For anyone who has gone through what it takes to start a band, you will know what The Maine went through in making their first album “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.”

The five guys from Tempe, Ariz. were teenagers, a couple still in high school, without knowing what they were getting into. Now, after two years of touring and a new album, they are starting to get a better idea about what being a band means.

Many artists look for that specific direction they want to go with their music, and The Maine members are beginning to navigate what they think is the right direction, with the material on their newest album “Black and White.”

After the success of “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop,” built up by a huge following on MySpace and catchy melodies found on the tracks, the band wanted to take a more serious approach in making an actual record compared to “a bunch of songs thrown together,” the band’s drummer Pat Kirch said.

“We went for a much more cohesive-sounding style so all the songs fit together better,” Kirch said. “The first record was us finding our sound, and with this one we’ve figured out more what we wanted our record to sound like and we definitely accomplished that.”

So far this year, the band has played the Bamboozle music festival in East Rutherford, N.J., where they were named one of the top five breakout artists of the event by Rolling Stone magazine. They’ve also put out their new album, “Black and White,” featuring the single “Inside of You.” AP Magazine named the band the “Face of American Pop” in a cover story. Furthermore, the band embarked on their first headlining national tour this summer.

How does the band handle the hype of getting so big so fast?

“It doesn’t change our daily lifestyle or the view we have of ourselves as a band,” Kirch said. “If people like what we do then that’s cool, but if they don’t then I guess we keep doing it for ourselves….We just make the music we want. People can call us whatever they want, we just hope they enjoy what they are listening to.”

The Maine is successfully selling out shows, given fans accessibility to the band. After every set, the band goes into the crowd to “meet, greet, and thank everyone that came out,” Kirch said. “We definitely realize that without them we would not be on the road making music. It’s kind of our way to give back.”

The Maine will perform at the Webster Theater in Hartford on Nov. 16. So, if you like up-beat pop rock about girls and growing up, take the short ride up Interstate 91 and check out The Maine.

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