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It’s hard to believe it’s been a whole 15 years since three brothers with silky golden hair brought us a song that seemingly made no sense, but turned out to be a huge smash hit – ‘Mmmbop.’ Since Hanson burst onto the music scene in 1997 and won over the world with their goofy smiles and endearing innocence, they were forced to deal with jokes of how puberty would ruin their musical career before the new millennium, how they would become washed up musicians, how they were probably only ever going to be one hit wonders.
While not as prominent in the spotlight, the Hanson brothers are indeed still around – and still making music, touring and selling records. Their 9th record Shout It Out is a flamboyant and fun mix of catchy, bluesy, pop soaked tunes that will have you tapping your toes and clicking your fingers.
The best way to enjoy this record is to disengage from the stigma and stereotypes that one may associate with Hanson. So forget about the angelic, pre pubescent harmonies of ‘Mmmbop,’ or the teenage boys that earnestly wished they had the guts to feel this way. I’m a kid of the 90s, so I realise this is easier said than done – otherwise you’ll feel like your whole childhood has been chewed up, spat out and turned into one big lie.
Having said that though, there is no denying the Hanson brothers are ridiculously talented musicians – they always have been, but they haven’t always been given credit for this. Shout It Out is a well-crafted album, drawing on a variety of instruments, perfected harmonies, and some actually pretty great lyrics. There’s no ‘mmm-bopping’ or ‘doo-bopping’ here. What Shout It Out does have is Taylor Hanson’s smooth vocals, frolicking piano tinkles, and playful and boisterous horn arrangements. Single ‘Give A Little’ demonstrates everything that is great about Hanson– a simple yet catchy chorus, an original and diverse composition and use of a wide range of instruments and emphasis on some great vocals.
‘Thinkin’ Bout Something’ is a upbeat yet soulful tune that will have you bopping, while ‘Carry You There’ introduces us to some glorious harmonising with the addition of back-up soul singers. Mid-way through the album can start to sound a little bit stale – it’s unashamedly poppy, and most of the songs are quite upbeat so the tempo is seemingly set. However ‘Use Me Up’ breaks it up a bit, slowing things down epically to deliver one amazing, piano fuelled ballad. Youngest brother Zac (you may remember him as the adorable dreadlocked 11 year old kid enthusiastically banging out on the drums) takes over the lead vocals for this tune, and Taylor may have to watch his back – Zac easily has a set of pipes on him that can rival his older brothers any-day. Zac again takes lead in ‘And I Waited’ with a vocal performance that is quite uncanny to Taylor’s. This song shakes up the sound once again, with a heavier type theme and higher emphasis on the drums and guitar work.
Shout It Out is actually an incredibly impressive and infectious record – showcasing an amazing growth in maturity and sound since the days of Middle of Nowhere. Of course while this is an obvious thing to note, it’s important not to write Hanson off as another has been band. If anything it proves that Hanson are planning to stick around and not slip off our radar that easily. And if they keep producing music like this, there shouldn’t be any reason as to why we would want them to leave.
Review Rating: 7.8 out of 10
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