Readers of SoulandJazzandFunk.com can be forgiven for not remembering the 1997 no. 1 hit ‘Mmmbop’ by US brothers HANSON. It was pure teen pop, but since those heady days the trio have kept incredibly busy. Constantly honing their sound and style, the HANSON boys have just released their fifth studio album – ‘Shout It Out’ – and what a great example of blue-eyed soul it is! There are echoes of dear old HALL and OATES throughout the 12 tracker and with people like Motown Funk Brother, BOB BABBIT and veteran horn arranger, JERRY HEY helping out you know we’re talking quality music. Here at SJF we particularly liked ‘Make It Out Alive’ – a tune that combines the swagger of mellow moment TOWER OF POWER and the melody lines of LAURA NYRO.
Lead single is the punchy, guitar-led ‘Give A Little Love’ which comes complete with a quirky, laid back remix from AHMIR ?UESTLOVE THOMPSON of THE ROOTS… certainly worth checking out.
HANSON have just announced a series of five London concerts which will take place between the 5th and 10th of June. The venue is Kings College and the brothers will perform each of their five studio albums – night by night – in chronological sequence. The culmination, of course, will be ‘Shout It Out’ on June 10th. The album is released on HANSON’S own 3CG label at the beginning of June.
