CHECKING IN WITH HANSON:
They're only 17, 20 and 22 years old, but the three brothers in Hanson have gathered a lifetime of experience in the record industry. Since their 1997 major label debut, Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson have sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, according to 10th street management and more than 6.5 million in the U.S. according to Nielsen Sound Scan.

Now on their own and searching for a new label deal after splitting with Island Def Jam (IDJ) they say they're ready to start a new chapter with an album that reveals their growth as singer/songwriters from the "MMM-Bop" days., among the highlights on the new project are probable first single "Penny and Me" co-produced with Danny Kortchmar; "Deeper," which features buddy Michelle Branch on backing vocals; "Underneath," which the brothers co-wrote with Matthew Sweet; and the infectious, peppy-pop of "Lost Without Each Other"; co-written with Gregg Alexander. The brothers produced the majority of the album on their own, a step they felt was necessary. Going forward, Taylor says, "We're looking for a company who first and foremost goes, 'I get it,' and someone who understands." He says Hanson's music has matured into a pop-rock hybrid "that people can play on the radio and girls can like it and guys don't have to be offended by it or vice versa."

Although the trio has always written its own music and played its own instruments, their youth and teen appeal often got them unfairly lumped in with 'boy bands.' They tried to shed that image with 2000's This Time Around. Although well-received critically, the album only sold 270,000 copies [US], according to Nielsen SoundScan. The group officially parted ways with IDJ April 24. "For a long time, it was building up that this partnership wasn''t something that was productive," Taylor says. Ultimately the act felt its champions were no longer at the label. "We said, 'Hey, guys, let's make it easy on both of us-we would like to leave this label. Will you let us? It's time to part ways.' " IDJ did not return calls for comment.