BeatRoute Magazine BC Print Edition October 2017

MUSIC
HANSON
25 YEARS OF MUSIC ON THEIR OWN TERMS
Hanson have cemented a unique legacy for themselves after 25 years.
YASMINE SHEMESH
In 1992, three brothers took the Mayfest
Arts Festival stage in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Each behind a microphone, Isaac, Taylor,
and Zachary Hanson — 11, nine, and six
years old, respectively — sang a cappella,
harmonizing and snapping their fingers.
This was Hanson’s first gig. Before
they learned to play instruments other
than piano. Before they released two
independent albums. And before their
third record and studio debut, Middle
of Nowhere, sold 10 million copies and
“MMMBop” became an iconic hit.
When they finished their set, a man
asked for their autograph. “It was like
a spark,” Zac recalls, speaking over the
telephone. “That was the one moment
I remember from the whirlwind of
starting this journey that was like, ‘Okay.
This is what it means to get a reaction,
for someone to feel connected.’”
It’s been 25 years since Mayfest.
Hanson is celebrating with a greatest
hits album, Middle of Everywhere, and
a tour. Today, the band is in Atlanta,
Georgia. The anniversary felt important,
Zac says, because it recognizes not only
their success, but all the choices they
made to get there.
Hanson signed with Mercury Records
and “MMMBop,” Middle of Nowhere’s
first single, was released in April 1997.
It quickly climbed the charts, staying
at number one for weeks around
the world. Despite the label’s urging,
Hanson didn’t churn out a follow-up.
They embarked on a yearlong tour and
solidified their fanbase. Sophomore
effort This Time Around came in 2000,
as Mercury was absorbed by Island/Def
Jam. Hanson hit the road again, paying
for it out of their own pockets after
funding was cut.
There’s a line in Hanson’s newest
single, “I Was Born,” that goes: “There’s
a road out in front of me, nobody
can see, I’m paving it as I go.” “It does
connect to something we believe about
ourselves and about the world,” Zac
says. “That this idea of living your dream
or chasing something that is powerful
and meaningful, it doesn’t mean that it’s
going to be easy.”
For three years, Hanson fought with
Island/Def Jam to complete their next
record. They wrote almost 100 songs.
Fantastic songs, in their blend of pop,
rock, and soul. Executives rejected every
one, arguing they weren’t radio friendly.
In the end, Hanson walked away. They
formed their own independent label,
3CG Records, under which they’ve been
releasing music ever since.
“Ultimately, we feel really responsible
for our own legacy, if we get to have
one,” Zac says. “We don’t want to give
up parts of it so that we can be more
successful. I want to be proud of every
moment and that sometimes means you
take a path that leads away from pop
culture or leads away from the known
direction.”
Hanson is concerned about
making music that has purpose and
integrity. Things like annually releasing
an EP to their fan club, a grassroots
campaign to fight against HIV/AIDS in
Africa, and songs deeply aware of the
human condition sustains that drive.
“It’s about this idea that music has a
power that transcends language and
borders,” Zac says, “and we want to be
the kind of people that are fuelling that,
because that will last forever.”
A holiday album, Finally It’s Christmas,
is on the way. A new record, after that.
Right now though, they’re looking
around — at each other and their
fans — at what they’ve accomplished
together so far. The music they’ve made,
the connections they’ve fostered. At
what can happen when one stands up
for what they believe in and refuses to
be compromised.
“I wanna be somebody that is trying
to be the best at something,” Zac
says. “Not for the sake of beating
someone else, but for the sake of
achieving something for myself.”
Hanson performs at the Vogue Theatre
on October 18.
MALK
BORN ELATED AND THIRSTY FOR THE ROAD
JOVANA GOLUBOVIC
En-route to Nelson B.C., MALK stop
to enjoy some beverages under a
bridge when I call. They are in the
middle of their first tour, performing
their high-energy show to Western
Canadian audiences, without a
setlist. “We follow our guts,” explains
vocalist/guitarist Alex Smith, “There’s
something about calling it as you go.
You just kind of know.”
So far the response at shows has
been positive, especially in Lethridge
Alberta which Smith celebrates as
having a special place in his heart
as it reminds him of his hometown.
That town is Abbotsford where Smith
met his musical match, Kyle Schick
(vocals/guitar), and the band was
formed, joined along with Jaydee
Bateman on drums/vocals, and Lou
Labbe on bass.
MALK released their first EP
Prehistoric in 2014 and are now
gracing us with their first full-length
effort, Born Elated through Dipstick
Records. In less than 30 minutes
of run time, Born Elated weaves
through mood and genre brilliantly,
from the gruff doo-wop of “Killing
Time” to the delicate yearning
of “Berlin.” Strong melodies and
a mature use of dynamics show
respect for songwriting, borrowing
from influences like The Beatles,
The Strokes, and The Pixies, while
retaining originality. The guitars and
vocal harmonies shine throughout,
and the band achieves a full sound
with few overdubs: the result
of great playing, arrangement,
and production. The album was
produced by Felix Fung at Little Red
Sounds. “He’s old school,” Smith says
of Fung, “All the basic instruments
were recorded live off the floor, vocals
separately. One or two overdubs
of guitar. Other than that, pretty
much what you hear is what it is. If
we played the best we could possibly
play, it would sound like that.”
When they return from the road,
MALK are eager to head back into the
studio, but not for another full-length
project. “We’d like to have two EPs
out next year,” states Smith, “An LP is
a big commitment. We want to try
different things and see what kind of
reception we get from different stuff.
In the days of short attention spans,
you can stretch more out of an EP... It
gives you time to try new things.”
MALK’s new album Born Elated is
available now on iTunes, Spotify, and
bandcamp.
Photo by Anita Lewis
Abbotsford natives show maturity and growth on debut album.
18
October 2017