This Time Around is the official sophomore record of the band, Hanson. They have released a Christmas record, a collection of old demos, and a live album shortly after. Their last official record was Middle of Nowhere, or MON, as called by their fans. That last record had that pop hit MMMBop. Remember that song that was played non-stop back in '97? Even if you hated that song, you couldn’t escape it. That song was everywhere. Admit it, you hummed along to the song when nobody was looking.
It has now been more than three years since MON was released. Now the boys are back. And with a vengeance. They are older, wiser, taller, deeper voiced, and, everybody sigh, cuter. To the people who know Hanson from MMMBop only, they won’t even recognize this record as a Hanson record. The guitars are more pronounced, the lyrics are more complex, the voices are more soulful.
A long way from MMMBop, they have come.
This Time Around, or TTA as sometimes called by the Hanson fan community, is, so far, the best album Hanson has ever made. They have written and co-produced all of the songs. Very impressive for anyone of any age. They have a sincerity to their writing and music that Britney or Backstreet never achieved. They sure know how to write great songs. Listen to every bridge on every song on this album then you will know what I mean. I didn’t think that they could do better than Middle of Nowhere. But they have proved me wrong, and I’m glad they did.

Track 1>>You Never Know
Time>>3 minutes, 04 seconds
About>>A guy is telling a girl that she shouldn’t believe everything she hears.
Great first track of the album. The vocals are really great in this song. Taylor’s voice has really matured and developed. He seems to have more control over his voice now than ever before. I really like the way the song just rocks out. It really does have a “Latin infused” sound, as the critics say.
Favorite lyric>>What is the source of all this pain that you’ve been dishing
Grade>>4.5

Track 2>>If Only
Time>>4 minutes, 30 seconds
About>>A guy that is obsessed with this girl and doesn’t have the guts to tell her he likes her.
Ah, the obvious single. This song is actually a beefier version of MMMBop, with John Popper added into the mix. It is a very catchy song with very catchy hooks. Taylor’s harmonica playing is wonderful here. He makes it look so easy, and believe me, it’s not. I’ve tried it.
Favorite lyric>>Please don’t go ‘cause I need you now
Grade>>4

Track 3>>This Time Around
Time>>4 minutes, 17 seconds
About>>Not giving in and not giving up. About standing up for what you believe in.
My favorite song of the album. One word, two syllables: awesome. This song is the epitome of this album. That's probably why Hanson chose it to be their title track. This song first starts off with a beautiful piano intro and Taylor’s beautiful voice. It sounds mellow in the beginning, but then it EXPLODES into this rock chorus that is simply hard to resist. Everything about this song is awesome, the lyrics, the vocals, the whole shabang. This, in my opinion, is the best song of the album.
Favorite lyric>>Give in into the given and put out the light.
Grade>>5

Track 4>>Runaway Run
Time>>3 minutes, 40 seconds
About>>This song is about a guy telling a girl he likes to “runaway run” because he knows it won’t work out between them.
This song is very catchy. I love Taylor’s voice in this. Around last year, Ric Ocasek (guy from the Cars) helped co-produce some of Hanson’s demos. You can tell that this was one of the songs he helped produce. That guitar lick has “Cars” written all over it.
Favorite lyric>>I can tell every breath that you’re breathing / I can feel every thought that you’re thinking.
Grade>>4.5

Track 5>>Save Me
Time>>3 minutes, 40 seconds
About>>This is about a guy begging a girl to be with him.
Some people may call this song cheesy, but this is still a great love song. Taylor’s voice is amazing here. I never knew he could reach notes that high. Well, post-voice change days, at least. I really love the bridge to this song. It really seems that Taylor is begging for this girl to be with him.
Favorite lyric>>If I never said I’m sorry, then I’m wrong, I’m wrong.
Grade>>4

Track 6>>Dying To Be Alive
Time>>4 minutes, 37 seconds
About>>Not taking life for granted. Carpe diem (sp??), as Robin Williams once said.
This song has a really great message. The song is really uplifting and very gospel-sounding. Speaking of gospel, Rose Stone and her choir are special guests on this song. I think Hanson would have done a great job without them. But I thought they did a nice job.
Favorite lyric>>No matter how strong / We all return to the ground
Grade>>4

Track 7>>Can’t Stop
Time>>4 minutes, 24 seconds
About>> A guy that “can’t stop” thinking about a girl.
This is a great song. It always gives you the urge to dance. I really like the interlude in the middle. It was unexpected because they have never done that before, but I loved it. It is just a great song to rock out to. It is like Look At You, but better.
Favorite lyric>>Tick tock, tick tock goes the clock / Not a second passes, I can’t stop
Grade>>5

Track 8>>I Wish That I Was There
Time>>3 minutes, 39 seconds
About>>A guy wanting to see a girl more.
This song is okay. My feelings for this song are kind of neutral. The lyrics are simple and the singing is okay. I know Zachary has a great voice, but I don’t think that this was the best song that really showed how great he can sing. This song sounds much better live.
Favorite lyric>>Won’t you take me when you’re not here
Grade>>3.5

Track 9>>Love Song
Time>>4 minutes, 06 seconds
About>>A relationship that just won’t work out.
Okay, I’ve checked the lyrics over and over again. There is no crescent moon. Maybe we just listened wrong, or he just changed the lyrics. But, none the less, I like the way this song has evolved. I’ve always loved Isaac’s voice. His voice sounds so soothing. I really love how he hits those high notes. The lyrics are great here, but sad.
Favorite lyric>>We said we’d be together ‘til death do us ‘part / But we said those words with only half of our hearts
Grade>>4.5

Track 10>>Sure About It
Time>>3 minutes, 27 seconds
About>>Not being sure about everything.
I think this is the song with the most complex lyrics, next to This Time Around. Don’t let the catchy beat fool you. As I look at the liner notes, I’ve realized how hard it was to make this song rhyme. Each line, except the chorus and the last two lines, rhymes with an “oh” sound. Road, coat, hole, stole, gold, unknown, wrote, know, towed, soul, you get the picture. This shows that they are really great writers. Or that they just have a large vocabulary.
Favorite lyric>>Did you see the man with the cocaine load
Grade>>4

Track 11>>Hand In Hand
Time>>4 minutes, 37 seconds
About>>A guy knowing his girlfriend is cheating and is pissed about that.
I like to call this the Say Goodbye song. I wasn’t very fond of this song in the beginning, but it’s kind of growing on me. I really didn’t like the repetitive “say goodbyes” at the end. Oh, and one more complaint, you can’t really read the lyrics. Dark color behind a dark background, a no no. I really liked the bridge, though. Isaac’s voice sounds great in this song. I also like Jonny Lang’s (one of the few young artists that actually match Hanson’s talent) guitar playing here. A mini Santana, that boy is.
Favorite lyric>>Well if you’re gonna lie / Well, at least you could just let us die
Grade>>4

Track 12>>In The City
Time>>3 minutes, 27 seconds
About>>A guy that knows his girlfriend is cheating on him and confronts her about it.
This song ROCKS, BABY! It simply rocks. No one would believe that these are the same cute little boys who made MMMBop. I just want to dance when I hear the song. I absolutely love the part in the middle. That is my favorite part of the song. This song rocks. That’s all I can describe this song with. It rocks. Period.
Favorite lyric>>I’m gonna ask you once again / You’ve got to tell me once again do you love me
Grade>>5

Track 21 (technically 13)>>A Song To Sing
Time>>3 minutes, 35 seconds
About>>Feeling lost and alone.
Are Hanson superstitious to have the no. 13 on their album, or was this some sort of a tribute to Man From Milwaukee? Who knows? But what I know is that this song is wonderful. I think this song is very sad. One of the most saddest and best songs that they have ever written (that I know of). The lyrics are wonderful and the way they sing it sounds very sincere. I really like the way they played this song. Only a piano and their voices. I think it would have cheapened the feeling of the song if they had added more instruments. The way they arranged this song was perfect.
Favorite lyric>>When all that you’re left is treason / It’s treason just to let it be
Grade>>5

This album is a great album. Plain and simple. It is a great album. I just know that it will be considered a classic one day. In a world of fabricated pop, this album sticks out like a sore thumb. I guess that’s what Hanson has always been about- forgetting the trends and fads and being themselves. They did it three years ago, and now is no exception. They have never tried to be something they’re not. They have always been true to themselves and it shows. This album is really sincere and genuine. They have shared their thoughts and feelings on this album. They have always written and played what they thought was good. We are just along for the ride.