Hawk Nelson is back and wants to be your friend! Dubbing their record Hawk Nelson is My Friend to emphasize they’re looking for friends, not just fans. From start to finish the album maintains a common positive message of friendship and relationship.
Opening the album is the strong and electric “You Have What I Need.” The song resembles a Green Day vibe, and is somewhat new territory musically for Hawk. Next comes the band’s first radio single from the record “Friend Like That.” It’s another musically strong track, and retains a well-balanced message lyrically. Following is “Turn it On,” a track that quickly becomes redundant throughout the choruses, though the message in the song is decent, I couldn’t help but be shadowed by the repetitiveness of the track. “One Little Miracle” is an intriguing song, and one of the finest on the record. It speaks of the struggle of to keep a positive mind when our relationship with God seems to be continually in the dumps. “One little revolution could turn it all around / Back to the Kingdom we once knew / Just a little bit of me, just a little bit of you / One little miracle to get us through.”
“Let’s Dance” is a fun track, but at this point the record comes down a notch with mediocre songs “Ancient History,” and the cliché, unoriginal “Somebody Else.” Parts of the song seem like they came straight out of “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s. “Arms Around Me,” “Just Like Me,” “Not the Same,” “Words We Speak,” and “I Still Miss You” finish off the record in a mediocre way.
In terms of music, Hawk continues to progress. There are a couple weeks spots, but for the most part the record maintained a sense of variety, which is always a plus for a pop-punk band. This record has a lot more edge to it, however, I felt their lyrics lacked originality and freshness. This record is more serious than their previous discs, and I think it comes with the sound. Smile, It’s the End of the World had “The One Thing I Have Left,” “The Show,” “Everything You Ever Wanted,” and “Zero.” All of which were very strong tunes, while Hawk Nelson is My Friend leaves us with just a hand full of good tunes, most of which just pass mediocrity.
For fans, this record will probably do you good, and give you something new from a much loved, and desired band. However, Smile, It’s the End of the World was such a strong album, that Hawk Nelson is My Friend left me a little under the weather. Nonetheless the album brushes on good topics and keeps a theme intact, something a lot of bands try and have failed at.
Article by Jeremy Koering, Editor / Photographer / General Writing
Response by: Becca
Posted: 2008-06-11 at 7:51 pm
I can't wait to get their CD. I love Friend like that, Arms Around Me, and You have What I Need. :-)
