I'm not going to lie; I only listened to Hawthorne Heights's new album, If Only You Were Lonely, in order to write this article.
A little apprehensive, I started to look into their biography to discover their genre of music: rock/screamo. Rock, good, screamo, no; this was not a good sign. But after giving the band's sophomore album a chance, they aren't as bad as I'd originally expected — but keep in mind my expectations were pretty low.
Formed in Dayton, Ohio, the band is comprised of JT Woodruff on vocals and guitar, Matt Rendour on bass, Eron Bucciarelli on drums and Casey Calvert and Micah Carli on guitar. This trio of guitars gives Hawthorne Heights a lot of potential to differentiate themselves from other bands of the same genre.
Unfortunately, they fail to do just what they set out to do. With three people playing the same instrument, you'd expect the tunes to be a bit more complex than a couple of embellishments here and there. However, there is really nothing unique going on in this album.
"Saying Sorry" is the first single off of If Only You Were Lonely. It's a decent song, but for a first single, it's not as catchy as it should be. The only reason it could be described as such is because the lyrics are extremely repetitive. After hearing him say it for the seventh time, it has definitely sunk in — Woodruff is sorry.
The vocals are nothing spectacular, much like the instruments accompanying them. Although there is some screaming in the background, it's not enough to offset someone from listening to it that normally wouldn't. At the same time, it's more than enough to keep their emo listeners coming back for more.
"This Is Who We Are" is one of the better tracks on the album, screaming and all. It has a simple, yet appealing, melody, which will make it a good single. The lyrics also have a more mature tone to them, compared to their hit single from their previous album Ohio Is For Lovers. Whereas they used to be famous for the suicidal line "Cut my wrists and black my eyes," they are saying things like, "Between the sadness and the smile / Lies the flicker of the fire. / You always said this never hurt you / I always said you were a liar."
It would appear that Hawthorne Heights was reverting back to their old ways with the aptly titled "Where Can I Stab Myself In The Ears." However, it's not as depressing as it sounds, or at least in the way one might think it will be. The song is actually about a girl who tells lies and can't be trusted. The lyrics are almost poetic when Woodruff sings, "Behind your back talking like knives / And I can hardly breathe / Sharpen your tongue the rest of your life / And I can not believe anything that you say." Ahhhh, the title makes sense now, doesn't it?
This band has the potential to be great, but then again, they wouldn't have made it this far if they didn't. They need to step up to the plate — so far, Hawthorne Heights hasn't come close. They have their group of loyal allegiants, but it's not enough to take the band to the top of the record charts, which it seems is all they want.
A statement issued by the band's publicist delivers a plea to the fans: "We need you, your friends and anyone else you know that likes ROCK music to buy our album tomorrow … Many people are saying that Ne-Yo is going to outsell us … ROCK music needs to win tomorrow. Independent needs to beat Major tomorrow."
If that's what they are after, then they are singing the wrong kind of music.
Rating: 2 out of 5
