One Direction is taking that Mumford and Sons go boy band thing from its new studio album Midnight Memories even one step further. Earlier this week, a new version of the standout track "Happily" arrived online, and this time the UK five piece are going full-on acoustic.
As if raw emotions and delightfully strained, emotive singing didn't come through in the slightly sugary album version of "Happily," the acoustic mix (which comes courtesy of Country Club for Pop) heightens these elements.
A squeaky, plunked acoustic guitar, some speedy banjo playing and just the right amount of hand claps and finger snaps help to make this song a whole new piece.
Then, of course, there are some wonderfully inspired vocal turns from 1D heartthrobs Harry Styles and Zayn Malik. Styles (the true singing star of the group) belts out a scream so intense in the chorus, it can be a bit jarring. Meanwhike, Malik hits a high note near the end of the track that resonates for miles.
Listen to the acoustic version of One Direction's Midnight Memories song "Happily" below:
"Happily" is just one-eighteenth of One Direction's stellar third studio album Midnight Memories, which rung in the New Year with platinum-selling status. The album was also the best selling effort of the UK in 2013, despite being released all the way in November.
