It’s been so long, too long, but I’m back with your daily pop culture dose, starting right now.
Deepest apologies to any Five readers out there for being away for an entire month. I had this mega-huge project about lung cancer I had to devote practically all of my time too (check out my special series by clicking here).
Then, as soon as that was over, my computer crashed, delaying my blog postings for another week.
But we’re up and running now. Presenting the first post since August.
MUSIC MONDAY – HANSON. MORE THAN JUST “MMMBop.”
Hanson? Really? They’re still around?
It’s a common response I get when I mention the band of brothers, who gained crazy popularity in their teen years with their gigantic single “MMMBop” (listen to it, for the zillionth time, by clicking here), only to seemingly disappear into obscurity.
But truth be told, the guys are still doing their music thing, thank you very much. Not only that, but their music is actually much better than it was a decade ago. Bet you didn’t even notice a new Hanson track playing in the background of the super-hip “Gossip Girl” pilot, now did you?
And the guys have remarkably avoided the spectacularly trashy downfall of so many people who got famous at a really young age – folks like Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears, whose very names evoke impulsive, depressed sighs. In fact, the brothers are major philanthropists, (thankfully, not spoiled has beens), pushing their fans to support impoverished families in Africa, as apparent on their web site.
I saw Hanson at Milwaukee’s music club mecca The Rave the other weekend, and was thoroughly impressed. The brothers’ play like seasoned pros (which they are, even if they’re in their early 20s), and their latest album, “The Walk,” features some of their most mature songs without abandoning the irresistible pop rock flavor found on “MMMBop.” “Go” is a gorgeous, melancholy piano-driven ballad about a relationship at its breaking point, while the uptempo “Blue Sky” evokes U2’s classic “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” with its profound, but playful, call for a higher purpose. (Hear the songs by visiting the band’s MySpace).
I can’t wait to hear what the Hanson brothers can do another 10 years from now. Who knows, maybe they’ll be even bigger than they were circa 1997.
Hanson will be playing at Chicago’s House of Blues November 3rd and 4th. Tickets are still available, which you can get by clicking here.
Rock on gang! I’ll be back tomorrow with TV Tuesday.