The first thing many people think of when they hear the name Hanson is MMMBop.Well, the band Hanson has a new look, a new sound, and a new EP. The guys have cut off their trademark golden locks. The oldest brother, Isaac, now 22, is sporting a mohawk. Taylor, the middle brother, is a husband and father at the age of 20. And for the youngest brother Zac, who was just 11 yrs. old when MMMBop became a pop phenomenon, he is now a mature young man at the age of 18.

On Hanson's new EP Underneath Acoustic the guys prove that they are well past the MMMBopdays. It may be difficult to believe, but Hanson is no longer your typical boy band. The sound of this new album can be best described as soulful, fun, and rockin'. Hanson once again proves that they are musically talented beyond their years. The guys are still writing, producing, and playing their own music. Each song is something fresh, fun, and inspiring. Lyrically, the songs are amazing, showing off an ever-growing maturity in the band's songwriting.

Hanson's website describes Underneath as a "diverse collection of self-produced and co-produced songs that are both lyrically stimulating and filled with classic musical hooks, but the more mature sound is not without the trademark Hanson harmonies and classic soulful vocals."

Josh Rilko, the lead singer of the ska band Nothing For Something,listened to the EP and said, "This CD shows true musical and lyrical talent, unlike previous recordings such as MMMBop, Where's The Love? and other songs off their earlier CDs." He was not a fan of Hanson's previous music, but this EP made his opinion of the band change.

The first song Strong Enough To Break is a great opening song that has a wonderful driving pace. The standout track on the EP is the title track Underneath where Isaac, Taylor, and Zac display their incredible three-part harmonies that only brothers could achieve. The song expresses their feelings when their record label wasn't cooperating and not letting them put out a new album. This song shows just how talented the band truly is.

The first single off the EP is Penny and Me,a great song with an incredible hook. The Underneath EP also includes a bonus track, This Time Around, which is an amazing anthem that came off of Hanson's much unnoticed album, This Time Around.

Though their 2000 studio album, This Time Around, was basically overlooked by critics and radio stations, take my advice: Don't shove Underneath aside. The Underneath Acoustic EP is a great gift for all fans that are awaiting the new album, which should be released in February of 2004. Since this EP is only a preview of what is coming up for Hanson's music, the future music of Hanson should be quite impressive. So while you may not want to admit that you own Hanson's first release, Middle of Nowhere, Underneath Acoustic is one that you want to tell your friends about.


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Thanks to Stephen (mad4hanson@hanson.net)