Band of Brothers: Hanson

Hanson
Brothers: Isaac Hanson (guitar, lead vocals), Taylor Hanson (piano, lead vocals), Zac Hanson (drums, lead vocals)
Other Members: None

One of the things that fascinates most about Hanson is how young they were when they started. Isaac was 11, Taylor was 9 and Zac was 6. So essentially, being a band together has been their life. They started out just singing and added instruments by the time they recorded their first major label album. Listening to that album now, as someone who was a fan of it at the time and became a bigger fan of the band years later, is mind-blowing to me. They were so young, yet it is so good. Only Isaac sounds exactly the same then as he does now, Taylor is a slightly higher (and purer) voiced version of his current self and Zac sounds like an 11 year old who can sing and barely sounds at all like he sounds today.

The thing about these three is that they made it work. It's something that, given their age, was likely started for them, yet they have embraced it since those early days. Any time they are posed with a question about their early start or what they'd rather do or what they'll be doing ten years from now, it always goes back to how much they love creating and sharing music. Like the Bee Gees, it hasn't been easy for them. Their first hit is a song that has stuck them with an image that even now, they can't shake though it's starting to finally be driven home that they are so much more than that one song. The struggle they had with their label led to them owning and running their own independent label. They basically do it all themselves.

I think Hanson is also a great example of how individuals can be different, yet compliment each other so well. They truly balance each other out. Their voices, while quite different from each other, blend so well that it's sometimes hard to pick the harmony apart, even when you know who's likely singing what. Isaac is always the lowest, with his rockier, bluesy tone. Taylor tends to sing the middle, his harmony voice blending with his brothers way more than his unique and soulful lead singing voice might have you believe. Zac, with the crystal clear falsetto, usually tops the harmony. Their voices together are truly gorgeous. The lead singing has gone from mostly Taylor to a pretty fair share of Zac as well, with some (not enough!) Isaac thrown in too. They've all gotten more versatile instrumentally, with Zac sometimes playing piano on songs where he did the primary songwriting or sings lead, Taylor covering drums or adding an additional guitar, Isaac playing some bass and Zac has started to incorporate more variety in his percussion instruments for acoustic sets. Their range of styles has been apparent since Middle of Nowhere ("Look at You" vs. "With You in Your Dreams" anyone?) and I love that that has continued to be such a signature part of their albums. They even balance each other personality-wise, a dymanic that is clear in their documentaries and podcasts. Isaac, the oldest, wears his heart on his sleeve, tends to be most pessimistic in the studio, but shares his excitement just as easily. Taylor is the peacemaker, the one who keeps things moving, the most optimistic. Zac is the youngest, still somewhat the goofiest but also the one who sees things the most as they are and just wants to get it done. At the end of Strong Enough to Break, the three are sitting in a hotel lobby and Isaac says, "I just realized something." He points to himself. "Pessimist." Points to Taylor, "optimist". Points to Zac and he and Taylor both say "realist." It's such an interesting and necessary dynamic that makes watching them work almost as entertaining as listening to the product of that work. Of all the brother bands, they are the ones who will likely be doing this for the rest of their lives, with the least amount of baggage or drama within them. They love it and I love them for it.

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