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Hawk Nelson Is My Friend

Hawk Nelson | April 1st, 2008

As a thank you to their fans, Hawk Nelson will release their latest, entitled Hawk Nelson is My Friend, a concept album presented as a “musical letter.” Hawk Nelson hails from our neighbor up north (Canada, for those geographically challenged) and has been well-received by the masses in the States. They have appeared in television shows, commercial spots, and even on the silver screen. Even so, Hawk Nelson hasn't yet made a splash into the mainstream music market, but they seem to be perfectly fine with that. As far as their latest album, it goes without saying Hawk Nelson has done it again.

Fans of Hawk Nelson will feel right at home with Hawk Nelson is My Friend while listeners with no affinity for the force that is Hawk Nelson better pass this one by. Hawk Nelson continues in the fashion of Smile, It's the End of the World with the same brand of power pop/punk rock. The album begins with “You Have What I Need” in an effort to show off their slightly edgier side. Vocally the band takes some risks, which don't pay off in the end.

“Friend Like That” carries on the “friend” theme of the record and demonstrates exactly what fans of the band have come to love. “One Little Miracle” and “Arms Around Me” slow the pace down a little bit, as Hawk Nelson has been able to do successfully in the past. “Ancient History” is pure power pop—the band pulls it off masterfully.

Never one to be spiritually blunt, Hawk Nelson only shows off their faith in songs “Arms Around Me” and very cryptically in “Friend Like That.” Most of the time, they are content to sing about girls, relationships, and various other topics to which the band's younger audience can relate.

Ultimately, Hawk Nelson achieved their goal in writing a thank you letter to their fans as their fans are probably the only ones who are going to find something to love about this album. Hawk Nelson has done little to mature their sound or gain new fans with this release. This isn't bad music, it just lacks any sign of progression. We can only hope that the band is saving their real growth for their next release. Fans shouldn't hesitate to pick up this CD, but for those who aren't yet “friends,” one of their previous releases will better introduce you.

Reviewed by Jarrod Steinmetz on March 9th, 2008

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