Tulsa Times #6

What a Week

After a hectic first of April, Hanson, never ones to rest on their laurels, continued to “Pump up the Jam” in the following days.

The “Get the Girl Back” video premiered on April 4; they opened the gates of ordering frenzy on April 6 and then they invited fans to a last minute live stream on April 8.

In ways that only Hanson can ensure, each experience had its highs and lows, as excitement met stress in equal amounts. Some venues appeared to sell out (they hadn’t); international fans were unable to view the video, but the live stream, once it was visible, met Hanson’s own criteria for great music, “Short Sweet and Loud”. (Taylor Hanson)

The track “Fired up” got much praise on social networking sites and the sound of Isaac musically burning his guitar, pleased many of the Old Man’s fans. They may not get an album full of Isaac leads this time, but they will sure get the touch on guitar that only his hands can give and it seems – with a vengeance.

On Monday night Hanson played the track “Cut Right Though Me” on AXS Live and a sense of Hanson meets Tinted Windows singing Weezer’s Troublemaker, hit the airwaves.

Tonight Hanson will appear on “Tonight with Jay Leno”.

Leno who has been a friend of their music and career since the start, has also hosted some interesting Hanson moments over the years.

In late 97 the conversation seemed to revolve around family, girlfriend issues and Hanson’s ability to muck in with nappy changing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd3WWceL2RE (Thanks to Hanson House)

By Christmas 98, the audience’s screaming was louder and talk was about driving cars from an useful source and the inevitable growing up that was so noticeable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieiZsGGgnS0 (Thanks to Hanson House)

Skip to early 2011 and Hanson play “Give a Little” with live brass and smiles big enough to capture the heart of anyone with eye sight.

However, a fan favourite must be the show during the This Time Around tour when Taylor explained how he came to soak a crowd of fans with beef soup at a show.

Unfortunately the clip is hard to find, but it is worth the search and if any one reading this was at that Leno show or the concert – what a moment.

Tonight, Hanson will present the new music and a new look. Yet somehow it will be familiar.

It will have humour. It will have musical confidence. It will have style. It will have depth and intelligence. More than all of these though, it will have 21 years of hard work, practice and craftsmanship running through every note.

As the music of Anthem is played and digested, the shades of its style will begin to settle into the catalogue of known Hanson songs and comparison and reference will take place.

Something suggests however, that The Anthem Hanson have created is going to resist comparison.

There may well be some surprises waiting in the shadows of this album.

Appearances on Jay Leno may be tasty Hanson Jam n Bread, but this music is going to make a new mark.