“Those who bought ‘Middle of Nowhere’ are now 19, 20, college-aged” says Zac, the drummer and youngest member of the group. “We are not the same band we were then and neither are [the fans]” he adds.
Zac’s zany antics at public appearances led to his portrayal in the media as a poster-boy for Ritalin. Nowadays, the bubbly youth with shoulder-length blonde hair is nowhere to be found; with his cropped ’do and reserved mannerisms, Zac is the consummate professional as he explains the band’s newly distinguished rock edge.
Along with a new “indie” look, Hanson is taking their music to the next level; it now possesses more of a classic rock character than the essence of popular music that has kept them so successful all along.
In 2000, when Hanson released their sophomore effort, “This Time Around,” the band acknowledged that their sound was evolving. The edgier music signaled a welcome departure from the band loved by magazines such as BOP and TEEN Beat for so long.
The edginess of “This Time Around” is amplified on “Underneath” both literally and metaphorically, taking the band to the next level of hard. Some singles, like “Penny and Me” and “Lost Without Each Other” are simple and acoustic, while others take a more contemporary electronic sound.
But it is still the same sweet trio of harmonizing brothers underneath, the trusty Hanson formula of mixing bombastic vocals with steady, catchy beats to create songs that require a minimum of ornamentation.
Hanson also recently released an acoustic album, appropriately titled, “Underneath: Acoustic” and a compilation album called, “Best of Hanson: Live and Electric.”
Every person who purchases a ticket to a Hanson concert during the tour will receive a complimentary “Best of Hanson: Live and Electric” CD. The collection features a few shocking covers, like U2’s “In a Little While,” amidst the many live recordings of Hanson hits such as, “Mmmbop,” “Where’s the Love,” and “I Will Come to You.”
At 24, 22, and 19 years old, Isaac, Taylor and Zac, respectively, are embarking upon their very first independent album tour to bring reinventions of their own music and originals from “Underneath” across the continent.
As Taylor said, “the reason why we’ve always come back together is we have this common connection with music.”
It’s a connection that extends to their adoring fans.
—Staff writer Mary Catherine Brouder can be reached at mbrouder@fas.harvard.edu.