Hawk Nelson has sold over 500,000 albums so far in their career and are getting ready to release their 5th studio album Crazy Love featuring the singles "Crazy Love," "We Can Change the World" and more. The guys of Hawk Nelson have yet again taken things up a notch with a hint of the past. These songs will touch you to the core with their powerful lyrics, but also take you to the edge musically.
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Hawk Nelson [Crazy Love]| Posted February 03, 2011
Hawk Nelson has sold over 500,000 albums so far in their career and are getting ready to release their 5th studio album, Crazy Love, on February 8th. The album kicks off with Hawk Nelson?s signature rock/punk sound with ?Tally-Ho? which flows right into ?Your Love Is A Mystery.? What sets this album apart from previous offerings is the lyrical content, best exhibited in several stand-out songs. ?Your Love Is A Mystery? has a great prayerful message ?You love me Jesus it?s a mystery, You know my faults, You know my wrongs and You still love me? combined with a great synth-rock musical style, similar to ?Let?s Dance.? With Crazy Love, Jason Dunn, Danny Biro, Jonathan Steingard and Justin Benner continue the call for action heard on the band?s last studio album Live Life Loud. Inspired by Francis Chan?s book Crazy Love, Dunn and producer Ian Eskelin wrote the title track and debut radio single as a greater wake-up call to love: ?This book made me realize how much God loves each and every one of us,? says Dunn. ?Sometimes submerged in a Christian environment, we lose perspective of what Jesus did for us on the cross. We need to wake up and grasp the meaning of what he did; Jesus made something completely unattainable, attainable, and we are called to live in and practice that same ?crazy? love.?
?Crazy Love? has quickly become my all-time favorite song by this great band and I am very convicted by the great lyrics: ?We're the ones gonna put it all in reverse, Gonna die to ourselves, gonna live to serve.? If you haven?t had the chance to read the book by Francis Chan, this song is a great primer about the challenge to Christians in James 2:17 (NKJV): ?Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.? ?My Next Breath? is a confessional ballad that really shows the growth and maturity of the band. The chorus is a great statement of faith, ?I know that I am loved, because You bought me with Your blood, I need You more than my next breath.? Another stand-out song for me is ?We Can Change The World.? Like the other highlights, the song calls Christians to action with the great and catchy lyrics ?we all know what we should do, it?s time for us to show the Truth, it?s up to me, It?s up to you, we can change the world, you and me, we can make a difference if we just believe, when the hands and feet start moving together, we can change the world?forever.? I?ve been a big fan of this band since their debut Letters To The President and their incredible sophomore album Smile, It?s The End of the World. As fun as those albums are, I think they have really stepped up the lyrical content with the stand-out songs on Live Life Loud like ?The Meaning Of Life? and ?Alive? and several songs on Crazy Love.?Done Holding On? really grabs me at the end of the album with the challenging lyrics ?I?m giving up my secrets, I?m giving up my faults, I?m telling You I?m empty, should?ve known all along, It?s taken me my whole life, to realize I?m wrong, I?m giving up my secrets, I?m done holding on.? Closing track ?Thanks For The Beautiful Memories? is a great upbeat autobiographical song where the band thanks their fans and God with the great lyrics: ?thank God for blessing me each day, we just want to thank You for all that we?ve been through together, dreams become reality, we just want to thank You one more time, we?ll never thank You enough.?
Hawk Nelson still brings the fun songs as ?Tally-Ho,? ?We?re Alright,? ?Skeleton,? ?One Shot,? ?Fraud,? ?Joanna,? and ?LAX? all remind me of previous rock anthems ?Live Life Loud,? ?Friend Like That,? ?The Show,? ?Bring ?Em Out,? ?Hello? and ?California.? There is a maturity and musical diversity that really makes Crazy Love yet another solid album with more lyrical progression picking up where Live Life Loud left off. The band lists Jimmy Eat World as a musical influence and if you like that rock/punk sound combined with Spiritual lyrics, this album is for you.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
If you?ve liked previous albums by Hawk Nelson, you?ll love Crazy Love. This is another solid album by Hawk Nelson. For me the standout songs are ?Your Love Is A Mystery,? ?My Next Breath,? ?We?re Alright,? ?We Can Change The World,? ?Done Holding On? and the excellent title track ?Crazy Love,? which is now my all-time favorite song by this great band. If you like rock/punk like Jimmy Eat World, FM Static and Stellar Kart, then you can?t go wrong with Crazy Love.
Fun Tune, Meaningful Lyrics| Posted February 08, 2011
Inspired by Francis Chan's book-selling phenomenon of the same name, Hawk Nelson's latest project “Crazy Love” speaks in loud volume. The first track “Tally -Ho” on this album is undoubtedly a hyper static invitation to tune in to this fun-layered work. The Punk rock sound that has captivated fans is heavily present in this first track and splattered throughout the record. A musical shift happens in the second track, “Your Love is a Mystery” which transcends into a pop beat tempo, but still reminiscent of its rock appeal. The song reminds tuners about God's infinite love towards us, despite our flaws.“The temptation I resist, because its you I glorify” . While the music is catchy, it's the lyrics stand out the most. The lyrics are profound and a constant reminder of God's infinite crazy love towards. “Your Love is a Mystery” and “Skeletons” discuss the flawed individual, and yet bring the truth that God's love is never changing and so radical! The album dives in-depth and the songs compliment each other. In “One Shot”, one is reminded that we are only given one life on this earth, one life to chase after dreams and be alive. The message that band members attempt to share are not only embodied in the album, but are contagious for listeners to share with those around them.
Hawk Nelson| Posted February 07, 2011
When I heard that Hawk Nelson was releasing another album my initial thought was, Didn’t they just release an album? Turns out it’s been a year and a half since Live Life Loud. Time flies. The Canadian pop/punk act’s fifth endeavor, Crazy Love offers a good balance of pop/punk fun and meaningful messages.
While Crazy Love doesn’t take as many musical liberties as Hawk’s previous effort, it makes for a more cohesive record. The title-track and “Your Love Is A Mystery” have a pop/synth influence, which fits nicely with high-octane pop/punk, reminiscent of their Letters to the President days, on “Tally-Ho,” “Skeleton,” “Fraud,” and “Joanna.” Even more energy is displayed on “LAX,” a chaotic punk ditty expressing the band’s frustration with airports, “I hate airports, I know they hate me/I know they jade me and that’s my point.”
It’s not all lighthearted lyricism though. “We Can Change the World” rallies listeners to make a difference in the world. “One Shot” follows the theme of their last album, urging listeners to “live out loud” because “you got one shot.” “Your Love Is A Mystery” is one of Hawk’s most overt songs to date, “You love me Jesus, it’s a mystery/You know my faults, You know my wrongs/And You still love me.”
I stated in my review of Live Life Loud that I could be a Hawk Nelson fan by their next album. While I’m not quite there yet, Crazy Love has convinced me that Hawk Nelson is a CCM staple.
Crazy Love| Posted March 02, 2011
haha wowzers! I'ma be honest with you, Live Life Loud kinda upset me, I knew it wasn't their best album and that they coulda done better than that....so I was a little upset with them, but one day I heard their hit single 'Crazy Love' and I was like "Whaaaaaat? :O" I was like dang this song is amazing I loved it so after that I was lookin forward to their album, sometime after that I heard them play 'Your Love is a Mystery' and OMJESUS, that song blew me away as well so I went out and bought the album and I'm super stoked to say that I approve of this album and I apologize for ever doubting them, they really stepped up their game and impressed me! It's no question that 'My Next Breath' is DEFINATELY a beautifully written song, lyrics and all, workin on learnin it on guitar and I just can't get it outta my mind, I think this album had alotta work and effort put into it that in the end it was a "job well done" that they deserve major props for it! :D Lookin forward to them comin and havin a concert here this month, makin a HUGE effort to go and see them play these awesome songs live! No doubt in my mind that this is a GREAT album!
(was kinda suprised with the screamin in 'LAX' though, lol. did not see that one coming, but it's Hawk Nelson, ya gotta have a suprise and change somewhere in there.)
Ahhhhhmazing!| Posted February 26, 2011 Hawk Nelson has been one of my favorite bands since they came out with the album Smile Its the End of the World. When listening to their albums in chronological order you can see how their faith has grown. They arent the teenage boys they used to be, and arent afraid to share their faith. Overall, i think that Hawk Nelson has become one of the best Christian Pop/punk bands out there!
Happily Surprised| Posted February 22, 2011
Quite honestly, I wasn't planning on buy this CD.
I have been unimpressed by the last couple of Hawk Nelson albums. Not that I disliked the songs or anything, but they just didn't have that same Hawk Nelson spark that their first albums did.
This one, however, I really like.
Crazy Love!| Posted February 22, 2011
so i was super excited for this release! and hawk nelson did not let me down! with this new album, they went back to their punky roots with songs like "tally-ho" and "lax." at the same time, however, they showed a lot of spiritual maturity, without coming across corny. i got to see them at an acoustic cd release party for this album, where they talked about each song, and their motives behind these songs are soo genuine. as far as the acoustic cd, "the light sides," wow. it's amazing. i cannot stop listening to it. i love how they re-recorded and remixed them just enough to give them a fresh sound but keep the original song in tact. thumbs up to hawk nelson! :D
Hawk Nelson: "Crazy Love" Review| Posted February 22, 2011 Ever since the release of their debut project, Letters To The President in 2004, Hawk Nelson have been among the most consistent bands in the Christian music industry. Over the course of their five studio album releases, they have produced incredible pop punk music, and with Relient K starting to take more of a secular approach, the pressure has been on these guys to step up and maintain the strength in their respective genre. After chopping and changing between genres over their past albums, Hawk Nelson's latest release Crazy Love marks the bands' return to their traditional pop rock roots, as the album is a high energy and fun filled extravaganza packed with fast paced and engaging tunes. These aspects along with the more Christ-centred lyrics make this album an improvement of Hawk Nelson's previous work.
The album kicks off with the abrupt shouting lyrics of "Tally Ho". It is a fast paced and chaotic rock tune, and only lasts for just under two minutes. The lyrics are centred around the powerful singing of "Pouring out the gasoline" and "Ignite the fuse". The song is very brief and the first half of it can get a little annoying, but once it reaches its peak by the end of the first chorus, there's no stopping. It's the only aggressive rock assault off the album and I couldn't help but air-drum along to it. It is a great introduction to the joyous fun and energy that is to follow with the next twelve tracks. Next up is "Your Love Is A Mystery", which uses electronic sounds and a dance beat. The lyrics in the chorus are in awe of God's mysterious love and grace, "I'm never always right and it's plain to see/You love me Jesus, it's a mystery/You know my faults/You know my wrongs/And You still love me."
The lead single and title track "Crazy Love", co-written with producer Ian Eskelin, is my favourite Hawk Nelson song off all time and a standout off the album. Born out of the ideas presented in Francis Chan's book of the same name, it encourages us to grasp the true meaning behind the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and demonstrate the "crazy" love of Jesus to others. "...We're the ones who fight down on our knees/Who dare to love our enemies...". "My Next Breath" is a ballad that leans on the slower side of things and confesses the fact that we need Jesus more than anything in the world. "I need you/I need you more than my next breath...I know that I am loved/Because you've bought me with your blood." Hawk Nelson have some fun with the next couple of songs, "We're Alright" and "Skeleton". The former has some excellent guitar work, in fact the best of the album. The lyrics reassure us that we're alright, even though we might feel crazy sometimes. "Skeleton" emphasises the fact that we are immobile and incomplete without God, specifically comparing us to a skeleton. "Don't 'ya know?/ We all have a secret/We have friends who try to keep them/I'm just a skeleton without You now." The aggressive whispering near the end of the song also add to the song's energy and humour.
"We Can Change The World" is a reflection of the bands desire to make a difference in the world and calls all Christians to have the same life purpose. The catchy chorus states, "We can change the world, you and me/We can make a difference if we just believe/When the hands and feet start moving together/We can change the world forever." The message is similar to the title track in that it encourages Christians to stand out from the crowd and make a difference, in turn making the song a standout. I really enjoyed "Shaken" offLive Life Loud and this song reminded me greatly of that. "One Shot" encourages its listeners to live life to the full, take every opportunity as it comes and make the most of life while it counts. "You got one shot, all you got, take it now/You gotta get up, get up, get up/One life, live it right, keep on moving forward/You got one shot everybody it's your time/I want to see you on the other side."
I was dissappointed with the next few songs "Joanna" and "LAX". The rapid drum beat and fast muted guitar in "Joanna" were very enjoyable to listen to, but I found the lyrics to be disappointing. The lyrics describe the breaking up in the relationship with a girl called Joanna instead of them revolving around God. "LAX" is a fifty-seven second song that is added to the set purely for laughs, and don't get me wrong it's hilarious! However the song ultimately ends up to be a minute of pointless screaming and I think this extra space on the record could've been filled with another full length song. Still, the song does bring out the humour in Jason, Jonathan, Dan and Justin from Hawk Nelson.
"Done Holding On" really captivated me right at the end of the album with the chorus' thought provoking lyrics. "I'm giving up my secrets/I'm giving up my faults/Telling you I'm empty, should have known all along/It's taken me my whole life to realise that I'm wrong/I'm giving up my secrets, I'm done holding on."The closing track "Thanks For The Beautiful Memories" would be the perfect closer to a Hawk Nelson concert, as the band thanks their fans, crew and God for being with them throughout the long journey. They describe their life as a band, from signing their first record deal with Tooth & Nail at the age of 17, to selling over 500,000 copies of their albums. "Everything we ever wanted/We just want to thank you all for that we've been through together/Dreams become reality and we just want to thank you one more time."
Overall, Hawk Nelson's latest album Crazy Love was a very enjoyable listen. It was great to see some more christ-centred lyrics from the band, with the unfortunate exception of "Joanna". I loved the simple yet profound message of the amazing love that Jesus showed for us when he sacrificed himself, and the fact that we need to step out and show this "crazy" love to
others. I'd only ever listened to a few singles from Hawk Nelson before this album, so Crazy Love was an excellent new listening experience for me. I would recommend this album to long time fans who loved their debut album Letters To The President, as well as to fans of Stellar Kart. I would call this Hawk Nelson's best project to date, and a must have for long time fans of the band.
My thoughts on Hawk Nelson's newest album.| Posted February 18, 2011
I have Hawk Nelson's new CD.I think it is really cool! I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I have!
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