Personally, I rarely buy an album off of iTunes. Not to imply that I find less “legal” ways to access music, but I tend to handpick songs off of albums as opposed to paying in full. However, I dropped $14 for OneRepublic’s latest album.

Returning to their mountain-western roots, Ryan Tedder and his bandmates draw on Native American and Western culture for inspiration in their third studio album aptly titled, “Native.” Evolving their sound for a current climate of pop radio, OneRepublic also manages to merge a variety of live instruments in heavy beats that’s anything but “mainstream.”

All fourteen tracks, including the three acoustic recordings, are certainly worth the extra expense. I think all of us fell in love with OneRepublic back in 2007 with the release of Timbaland collaboration “Apologize” and “Stop and Stare.” From Top 40 radio stations to the classic rock stations our parents listen to, the singles didn’t seem to fit one specific genre.  The same can be said for the tracks on their latest album.

OneRepublic’s style is versatile. Some might refer to them as pop, others light rock, but one thing is consistent: their imperious sound and lyrics. It’s clear that OneRepublic experimented with new sounds and alternative elements on this album, as opposed to their usual soft pop-rock. Big melodies, walloping ballads and trance-like storytelling sum up “Native.”

The first track, “Counting Stars,” kickstarts the album with an upbeat, electric vibe mixing a heavy bass drum with a whining siren. The lyrics are sappy but the chorus is catchy, “no more counting dollars. We’ll be counting stars.” However, the strongest tracks are undoubtedly “Feel Again,” a single released back in August, and acoustic “If I Lose Myself.”

The acoustic guitar riffs and the quick tread of the violin make for a fun dance beat in “If I Lose Myself,” and it’s hard not to belt out the “Oh Oh Oh Oh’s” of the electric keyboard-infused chorus of “Life in Color.”

But, if you were to handpick songs from this album, “Feel Again” is a must. Tongue-twister melodies and heavy percussion, this is the kind of song you blast in the car, bass up, windows down.

Frontman Ryan Tedder and his four bandmates really pulled off the balance between the upbeat tracks you can’t help but dance to and the slower soulful ballads you sway to.

“Preacher” is definitely one of the slower, sentimental songs. Reflecting on childhood days with his grandfather, a pastor, Tedder touches on sweet nostalgia and gospel.

All in all, I don’t think “Native” will attract a lot new fans. The fact of the matter is, if you’ve liked OneRepublic in the past, you’ll love their new material. OneRepublic seems to be keeping up with the pop-rock genre seen with bands like Imagine Dragons and the Lumineers–they have a way of staying true to their signature sound while evolving with the ever-changing Top 40 landscape–but, I wouldn’t say that this album reclaims their Timbaland glory days.