I like music a lot. And I’m always on the lookout for new stuff. I love it when you find a young band that is unknown and has a great sound and then starts to take off. Then you can say “I knew (of) them when…” and you can pat yourself on the back for having such great taste. And I’ve got one of those bands for you.
Rewind:
Its the spring of 2007. I’m in a band called Moving Rushmore and my role is the video guy. We start up a vidcast (and I think the first HD podcast for a band.) Since I’m producing a podcast I’m also quite the consumer of other podcasts out there. One day I’m browsing itunes and I find a podcast by a band that has been around for quite awhile and I’m very intrigued as to what has happened to them over the years. That band was…Hanson. That’s right, the mmmbop trio.
So I start watching their podcast… and watch every episode they posted. It basically consisted of their documentary “Strong Enough to Break” and “Taking the Walk”. Strong enough chronicled their difficulties with their label and how they went indie and Taking the Walk was all about their (then) forthcoming album “The Walk.”
It was awesome.
After watching their podcast for 2 1/2 hours I was genuinely excited to buy their new album. And you know what? I bought it on release day and its a great album. I could especially identify with the title track which was all about taking risks and the Moving Rushmore thing was a big risk for me. I think there was also a part of me that really enjoyed being in on the “secret” that Hanson was really frickin awesome, but most people didn’t know it.
Fast forward to today:
Hanson has a brand spankin new album out and I *might* like it more than the previous. I offer as evidence exhibit a: their first single Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’
Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’
HANSON | MySpace Music Videos
I haven’t enjoyed horns in a song this much in a long, long time. PLUS THEY HAVE WEIRD AL YANKOVIC PLAYING THE TAMBOURINE. I rest my case.
So I kind of cheated, because Hanson is by no means a new band. Far from it. And it should also be known that Hanson never really left. They’ve been making music since the Mmmbop days and been touring quite a bit. They’ve worked hard to get where they are today. And I’ve been seeing more and more mentions of them online and on the radio. So just in case you hadn’t heard yet…
1) Hanson has a new album
2) Said album is awesome
3) You should buy the album to support some great indie music
And if you’re near Kansas City Hanson will be playing the Beaumont this summer so don’t miss it.
You’re welcome, and tell your friends “Have you heard the new Hanson album yet?”
I listened to that full album on rdio the other night and really, really enjoyed it (please don’t let my 20-year-old self read this!). You know, critics always used to drool over Hanson (the way NBA scouts drool over superstar middle school athletes) saying “Oh man, give these kids a few years of maturity and they’re going to BE something.” I’m ready to give them full credit for their talents, but more so for not letting their fame and money lead them down a road of complete ruin, debauchery, in-fighting, and break-ups, as most successful young musicians are wont to do. They seem uniquely focused on their music and that’s something I’m happy to give them credit for.