| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| This Time Around | ||
|---|---|---|
| Album by Hanson | ||
| Released | May 9, 2000 | |
| Recorded | ??? | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 51 min 3 sec | |
| Record label | Island | |
| Producer | Mark Hudson | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| Allmusic.com | 4 stars out of 5 | link |
| Hanson Chronology | ||
| Live From AlbertaneLive From Albertane is the sixth album by American pop/ rock group Hanson. As the name suggests, it is a live album, recorded during the group's "Albertane" tour. Albertane is a fictional place referred to in their song "Man From Milwaukee". With lead voc ( 19981998 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of the Ocean''. Events January January 1998 A massive ice storm, caused by El Nino, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting) | This Time Around ( 2000) | Underneath Acoustic ( 20032003 is a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar), and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Summary Perhaps the defining global event of the year 2003 was the Invasion of Iraq launched by the U) |
This Time Around certainly didn't have the commercial success of its predecessor Middle of Nowhere, with the pop audience Hanson had attracted three years earlier seemingly having moved on to other groups. This may also be in part due to the change in Hanson's focus: This Time Around doesn't feature any bubblegum popBubblegum pop bubblegum rock bubblegum music is a genre of popular music and rock and roll. The defining characteristics of bubblegum music include catchy or hummable melodies, simplistic three-chord structures, repetitive riffs or "hooks", and lightweigh style tunes like Middle of Nowhere ("MMMBop" being the obvious example). Instead Hanson opted to focus on a more classic rock sound, or as MTV.com put it "Yes, we're talking stadium rock". The album is also heavy on ballads, with songs such as "Sure About It" and "A Song to Sing" covering the themes of teenage insecurity and loneliness, much like "Weird" from Middle of Nowhere.
Critically, This Time Around was better received than Middle of Nowhere, with most critics describing it as a more mature effort. Billboard noted "It all adds up to a collection that successfully sets Hanson apart from the current teen-pop phenomenon that it helped start -- at least from a creative perspective", and CDNow said "This Time Around scores with more sophisticated harmonies and storytelling". However, not everyone was complimentary about the change in musical style, with Village Voice stating "If you thought they were bad when they were cute, or even that they were cute when they were good, believe me, you don't want to hear them mature", and New Musical Express with the even harsher verdict "But damn those cruel hormones - Hanson's collective balls have MmmDropped, and the giddy rush of adolescence seeks to mutate Mercury's finest investment into a trio of crack-voiced hulks".