Hoobastank - If I WereYou

Tue 18th Apr, 2006 in Music Reviews

The hugely successful ballad The Reason was 2004’s longest running single inside the Hot 100, in addition to earning accolades once again with a Grammy nomination.

The guys known only as Hoobastank have found success with four singles to date, these being Crawling In The Dark, Running Away, Out of Control and the most recent The Reason that features more of the infectious uplifting vocals we have all come to expect.

After a somewhat disappointing attempt at performing The Reason live at an awards ceremony, Hoobastank return in an attempt to pick the listener up where they left off.

These pop-rock pretty boy prince charmings have the knack of wooing their audience with rock ballads that seem to impregnate themselves in the eardrums of fans whom allow the songs to bloom inside their heads.

If I Were You looks like it may fall short of the mark when it comes to comparing with such winners as Running Away and The Reason which have similarly contrasting tempos. However, this single may very well have the potential to grow on you, while preparing you for a full length musical journey on the upcoming album titled Every Man For Himself which is officially due out on May 13th.

This newie is a good one, but does come across as mediocre, it shys away from the “post-grunge ear candy” coined by critics of the Crawling In The Dark days of Hoobastank.

Instead, If I Were You plays without the typically heavy drums and massive choruses, and sounds like an attempt to tone things down a little.

“If I were you holding the world in my hands” sounds as though the song is addressing the almighty creator. It seems Hoobastank are broadening their lyrical horizons, shifting from the female- focus of earlier records. Maybe not.

Whatever the future for Hoobastank, the recent past puts them at the top of their game. US radio statistics show the new single at #1 most added at rock radio as well as the #1 most added track-pop format and #31 R+R alternative on national airplay.

Naturally, these guys still wreak of commercial success in a music market  progressively dominated by pop culture.