Secondhand Serenade - Hear Me Now

Secondhand Serenade - Hear Me Now
2010, Glassnote Entertainment Group/ILG

Secondhand Serenade had a nice run with their sophomore album, A Twist In My Story, which spawned the Top-10 single "Fall For You". Not one to rest in the balm of success, principal songwriter John Vesely dove deeper into man's metaphysical understanding of his existence for Secondhand Serenade's third album, Hear Me Now. While not a departure from past sounds, Hear Me Now marks a leap forward for Secondhand Serenade in terms of songwriting depth and finesse.

Hear Me Now is an exercise in patience. Don't get me wrong, Secondhand Serenade have created an album that's likely to sell like hotcakes. The pure radio-feel of the album could spawn a number of hits with the right break. The difficulty is that so many bands play in this field that it's hard to get that break. Secondhand Serenade are capable of writing a bonafide pop gem or two, and have a great mix of lead and harmony vocals to drive the songs, but much of the material here is so cookie-cutter that the album itself becomes bland.

Secondhand Serenade opens with a gem. "Distance" is a big melodic rock ballad about missing the one you love with a sparkling melody and a low-key pop sensibility that stands out in a crowd. It's easily the best song on the album and an easy-to-understand pick for the lead position. Thereafter things become rote, with Secondhand Serenade going through the motions of constructing radio-ready pop songs that sound an awful lot like each other and like a thousand other bands trying to become one of the magic twelve per hour on Top-40 radio. If you last long enough into Hear Me Now you'll find one more gem, the vibrant pop/rock of "So Long" is so catchy and without pretense that it will stick with you. Unfortunately it’s the last sign of real personality to be seen/heard from Secondhand Serenade.

Don't misunderstand; Secondhand Serenade has a lot going for himself. John Vesely has the sort of voice that can carry a band to the top of the charts repeatedly, the vocal harmonies are strong. There's also nothing on Hear Me Now to suggest that Secondhand Serenade is anything less than a highly competent musician. Hear Me Now simply plays as a cynical attempt at crafting songs solely for the purpose of making in on Top-40 radio. There's nothing wrong with that pursuit, but Secondhand Serenade fail to distinguish them when they very much have the talent to do so. The two bright spots, "Distance" and "So Long" suggest there's a lot more to Secondhand Serenade than Hear Me Now shows.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Secondhand Serenade from www.myspace.com/secondhandserenade or http://www.secondhandserenade.com/.   Hear Me Now is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available from iTunes.

Review: Mission Hill - Mission Hill

Mission Hill - Mission Hill
2009, Toucan Cove Entertainment

Boston quartet Mission Hill has built up a significant fan base gigging relentlessly on the East Coast over the past few years. Shows with Candlebox, The White Tie Affair and Secondhand Serenade have served to widen their fan base, but it's the music that wins over fans' hearts and minds. Introspective and self-conscious by nature, Mission Hill speaks from the heart on their debut EP, Mission Hill. Mission Hill was recently ranked number one on Alternative Addiction's "Top Ten Unsigned Bands" list, and lead vocalist Adam Jensen won an LA Music Award for Indie Male Vocalist Of The Year. I suspect that such accolades are only the tip of the iceberg.

Mission Hill opens with This Town, reflecting on a relationship gone wrong and the difficulty of moving on. The narrator is on the verge of wanting reject all he knows to get away from all things familiar and escape the pain of losing her. While Jensen sounds nothing like Michael Stipe (more like a deeper voiced Rob Thomas), there's a definite REM connection here. Forever Anyway is an autobiographical tune about Jensen's love for his hometown that takes on an almost Americana flavoring. The vocal harmonies here are phenomenal, and the melody is one that will get stuck in your brain. Long Time Comin' is a goodbye song. The narrator has finally had enough and is saying goodbye. The song is incredibly well written and could have potential as a Country tune as well as the Rock/Americana arrangement it's presently in. Don't be surprised to see this song licensed for a soundtrack somewhere down the line. The best songwriting on the disc is still to come, however. Jen (When I Grow Up) is one of the most mature and introspective love songs you're likely to come across. This is a definite mix-tape song, though with limited application. If we did a song of the year category here at Wildy's World this would have to be in the discussion. Ending with Down With Young Love, Mission Hill rocks out for all they're worth; an impressively high-energy tune that I suspect is a big time favorite in the live show.

Mission Hill seems destined to transcend their regional status and become a band with national recognition. The quality of the songwriting and musicianship combined with the front-man presence of Adam Jensen would make them a sure thing in a perfect world. Regardless, Mission Hill is very much worthy of your rapt attention. This is great stuff!

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Mission Hill at www.myspace.com/missionhillband or http://www.missionhillband.com/. You can purchase Mission Hill EP digitally from iTunes. Physical CDs do exist, but I could find no outlet online. Message Mission Hill at their MySpace page for more information if interested.