My musical taste is stuck in the 80s and 90s. In fact I might be turning into the old lady down the street, yelling at the car blaring hip-hop/wrap/heavy metal, “Turn off that racket!" And muttering “Kids these days..." Really, we need more bands like Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthew’s Band, Weezer, R.E.M., The Presidents, and Cake. The rock-style from their era is the best around.
I don’t know what I’m going to do in ten or twenty years when bands like these aren’t whipping up their speciality. But until then, I’m grateful for groups like Sister Hazel who push through the new junk and grace the world with a style that encompasses the southern rock of Counting Crows, the alternative rock of the Goo Goo Dolls, and the pop quality of Hootie and the Blowfish.
Sister Hazel formed over a decade ago with lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist Ken Block, bass player Jett Beres, rhythm guitarist Andrew Copeland, lead guitarist Ryan Newell, and drummer Mark Trojanowski. They chose the band’s name because of the unconditional love of one African-American woman, Sister Hazel Williams, who ran Sister Hazel’s Rescue Mission in Gainesville, Florida. In the 1970s and 80s, anyone, no matter what race or creed, could find a warm meal and bed at this center.
Much like their name’s origin, the band is about fellowship and common ground. “We love to do so many things,” says Block. “Between writing songs we believe in, the live shows, building a community, expanding our events, and the charity, there’s this whole lifestyle that is what Sister Hazel is about.”
This “lifestyle” shows through in the lyrics and pulse of their music, especially so in Before the Amplifiers, Live Acoustic, which was released this summer. Sixteen acoustic hits and favorites were recorded with 100 chosen Sister Hazel’s fans. The CD is a tribute to a time when music was gritty and lyrically stimulating. And I think in a way, the yelling and cheering in the background demonstrates the band’s idea that no one can do it alone.
The songs featured on this album include “All For You,” Sister Hazel’s most popular single, “Change Your Mind” from Fortress, and “Feel It,” which was the band’s very first song. My favorite, “Your Winter,” appeared on the Ten Things I Hate About You soundtrack in 1999. This version of course is stripped of the up-beat flare, grung band effects, and guttural yelling frenzy of the original. In fact, most of the songs on this album lean closer toward Sister Hazel’s southern rock influences, but I love the more sorrowful tone, especially in “Your Winter.” It blends well with the lyrics and sort of makes me want to dance with my eighth grade love again.
All around, this is an album you don’t want to miss. Each of the songs brings a new feel to an old Sister Hazel, and I enjoyed every minute of the soothing acoustic sounds and untainted aesthetically pleasing rock that only shames modern music.
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