.
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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue performs at the Grand Plaza during the 2015 NAMM show at the Anaheim Convention Center on Jan. 22. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Sam France of Foxygen performs at the Roxy on Jan. 2.
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Foxygen at the Roxy on Jan. 2. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
“It’s inevitable that everything good comes to an end,” sings Liam Payne to start the tune, before Harry Styles, One Direction’s resident rapscallion, comes in wondering “why you’re wearing that to walk out of my life.” The dumper presenting himself as the dumped? Classic move.
“Long Way Down” is quieter and more introspective, with strummed acoustic guitar and words about falling from a great height: “We had a mountain but took it for granted / We had a spaceship but we couldn’t land it.” The same goes for the delicate “I Want to Write You a Song,” in which Niall Horan promises to leave you with a melody “so any time I’m gone, you can listen to my voice and sing along.”
Awww.
Yet One Direction has always been best at its most lighthearted; the band’s offhand vibe is what sets it apart from its more deliberate boy-band predecessors. And on “Made in the A.M.” the group takes advantage of its nothing-to-lose position with a handful of cuts that feel even loosey-goosier than usual.
The ’80s-style white-soul ditty “Never Enough” layers tart horns and funny voices over a swinging 6/8 beat. “Olivia” is a breezy pastiche of mid-period Beatles gestures laced with studio chatter that calls to mind the Beach Boys’ take on “Barbara Ann.” In “End of the Day,” Styles recounts a romantic confession on a rooftop but winningly undercuts the drama by adding that it was “pretty windy,” so he’s not sure she heard.
You can hear a bit of abandon too in the swaggering “Perfect,” where Styles doesn’t even bother trying to disguise the fact that he’s addressing his ex, Taylor Swift. “If you’re looking for someone to write your breakup songs about,” he sneers, “Baby, I’m perfect.” And the gorgeous “What a Feeling” mines a soft-rock groove that probably doesn’t mean a thing to pre-teen One Direction fans born a quarter-century after Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” came out.
The standard edition of “Made in the A.M.” ends with “History,” in which the singers hint that the perceived perks of pop stardom — “the good champagne and private planes” — have begun to wear after five years of nonstop action. In typical form, though, the song might be the album’s most laidback, a rootsy campfire jam with hollered vocals and live-sounding hand claps.
“This is not the end,” they insist, even as they seem buoyed by the idea that it totally is. Come next November, the only ones not crying are likely to be them.
Twitter: @mikaelwood
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