Hanson

Middle Of Nowhere

What can I say? I love this album!!

Review Score:

(10/10)
Hanson's 1997 album Middle Of Nowhere sparked a wave of worldwide youthful popular adulation for Isaac, Taylor and Zac during that hype-filled season and the subsequent 1998 Albertane tour. This is because it's a vibrant, soulful and fun collection of thirteen songs performed by three talented teenagers who had already spent several years honing their act at home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is one of the few pop albums I never get tired of listening to, and though Hansonmania has inevitably ebbed away since the late 90's as the band has moved on and grown to adulthood, this is one pop record that is unlikely to be forgotten. Hanson has gone from this breakthrough hit to even greater heights with the album This Time Around (2000) and their new album Underneath (2004) to establish themselves as one of the best young groups on the scene.

I think the best things about this record are the catchy, memorable tunes and the infectious spirit of the playing and singing. I Will Come To You is a wonderful, soulful pop ballad with a hopeful message. It's one of my favourite songs, and it was a #2 chart hit over Christmas 1997. With You In Your Dreams has a gospelly chorus, a beautiful piano backing and it's also about hope in the face of loss (the Hansons wrote this one after losing their grandmother). It's also a favourite of mine. The other slow songs are Lucy, a little tune about breaking up, Weird , which is a good song aimed at young people who don't stand out and who don't fit in (i.e. teen angst), and Yearbook, which is also aimed at schoolkids, and which is an earnest ballad about the mystery of a vanished schoolmate.

When Hanson lift the tempo they are an exciting pop/rock band. The first track is the rousing rocker Thinking Of You, which was a #6 hit here in Australia. Even more funky is the party-night rock groove of Look At You, where Hanson invited comparisons with 70's forerunners The Jackson Five.Speechless was a similar rock groove with exuberant singing. The second single from MON was the uplifting stomper Where's The Love, a big hit on the charts in September 1997 (#2). Hanson's song A Minute Withut You was addressed to the legion of fans they'd quickly won, and they would have needed 1440 hours in their day to reply to all the fanmail this and the other songs caused!! Madeline was a mid-paced tune with a teen theme. There's even a "hidden" bonus song here about an alien- the amusing rocker Man From Milwaukee!

However, everyone who likes pop music will probably remember this record mostly because of MMMBop, a worldwide #1 hit from May 1997 that introduced everyone to Hanson as a new force on the popular music scene. This song was inescapable for months, and with its video created a very strong image that many casual listeners still associate with the band despite the passage of 7 years. It remains an incredibly catchy and fun song.

So, if you are in any way a fan of tuneful, upbeat pop music, you should definitely own this album. Lyrically, it's not all sunshine and smiles (as is popularly believed), but it is all good . 5 stars!!

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