Hawk Nelson is pop. There, I said it. They are also one of the biggest-selling Christian rock bands around. Their last CD debuted at #34 on the Billboard 200 and at #13 on the iTunes top hundred chart. Their latest release, Live Life Loud, threatens to do better.
Hawk Nelson's pop rock sound is infectious, especially if you spend time around teenagers who seem to be playing them all the time. The songs get caught in your head, and you find yourself humming the melody for hours. They are outstanding musicians, and their live shows are high-energy and entertaining.
So why is this the first Hawk Nelson CD I've ever owned? Two words — shallow lyrics. Hawk Nelson's target audience goes for fairly mundane lyrics, things that don't require much thought. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I left that stage of my life behind years ago; I like a bit more content with my music now, thankyouverymuch. And while Live life Loud won't be confused with more cerebral rock releases, Hawk Nelson is finally getting out of the kiddie end of the pool and starting to venture out beyond the floating ropes into the deep end.
What am I talking about? I'm talking about songs like "Never Enough," dealing with typical inadequacies that everyone feels, but especially in trying to hear what God is saying to us. Then there's "Shaken," a song about understanding the problems beyond our own experiences, outside of our borders. It's something that Hawk Nelson is taking seriously; they've partnered with TOMS shoes. Not only does TOMS shoes give a pair of shoes away for every pair purchased, but right now when you buy the shoes through Hawk Nelson's store (or the link above), TOMS will donate eight dollars to the Hands & Feet Orphanage in Haiti. Hawk Nelson is serious about living their lives out loud.
Article comments
1 - Concrete Girl
I completely agree. I own every Hawk Nelson CD (EXCEPT Live Life Loud and I intend to change that soon) and my only complaint is the lyrics.