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.
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.VH1.com: Kara's Flowers Artist Page Accessed August 18, 2007. 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.[ allmusic: Kara's Flowers] Accessed August 18, 2007.
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'."
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."
Track listing
Personnel All credits for The Fourth World are adapted from the album's liner notes.
Kara's Flowers Adam Levine – lead vocals, lead guitar Jesse Carmichael – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Mickey Madden – bass Ryan Dusick – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. – keyboards David Campbell – string and horn arrangements
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 +Release history for The Fourth World Region Date Edition Format Label United States August 19, 1997 Standard CD Reprise Japan October 5, 1997 WEA Japan United States May 25, 2004 Reissue Rhino Entertainment Various January 24, 2020 Limited Vinyl Music on Vinyl
References