Middle of Nowhere
I bought Middle of Nowhere because after hearing (and liking) some of Hanson's more recent stuff, I wanted to investigate their roots--if three kids in their twenties can actually have roots. What I found was a joyous, infectious, solid pop album. Comprising thirteen highly listenable tunes, Middle of Nowhere represents an impressive debut for any artist, let alone a trio too young for driver's licenses (or puberty, for that matter). Though his voice is clearly in the middle of changing, Taylor Hanson delivers strong, confident vocals on everything from the group's hit pop single "MMMBop" to the somewhat over-emotive "Yearbook." Older brother Isaac shows off his own impressive pipes in the fast-driving "A Minute Without You," and all three brothers put their natural blend to good effect in funk-driven tunes "Speechless" and "Madeline" (my favorite), and a fun garage-mix number called "Man from Milwaukee."Read full review