HANNAN
"Charm Offensive" (Graphite
Music; 2019)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Boy, I really like Hannan's "Charm Offensive"
album. It's six tracks full of vibrant hard rock with chunky guitars, driving
rhythms and solid vocals that never gets too soft or ballad-y but never gets too
hard and heavy either. I mean, I like hard and heavy (my favorite band is
Motorhead) but occasionally you need something just a little less loud with
crunchy guitars and crisp, clear vocals.
If I had to try and compare Hanna's music to a well-known band just to give you an idea where they stand, I'd say they're close to "Monster" and "Sonic Boom" era Kiss ... but a little more modern and complicated, both musically and lyrically.
The album starts out with "Realign," a mid-paced rocker that gives you an idea what you're in store for. "Under the Gun" is up next and it'll have you bopping your head the whole way through. Track three is "Inside Out Girl" and its tumbling drum intro draws you in from the get-go. The rhythm guitars really buoy track 4, "Break Me" into an infectious tune while "I Am I," track 5, is almost as addictive. The CD closes out with "The Killing Man," another driving rock number that closes the album out on a high note.
Throughout, by the way, the production is outstanding. Chet Roberts of Three Doors Down discovered the band and produced the CD and, yeah, you can hear that influence here as well.
Look, I know there are readers out there who are just into death metal or thrash and, yeah, Hannan's probably not your band. There's no growling cookie monster vocals here or double-bass drums (at least that I heard). But if you're a fan of bands like Bad Company, Foreigner and maybe even more modern bands like the aforementioned Three Doors Down, I think you'll find Hannan's "Charm Offensive" as enjoyable as I did.
Hannan: Graham Hannan-Vocals; Houston Barnett- Guitars; Ben Hurst- Guitars; Josh Smart- Bass; Dean Dufresne- Drums.
For more information, check out http://www.hannanmusic.us.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2020 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
