Strong Enough to Break

I’ll preface this review by noting that I pride myself on generally good and eclectic musical taste, without being outright snobby (aside from Nickelback…they’re horrible).  I appreciate talent, dedication, passion, as well as the ability to produce an exceptionally catchy song that I simply cannot get out of my head.  Undoubtedly, Hanson exhibits all of those qualities.

Like many females my age, I’ve been in love with Hanson since 6th grade, after my mom recorded the “Mmmbop” video for me on VH1 (when music channels still played music).  Repeated watching of this video led to my unhealthy obsession with Taylor Hanson (after I realized he was not, in fact, a girl), which led to my Hanson themed birthday party, which led to my sleeping with a mask of Taylor Hanson’s face attached to my body pillow nightly (of this I am not ashamed, photographic proof available upon request).

But this Hanson infatuation was more than just a boy band crush.  As I grew older, and Hanson grew older (moving their songs down an octave or so), my respect for them grew as well.  They have a solid and admirable discography, and are inspired activists, hosting a one-mile barefoot “walk” before every show in which they donate a dollar for each registered walker to impoverished areas.

It pains me to witness the skewed reputation that Hanson has earned as a result of their “Mmmbop” claim to fame.  I can only hope that direct exposure to the creative workings of three talented individuals will help open closed minds, and break the unfortunate consensus that Hanson is somehow “uncool”.

A film by director Ashley Greyson, Strong Enough to Break follows the three brothers as they struggle to record their third studio album on Island/Def Jam Records.   After laying down several album-worthy demos, with a variety of label-chosen producers, the boys become increasingly frustrated with Island/Def Jam’s clashing creative views.  They find themselves ultimately stuck – angry at their label, and beginning to fight amongst each other – searching for someone to understand and support their musical vision.  Because I couldn’t say it better myself, I pulled this quote from the film’s website:

“Strong Enough To Break began as in depth story of one band’s inner workings. It became an example of many artists’ struggle to balance the interests of today’s consolidated music companies and the passion for their art and its future.”

I found this story extremely interesting, and sadly all-too-relevant to today’s entertainment industry.  After three exhausting years, Hanson made the bold choice to drop Island/Def Jam, and release the album “Underneath” independently on their own, newly established label, 3 Car Garage (3CG) – with much success!

As far as I know, the film can pretty much only be found on Hanson’s website. But you can certainly find their music on Amazon, including “Underneath” and “Underneath Acoustic” (the album in question throughout this film).

And in the spirit of the season, I must mention one of the most fun and light-hearted holiday albums of all time, Hanson’s “Snowed In”! (Get it…now! You will be dancing in no time).

For Hanson fans, this documentary will solidify your love and appreciation for the talented musicians.  For those who haven’t even thought about Hanson since Mmmbop eleven years ago, this film will hopefully prove Hanson’s genuine passion and credibility within a shallow, cookie-cutter industry.  This is a must-see for anyone even remotely interested in music.

As an added bonus, Taylor is just as gorgeous as ever. And boys, have no fear – I know plenty of boyfriends who have reluctantly attended recent Hanson concerts, only to leave pleasantly impressed and with their manhood intact.