July 8-14, 2004

musicpicks

Hanson

by Nicole Pensiero

POP/ROCK

Isaac Hanson knows people expect him to think of "MMMBop" as some kind of psychological albatross — the eternal teeny-bopper anthem that people won't let him forget. But he doesn't. It was just part of the ride he and his brothers have been on since they were kids.

"That song came from our influences, 1950s and '60s rock 'n' roll, and it was a great starting point," the 23-year-old singer-guitarist says. "But there's a lot more to this band. I mean, it was seven years ago."

Yes indeed, seven years since he and his brothers Taylor, now 20, and Zac, 18, became Tiger Beat pinup boys because of that Jackson 5-ish single, which propelled their debut album, Middle of Nowhere, to sell more than six million copies.

But it ain't easy to grow up in public, and Hanson's more sophisticated, rock-oriented follow-up, 2000's This Time Around, sold less than a million copies.

Moving on to Plan B, the Hansons bagged out of their Island Record contract, toured extensively (and often acoustically), connected with fans through their huge Web site, and created their own indie label, 3CG. In April, the brothers released their hook-laden third album, Underneath, which earned a three-star review in Rolling Stone, the same magazine that once called them a "blonde, three-headed hydra."

"It's so easy to overproduce a record to do layers of guitars and vocals," Isaac says. "We went for something more natural, more attainable. This is the most intimate, organic [record] we've done." For Underneath, Hanson collaborated with a diverse crew, everyone from Matthew Sweet (who co-wrote the title track) to former Hanson fan club member Michelle Branch (who sings on it). And the first single, "Penny & Me," is nearly as catchy as you-know-what.

"All we've ever been is a band," Isaac Hanson says. "And all we want to do is be a good one."

Sat., July 10, 8 p.m., $35, with Ingram Hill and Ben Jelen, Electric Factory, Seventh and Willow sts., 215-336-2000.