Hanson - Underneath (13 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Underneath already a classic

Jonathan Appleseed | 05/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For the record, I'm a 37 year old adult, not a teeny-bopper groupie. (Nothing against groupies. If I could remember back far enough, I would probably be able to identify myself as some sort of groupie when I was a teen. :-] )Anyway. This CD is a revelation. I bought it because of the favorable reviews that I read online and in reputable music magazines, and was happy to find all of the positive comments to be absolutely correct. These young men (who wrote the songs featured on this CD in 2001 and 2000, according to the copyrights) demonstrate an intuition of music, harmony, lyrics, and production quality well beyond their years.Listening to the entire CD reminded me of both young and maturing Beatles. Specific standouts were: "Deeper", which has an innovative depth I haven't been able to analogize yet but is powerfully moving; "Get Up and Go", who said there isn't another "Mmmmbop" on this CD?; "Crazy Beautiful", a stunning blend of pop and rock; "Hey", wonderfully funk - Hanson funky? believe it!; and "Believe", with the song's own 70ish ballad, and then the hidden music and hidden song "Lula Belle" in its twelve+ minute track. This is simply the very best and innovative pop music I've heard in years.Critics have said their best years are ahead of them. If the amazing maturation they've shown is any indication, who could disagree? I look forward to those years."

It's a crying shame...

A.L.V. | from your friendly neighborhood 500 | 10/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"that so many Hanson listeners have to justify themselves before admitting to the fact that they like their music. It's a shame that our modern pop culture is littered with disposable artists and talentless numbskulls. It's a shame that a band who actually has pure, unabided talent has to live under the stigma of being the creators of "MMMBop" and the youngest (arguably the first) boy band. And it's a shame that these boys will never be as popular as the lip-synching divas and the gyrating hips of cooler-than-thou metrosexuals.

But what can you do? Well, I would recommend stripping all those layers of crap away and listening to some real music. Hanson have proved with each CD that they have all the potential in the world of becoming one of the great rock bands of our time. Their musical ability is on the level of some veteran rockers and their lyrics are poignant, intelligent, and somehow pure at the same time. They may not be the be-all-end-all of rock music---yet---but I would challenge you to find a few other mainstream bands/artists with half as much talent as Hanson has.

Hanson and 'Underneath' have actually managed to bring back what rock & roll really is or what it should be. Loud, fun, and rousing like "Lost Without Eachother" and "Get Up and Go", yet quiet, beautiful, and melancholic like "Believe", "Broken Angel", and "Misery". And yet there is another element to Hanson's repertoire---soul. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Hanson's got some SOUL. Of course, they've always had it---especially with Taylor's raspy, strained, and slightly slurred delivery---but 'Underneath' is suffused with piano-jazzy, bluesy hints. One of the best songs on the album, "Crazy Beautiful", is the best example of this.

So pick this album up right now and don't feel the need to defend it to ignorant bystanders. This album defends itself just fine.

"

Coming from one who is NOT a fan...

A.L.V. | 04/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, folks...Just for the record, I am not, I repeat NOT, a fan of the happy-sappy, bubble-gum pop group Hanson. From the moment I heard "MMMBop," I vowed to never ever like them because their girley looks, long hair, and voices just made me sick. Absolutely sick.When "This Time Around" came out, I bashed them even more for TRYING to be rock, because I thought the album sucked, and I knew that they would always be the same teeny boppers from the MMMBop days. So now Hanson has made another 'comeback.' Yippee. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and break it into a thousand pieces in front of all their pathetic fans. One day, I was watching TRL and the VJ said that Hanson was going to be on the show. I was about to change the channel when...Hold up. Who is that? That can't be Hanson; Hanson are three girls, disguised as brothers, with high-pitched voices and squeaky-clean images. These guys are NOT Hanson. And then they play sound clips from their new CD, and wait, wait, how could this be Hanson? This sounds nothing like them.I bought the CD. I listened to it. I loved it.Am I in the Twilight Zone or something? When did these guys get so good, and so good-looking, in such a short period of time? I have to say that I have been wrong, so wrong, about Hanson in terms of how much they suck. The Hanson brothers, and this time they actually LOOK like guys, are very talented as individuals and as a whole.I apologize to all the Hanson fans whom I have made fun of, although I can't believe I'm actually admitting that I love Hanson myself...the current Hanson, that is. I still can't stand MMMBop."

The boys are back in town ...

lauren | Union County, NJ, USA | 04/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Brace yourself. This is Hanson's big comeback, and what a comeback it is. This album is absolutely amazing, leaving many top 40 artists in the dust. Track-by-track, it just flows. Lush harmonies and expert instrumentals abound, and between several tracks, there are bits of talking that just add to the flow of the album.Track-by-track:"Strong Enough To Break": Great, great song. Significantly better than the acoustic version, which annoyed me to no end. It's a perfect opener to the album."Dancin' In The Wind": It has a classic-rock feel that's reminiscent of the old-school hits that the brothers were brought up on. But the guitars tend to overpower the vocals, which is pretty distracting."Penny and Me": The first single, although not the strongest song on the album. It's a bittersweet, but catchy nonetheless, love song that's radio friendly, with a great music video to go with it."Underneath": By far, one of the most powerful songs on the album. The instrumentals are minimal for most of the song, leaving the spotlight on Taylor's voice, and he packs a vocal punch that makes the song all the better. Absolutely amazing."Misery": Truth be told, this song is pretty bland. Zac doesn't put much emotion into it, and the lyrics are almost painfully generic. It's not a bad song, necessarily, but compared to other songs on the album, it just doesn't fit. Should have been replaced with "Every Word I Say" from the "Penny and Me" single."Lost Without Each Other": One of the more pop-ish songs. Catchy and fun, this song will have you out of your seat and dancing in no time. Great song, whether you're already in a good mood or just need a pick-me-up."When You're Gone": Lacks some of the raw emotion from the acoustic verson. Near the end, the vocals are overpowered by instrumentals. But all in all, this song is lyrically very strong, and despite some of its shortcomings, it's an excellent ballad."Broken Angel": This is where Zac shows how talented he really is. This song takes a lot of flak from the critics, but most people love it. It brought me to tears several times: the lyrics are poignant and pull at your heart, and Zac's haunting voice fits the song perfectly."Deeper": Isaac's solo, backed by Michelle Branch, is a radio-friendly potential single. The problem? The vocals lack emotion, and it's very generic, lacking the Hanson 'zing'. But it's not bad, especially lyric-wise."Get Up and Go": Very catchy and fun. Brings back memories of "Middle of Nowhere". You can't help but move your body and sing along to this song. Great, upbeat song."Crazy Beautiful": Without a doubt, the best song on the album. It's Hanson at their prime. The song itself is unique and catchy, and the lyrics are beautiful. What else can I say? Amazing, amazing, amazing."Hey": Pure fun. It has the slightest bit of country flavor that makes it all the more catchy. Listen towards the end for Taylor's little scat-type ad-lib - it's priceless."Believe": The "A Song To Sing" of "Underneath". Taylor delivers his best vocal performance of the entire album here. This song is just beautiful.Bonus tracks are at the end of "Believe" ... there's a little "Crazy Beautiful" remix that's adorable, and then there's another Zac solo, "Lulla Belle". It's a quirky, slightly weird song, but it works. You'll either love it or hate it.Conclusion: This is a GREAT album, perfect for loyal Hanson fans or ones who need an introduction to the new Hanson. If this is the direction the guys are taking their music, I'm with it all the way. And to be honest, if they don't recieve some sort of recognition for this album, I will be VERY surprised. Because, yes, it's THAT good.Hanson's back, and they're better than ever."

Sweet reward for keeping an open mind

D. Sambuco | Baltimore, Maryland United States | 04/22/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although long past my teen years, I've never been one to restrict my music listening to what others think adults "ought" to be listening to. I'd always rather listen and judge for myself. In the case of Hanson, refusing to bow down to public opinion has paid off beautifully. This is an extremely enjoyable album, and one I'd unhesitatingly recommend to anyone, regardless of age or gender. From the sweet melancholy of the string-diven "Underneath" (co-written with Matthew Sweet) to the classic rock feel of "Dancin' in the Wind" and the frenetic power pop of "Lost Without Each Other", this album rewards all who take the time to listen to it. There is much musical variety, but not a weak track, on this album.Give this music a try. Particularly if you enjoy the music of the 1950s-1970s which is Hanson's major influence, you should find a lot to enjoy here. If Amazon still doesn't have clips of the songs posted, you can find them at http://www.hanson.net . Listen for yourself. You may be very pleasantly surprised by what you hear!"

Search - Hanson :: Underneath [Limited Edition w/Bonus DVD]

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