![\"Anthem_Cover_Final\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mmmboptastic.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/anthem_large.jpg?resize=168%2C168&ssl=1\")
When you have twenty-one years of experience in the music industry, people tend to try to put you in a proverbial box. Hanson has been labeled time and again as everything from a \u201cboy band\u201d to a one hit wonder. Rather than adopting those stigmas, they\u2019ve fought to create music they love and believe in. In their third album on their own label, 3CG, Hanson pretty well dissolves any expectations critics held for Anthem<\/em>. It has a harder exterior than they\u2019ve ever upheld, and completely spans the spectrum of genres that serve the album\u2019s theme. It\u2019s a collaboration of proper rock, soul, and harmony. As a long-time fan, I can genuinely say, even I didn\u2019t see this one coming.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
1) Fired up\u00a0<\/strong>– Hanson has never braved this territory before, but they need not fear going here in the future. The opening track of Anthem<\/em> is full of hard rock, much contrasting the style they\u2019re known for. The funky guitar riff sets the song up for a rock explosion. The pre-chorus sets the stage for what this track is all about \u2013 getting fired up and making some noise. The chorus is nothing short of a war cry to get people pumped, moving, and a little out of control. It makes sense that this was used as the official opening song for the NBA\u2019s OKC Thunder this year. Considering this is the first of it\u2019s kind, for Hanson, this song really introduces the listener to another side of them no one knew was there\u2026 Who knew they could tear it down like that? Taylor\u2019s vocals are nothing short of pop rock perfection. There\u2019s no better way this album could have been opened, period.<\/p>\n 2) I\u2019ve Got Soul <\/strong>– Well, this is a different direction from the above entirely. There is more than a hint of disco here. I can just see the platforms, bell bottom pants, and feathered hair. I really can\u2019t escape this imagery when listening to this track. However, that may not be a bad thing, as there is nothing else out there that sounds like this song. It\u2019s memorable, strong, and really fun to listen to. Let\u2019s be real, they really didn\u2019t need to state the obvious, but these guys do indeed have soul, and a whole lot of it.<\/p>\n 3) You Can\u2019t Stop Us<\/strong> \u2013 If ever there was an anthem for Anthem<\/em>, it would be this song. It\u2019s got everything you need to qualify: Hard-hitting lyrics with a slap in the face to the haters, heavy guitar riffs, punchy drums, and a chorus that everyone can remember and relate to. It doesn\u2019t hurt that there are some Queen references lyrically, or that this might be the most intense lyrical performance on the album. I think they got the point across on this one.<\/p>\n 4) Get The Girl Back <\/strong>– This is the fellas\u2019 go-to tune when the one that got away is just almost within their reach. Besides the guy code-esque lyrics, this song has a lot going for it. There can really never be enough cowbell, and it\u2019s alive and well here in #4. Oh yeah, and there\u2019s a full horn section, a Motown-inspired vocal backing, and a totally solid vintage sound. Taylor\u2019s voice really captures the mood of this throwback tune, with just enough of his signature style to make it tastefully modern. Whether you like it or not, this song is catchy and you will remember it.<\/p>\n 5) Juliet <\/strong>– Not quite your typical love song, Juliet puts a present-day twist on Shakespeare\u2019s most well-known piece of literature. Zac\u2019s voice here is a great display of what he can do; and although he doesn\u2019t quite break out his full range, it\u2019s close. Lyrically, this song is really artistic and beautiful. The instrumental backing and vocals add a lot of modern chemistry to the song that otherwise could have gone the way of corniness. Instead, it\u2019s a valuable contribution to this consistently shocking album.<\/p>\n 6) Already Home<\/strong> \u2013 This song isn\u2019t like anything else on Anthem<\/em>. It\u2019s a bit of a mantra of a different kind, for those who need to open their eyes to what is there for them and always has been. Taylor really stretches vocally, throwing down some pretty intense leads. This song wouldn\u2019t be what it is without the well-blended instrumental and vocal backing, however. It all just comes together to create something huge that feels strangely like home. Guess that\u2019s the point, eh?<\/p>\n 7) For Your Love <\/strong>– Isaac\u2019s leads are a rare breed of song, indeed, and this one really showcases his classical vocals well. This song is most reminiscent of\u00a0 Middle of Nowhere<\/em> and Underneath<\/em>, which are Hanson albums of yesteryear. I appreciate that his voice is allowed to dominate this song with its strength, yet the percussion and backing vocals provide a strong support in the moments they are needed. Lyrically, this could be any couple\u2019s song of endless devotion, but I love that it could also be dedicated to a child from a parent. Even the guys out there have to admit, this is a sweet song.<\/p>\n 8) Lost Without You<\/strong> \u2013 We were running short on good summer love songs for the young \u2018ens. I think that \u201cLost Without You\u201d might just have nabbed the role, though. With the innocence of claims to do anything to be with the one you want, this song provides all that young love needs to stay alive: hope and naivity. And perhaps it gives those of us that have been in the game a bit longer a reminder of what got us here in the first place. With the kind of vocals that made me (and millions of girls in the \u201990s) fall in love with this band, this song is truly anthemic and exactly what we\u2019ve been needing for some time.<\/p>\n 9) Cut Right Through Me <\/strong>–\u00a0Although probably unintentionally, this song actually introduces listeners to the patterns of a little known project of Taylor\u2019s (and music greats Bunn E. Carlos, James Iha, and Adam Schlesinger) called Tinted Windows. The more spoken vocal style and the \u201980s era pop rock\u00a0 is exactly what the amazing super group turned out in each song. In true Hanson fashion, there\u2019s still the sass, but with an infusion of an old school rock feel\u2026 And more cowbell. Isaac does a great job on the guitar here, especially. Vocally, I love this track simply because I\u2019m a huge Tinted Windows fan. I suspect many others will enjoy it because it\u2019s straight-up fresh, and something new and unusual for the band.<\/p>\n 10) Scream and Be Free –\u00a0<\/strong>From the intro, this song follows the concept of the album. Zac again comes in with those flawless vocals, and the drums accent him well. Lyrically, this song is about letting go and gaining that independence we\u2019re all holding back from obtaining. There is a great deal of crafty wordsmithing in there that makes this song pretty significant. I would liken this to another Zac-lead track known as \u201cThe Walk,\u201d from the album of the same name. \u201cScream and Be Free\u201d does carry with it\u00a0 a lot more flavor and soul, however. The chorus here is infectious, plain and simple. Yet again, not like anything else on the album\u2026 This is a great song.<\/p>\n 11) Tragic Symphony <\/strong>– Maybe it\u2019s just me, but the intro seems like a funky rebirth of \u201cBlack Horse In A Cherry Tree\u201d\u2026 And I like it! This is riding pretty close along the lines of a modern disco tune, although less so than \u201cI\u2019ve Got Soul.\u201d Bare-bones guitar riffs and a strong beat really give the soul to this song. It doesn\u2019t hurt that Taylor puts on a really attitude-heavy show vocally. He\u2019s channeling some major Michael Jackson in this one, providing a pleasant vocal rearview of MJ\u2019s work in the late \u201980s- early \u201990s. Hanson fans may hear a little \u201cHeartbreaker\u201d in this one. For those new to the game, this is where Taylor lets go and really displays his pipes, and gives the ladies something to swoon over. It\u2019s not often he lets it all go vocally, but when he does, it\u2019s an experience for the ages. And to think, this may be the best one yet\u2026<\/p>\n