Six and seven years ago teenage girls all over the world cried, sang, smiled, and screamed for that band who made their hearts flutter. No, the band you’re thinking of is not NSync or the Backstreet Boys. It’s those long, blond-haired boys who barely have any hair now, Hanson.
At ages 18, 21, and 23, Zac, Taylor, and Isaac are hitting the road again to promote their follow-up to 2001’s This Time Around, entitled Underneath. The difference between their debut hit album, Middle of Nowhere and This Time Around is that their new album was produced under Hanson’s own record label called 3CG Records, with the help of Michelle Branch, Gregg Alexander, and Matthew Sweet.
During the past three years, the three brothers have been hard at work with this new album adding new instruments, diversifying their sound, and of course, having children and getting married. Yes, the middle brother, Taylor, decided to tie the knot at age 19 and have a child with wife, Natalie. Fans were shocked by these events, but it did not stop them from supporting the band or their new album.
New and old fans will not be disappointed with Underneath, that is unless you’re looking for a new MMMBop, which is virtually impossible to find on this album. Their first single, Penny and Me, debuted and #2 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart in the first week of April. The song is, of course, catchy, energetic, and talks about a girl who drowns her pain in lemonade. How creative!
Favorites among fans are the album opener, Strong Enough To Break which brings 20-year-old fans back to their early teen days, Lost Without Each Other, which was co-written by Gregg Alexander, the musician who makes up all of the band New Radicals, a neo-’60s tune called Get Up and Go that makes you immediately want to roll down the windows and blast it in the car, and a piano-jamming song all the fans love called Crazy Beautiful.
Ballads that seem to be the most popular are Underneath, which singer/songwriter Matthew Sweet co-wrote, Broken Angel, Zac’s song that could no doubt make both men and women cry, and Deeper, the one of two songs you can hear Isaac’s voice.
Taylor is the fan favorite, and it’s obvious that if it wasn’t for him, the songs would not sound as eclectic, diverse, and soulful like they do on Underneath.
Everyone knows Hanson have lost their overwhelming popularity they had years ago, but it doesn’t seem to be stopping them from doing what they do best. Their loyal fans are what have kept them going, and it’s obvious from this album that they have what it takes to be here for when our children are putting on their headphones.
This summer, Hanson will be touring the U.S. in support of their new album, “Underneath,” in stores now. For more information on Hanson and where you can find them this summer, go to www.hanson.net.
Posted to the web by Marisa Gallelli
