Hawthorne Heights
The Rain Just Follows Me

It is getting close to two decades now for Hawthorne Heights, their new album claims that the rain follows – and perhaps it is. This album has me thinking about age, some styles of music is kind of youthful and rebellious, like the punkish styles. And that is what these guys play, rock music that should have an edge of rebelliousness and defiance, traits of the youth and not something that someone around forty thinks about. Can you really be relevant in a punkish style when you have what wealthy people have, usually the soul comes through in music – and I think Hawthorne Heights lack that edge.

The pop punk or punkish rock style they do feels very well composed, well thought out and solid in every regard. But it kind of feels like a band trying to be something they are not, perhaps it is rebellious, perhaps it is something else, but I think this album is a bit without soul. It is a fine craftsmanship; the band certainly know what elements to add to their songs and how to record them. But it is like they just do it because it is their job, their minds are elsewhere, thinking about the time off from work or whatever it is. That makes this album feel a little flat, and almost tired.

Sure, the songs are good, the melodies are strong, the choruses are catchy, you get what the genre is all about, almost. What you don’t get is that feeling of authenticity and of spirit, it is like it is done more for the sake of doing an album rather than having the desire to make one. As a sad commercial venture, I guess it is fine, but as a poppy punk rock album it is a bit dull. Sure, it works and will go down well amongst a good number of people that listen to this kind of music. They will probably not disappoint their fans either, but I wonder if they already passed their prime a long time ago.

If you like what these guys have done before there is a good chance that you will like this album as well. It is a good album, but it isn’t a great one, I miss the outstanding hit song and the spirit that makes separates the best from the rest. Unfortunately Hawthorne Heights is another one of those getting a rating in the middle, they make a solid but unspectacular album.

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