April 9, 2010, 03:20 PM
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by jack s
HANSON is excited to announce the release of their new record, Shout It Out, on their own 3CG Records on June 8, 2010. Shout It Out is the three -time Grammy-nominated independent band of brothers’ fifth studio record. It’s a fantastically infectious collection of finely crafted, R&B-flavored pop-rock — an homage to the music that inspired the band when they started out. The album was recorded in a studio on a 2,000-acre pecan farm in El Paso, Texas, and was produced and written exclusively by HANSON, augmented with special guests: Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt, who played on some of Motown’s greatest hits, as well as horn arranger Jerry Hey, who worked with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind and Fire and many more.
“The anatomy of our band is similar to a ’70s rock band – three guys from the Midwest who grew up listening to ’50s and ’60s soul, who are mixing guitars, with vintage keys and melodic songs,” Taylor Hanson says. Adds Isaac, “We’ve never stopped aspiring to the great songwriters and performers who struck a chord with us first, that early rock ‘n’ rock roll and soul music from Chuck Berry to Otis Redding. We’ve rediscovered that aspiration on this record. There’s a little more swing and a little more air.”
The insanely catchy first single from Shout It Out, “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’,” will be released exclusively via Itunes on April 27th. For the video, directed by Todd Edwards (Hoodwinked), the band re-created a much-loved scene from the cult classic The Blues Brothers, where soul music incited a huge impromptu crowd to dance in the streets. In their re-creation, HANSON took to the streets of their hometown of Tulsa with more than 300 extras, including two of Taylor’s children, 60 local dancers and hundreds of loyal fans who traveled from far and wide to participate. To top it off, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic made an unforgettable guest appearance.
To hear the “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’,” click here.
Besides performing at The Bamboozle festival on Saturday May 1st, HANSON will be hosting a sold-out five-night engagement at New York City’s Blender Theater at the Gramercy, during which the band will be performing, in their entirety, each of their four previous albums, leading up to a worldwide premier of Shout It Out. Their tour of the states in support of the new record begins July 21st. The dates for the tour will be announced soon.
HANSON emotes such fresh energy on Shout It Out that it’s easy to forget that this band has been around the block a few times — multiple Grammy nominations (drummer Zac is the youngest nominated songwriter in history), years of headline shows everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl and world-records for the loudest concert audience in history. They’ve sold millions of records and reached a level of adoration that few bands experience, and have also faced career obstacles that would have broken many artist’s resolve. They waded through four years of struggle with a new corporate label made up of inherited executives in discord with the band, which eventually lead the band to leave the label (chronicled in the documentary film Strong Enough To Break) and launch their own independent record company, 3CG Records, in 2003. Amidst a crumbling industry, they built their own infrastructure around a DIY attitude and their commitment to their music and their fans. Their independent moves paid off, building a brand that has grown with successful independent albums, singles and tours, during a decade when music sales plummeted. In addition, launching alongside their 2007 album The Walk, they championed calls for action on humanitarian efforts, galvanizing tens of thousands of people around the world to participate in barefoot one-mile walks to fight HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa (TakeTheWalk.net).
With Shout It Out, HANSON deliver a powerful group of soulful, melodic tunes that will leave you with a contagious sense of optimism for the future and welcomed reminiscence for American rock ‘n’ roll.