Sometimes it seems that music begs to just be listened to, rather than analyzed. It’s sometimes difficult for me to separate writing a good piece from enjoying the music that I’m writing about.
When I first clicked play on The Bend, the newest EP by The Hannas, I immediately remembered my mid-high school years. I was reminded of the music I played with my friends. I was reminded of the music that I loved to listen to in secret — everyone thought I was some “hardcore kid,” when in reality, many of my favorite bands have enjoyed pop stardom.
When I saw that the genre of The Hannas was “garage rock,” I was expecting something like a Nirvana cover band. However, there were no musical similarities between Nirvana and The Hannas at all. The only thing that was remotely similar is that the songs on The Bend aren’t “polished.” They lack a lot of modern effects that many people have grown accustomed to. This, however, adds to their distinct sound and focuses more on the artists than on over-production.
Hannas Experiment with Alternative Music
The title track is a fantastic start to the EP. I was almost immediately reminded of All That We Needed-era Plain White T’s. The double-time power chords. The flowing lead guitar. The punky, yet focused and refined vocals. This song could have easily fit in with early Plain White T’s and I couldn’t help tapping along to the beat.
“Touch and Go” was a different experience. While it was a good experience, it was here that I realized that the songs on this EP weren’t going to all sound the same. This song reminds me more of a reggae/punk mix. However, it doesn’t seem to focus on it being some mix of genres. Instead of flaunting the genres, the song focuses on just being a catchy track filled with rhythm influenced from other genres. I think the same can be said about the third track, “One Last Kiss.” Singer Joey J. shows off more of his vocal ability over this punk-influenced track.
What’s a Boston (and New Jersey)-based band without a shanty? “Pixie Dust” follows the traditional Boston tradition of Irish influence. While it’s hard to compare this track to “Shipping Up to Boston” by The Dropkick Murphys, there’s just so much about it that reminds me of them. This isn’t a clear-cut copy, though. Instead, The Hannas once again took influences from others and made them their own. The alternating bass line and the strumming guitar really play well together.
The Bend is a fantastic release. The genre-bending and mixing of influences leads, somehow, to originality. Since no two songs sound the same, there is no conformity to this EP. This, however, adds to the punk vibe that this band goes for. Definitely check this band out!