If find it pretty funny that music review sites Pitchfork and Pop Matters decided to slam this album hard as a total failure. Pitchfork mentions that it’s bad because the songs have “snappy riffs; catchy choruses follow melodic verses; and the opposite sex is the main subject matter.” Hey Doofus! That’s what power pop is all about! The critic spends most of the article saying they’re sound is just old and obsolete. There is also lingering bias against Hanson’s old band in particular. It’s true the combo of Taylor Hanson’s vocal and Adam Schlesinger’s melodic compositions are immediate and accessible – and it’s nothing groundbreaking or new. “Kind Of A Girl” is a great rock single, and “Messing With My Head” is a real strutting standout that has the catchiest riff here. Other tracks do a good job here, mixing a bit of Hanson’s most recent sound with a late 70’s influenced rock style – so Cheap Trick fans will love this. “Without Love” is a classic mid-tempo rocker that has nice guitar solo flourishes, and that sticky vocal phrasing. “Cha Cha” continues this trend, but “We Got Something” reminds me too much of Hanson’s teen bubblegum period. It’s a fine line between catchy and annoying that it flirts with here. Thankfully, another standout “Nothing To Me” shows up with a sweet hook that recalls early Foreigner. They coast a bit towards the albums end with “Doncha Wanna” and “Take Me Back.” I guess the problem here is expectations, when a super-group forms we expect something more. It’s kind of like an All-Star lineup, that hits only a few singles (no home runs we really want). I will also admit the lyrics are nothing to write home about, and yes, that’s what makes a few tracks forgettable. But, this is by no means a bad album. If you compare it to some of the other mindless rock pop out there (Paris Hilton?), it still sounds better. Ignore the music media elite and join the hoi polloi when listening to this album.
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