Brothers Grim

Teen idols lose their musical virginity at their own risk. During their ’70s heydays, David Cassidy tried warbling standards and the Osmonds made a concept album about their Mormon beliefs; later; New Kids on the Block became NKOTB and attempted to play that funky music *but as somber white boys). And more of these stabs at maturity were remotely enjoyable as “I Woke Up in Love This Morning,” “Yo-Yo,” and “Step by Step,” respectively.

In light of this history of overinflated ambitions, Hanson fans were understandably concerned when word began filtering out that the Oklahoma sibs were planning to rock out on their next album. The transition wasn’t illogical: After all, Taylor, Ike and Zac can both harmonize and play, they have a deep-seated love of Big Chill R&B and rock, and they most likely want to be remembered as more than the founding brothers of ’90s teen pop. All well and good, but do we want a harder, heavier Hanson?

October 29, 1999

Where the Boys Are

Whoa. Zac, the drummer for Hanson, is seven feet tall! Okay, not really. But when you crack the door to the studio where the teen-bro trio is jamming between recording sessions, the first thing you notice is that the pip-squeak is gone, his lanky ringer being a ponytailed, piccolo snare-popping Iron Giant. Only later, when they line up for a photo, will you realize Zac, now 14, remains an inch or two shorter than his older brothers and is still a baby-faced cutup, despite the impressive growth spurt. In any case, says Taylor, 16, “We do have a massive drummer.”