HANSON PRESENTS: Back to the Island: Islands & A Stream!

Hanson surprised us all with some Back to the Island inspired FREE streams!! Remember that concert series I attended the last 3 months? Well ... I decided to forgo the January Stream (Listener's Choice) because it sounded like a bunch of songs I've already heard Hanson perform many times before. That, and I set a goal to start saving more money, especially in January. Well, I HATE myself for that decision!! 😡😭 Apparently those streams turned out being some of the very BEST ones!! Luckily for me, since Hanson are usually on a tropical island somewhere during this time of year, hosting their annual Back to the Island event, and because of COVID they had to postpone, they decided to do one more streaming concert, but this time it was Member's Only which made it FREE to ME!! You bet I wasn't about to miss out!!

Last night, each guy did a solo set. And let me tell you it was a FEAST for my ears!! They outdid themselves 10,000%!!! 

ZAC'S SOLO SET:

Sophia - Animal Instincts EP (2018)

    - Zac is KILLING it!! 😍 Love the bridge of this song - it's my favorite part!

Chasing Down My Dreams - No Sleep For Banditos EP (2012) & String Theory (2018)

    - Zac is setting the bar HIGH and we're only two songs in! Love the message of this song 💓🧡💛

Change - Continental Breakfast in Bed EP (2020)

    - This is song is about if/how "I'm going to take control of my destiny and my vision of where I wanna be and who I wanna be and how I feel in my day to day." - Zac Hanson. This really resonated with me. Thanks for these words of wisdom and beautiful, inspirational song Zac! 💛 TBH, I haven't listened to this song very much but...that needs to CHANGE 😉

The Ballad of Seymour Better Days - In Real Life EP (2019)

    - Y'all should know how I feel about this song by now... 🙄 But Zac clearly LOVES it because I swear he sings it every chance he gets! My feelings about the song aside, his voice is FANTASTIC!! Perfectly on pitch, full of soul and emotion, just phenomenal! Also, Zac saying this song reminds him of Robin Hood (𝅘𝅥𝅮Little John & Robin Hood walking through the forest oo-de-lally, oo-de-lally, golly what a day𝅘𝅥𝅮) and then going straight into those beginning "Doo-doo-doo's" made smile! 😊 His ad-libbing was really cute too!

Lullabelle - Hidden/Bonus track on Underneath (2004)

    - Not very familiar with this song but - it's beautiful!! Sounds like a lullaby. His high notes are flawless. So soothing, especially with the "ocean waves" sound effects in the background. 🌊🏖

BRAND NEW SONG!! Cause the World Goes Round? Everything Changes? Didn't get the exact title - 2021!

- "This song is about your perspective on the world and knowing that when you're down, it's just a matter of time before you're up. And when you're up, it's just a matter of time before you're down. And to kind of go through the world with charity and go through the world with perspective that you know it's just a matter of time. When you're on your up side then enjoy it and revel in it, but don't gloat. Don't expect that you'll be there forever because it's just...the world goes round. And everything changes." - ZAC WITH THESE PEARLS OF WISDOME TONIGHT!! 💓🧡💛😭 This songs sounds AMAZING and I can't wait to hear the full, studio recording!! So beautiful!! Zac SLAYED his solo set! 6/6 Onto the next!!

TAYLOR'S SOLO SET:

Be My Own - No Sleep For Banditos EP (2012)

    - PRAISE!!! 🙌 THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND HIMSELF!! I.CAN'T. 😭 MY FAVORITE!! 😍 STOP IT TAY!! YOU'RE SO PERFECT!! You just took the lead with this beginning song!! My heart is FREAKING OUT!!💓😭😍🙌🤩💓 This was PERFECTION in every single way!!! HIS VOICE IS MY FAVORITE SOUND IN THE WORLD!! Can't stop WON'T stop freaking out!! HIGHLIGHT OF MY NIGHT!! 🙌👏👊👌😍👏👏

When You're Gone - Underneath (2004)

    - Love this song! It's so emotional and beautiful! 😭🖤 Watching Taylor perform is an emotional experience in and of itself! Oh my goodness, this man sings with every fiber of his soul!! He really FEELS what he sings! It's amazing and aw-inspiring to watch someone doing what they absolutely LOVE and were born to do! Never stop Tay! His passion is incredible!! 

This Time Around - This Time Around (2000)

    - NOOOOOO!!!! IT'S OFF!! The video and audio are totally OFF and it's ruining the whole vibe!! 😭 I hope it gets fixed soon!! 🤞 Technical difficulties aside, Tay is KILLING this song as a solo! I don't think I've ever heard this song as a solo before so this is pretty neat! Love the lyrics/message of this song! 💓🧡💛

Save Me - This Time Around (2000)

    - SHUT UP!!! OF COURSE Tay would play this one!! And he absolutely DESTROYED it!! 💓🧡💛 SANG BOI!! FANTASTICALLY FANTASTIC AND FABULOUS AND PERFECT IN EVERY WAY!!! All that was missing was the scream from the crowd at the beginning notes "LOVING you..." 😭😱😍🙌👏 The fact that he can sing this entire song with his eyes closed practically the entire time, flawlessly, while playing the piano and not miss a single note is AH-MAZING!! What a BEAST!

All I Know - Continental Breakfast in Bed EP (2020)

    - 😭😭😭😭 Taylor I LOVE YOU!! Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!! I can't even express how absolutely STUNNING that performance was. It was complete PERFECTION start to finish! This was THEEE one and only song I was hoping to hear tonight!! 💓🧡💛This song means so much to me and I have been in love with it from the instant I first heard it!🖤 That was an emotional, wonderful experience that I'm SO grateful I got to have!! Loved this with every fiber of my being! My FAVORITE performance of the night, hands down!!😭😍🙌👏🖤💓🧡💛

Crazy Beautiful - Underneath (2004)

    - You're KID-DING ME! I'm DY-ING! The piano, solo version is my FAAAAVE!! 💓🧡💛 Taylor's set KILLED!! The ONLY song that could have possibly made this even BETTER (although it was perfect as is) would be Feeling Alive! I think I would have died a happy girl and gone to heaven if he had sung that one too!! 10/6!! ⭐

ISAAC'S SOLO SET:

Begin Again - Continental Breakfast in Bed EP (2020)

    - "It's all about what you give, not what you get." - Isaac Hanson. Wow!! This was INCREDIBLE!! What a start Ike!! This was so beautiful and emotional! The lyrics and message of this song is amazing! Another song I'm not totally familiar with but will be soon! This was gorgeous!! His voice is incredibly smooth! Wow, wow, wow!! These boys are KILLING it tonight! What a treat!!

Lonely Again - B-side to This Time Around (2000)

    - 😃😃 GET 👏 IT 👏 IKE!! YESSSSS!!! HOW is your voice even BETTER than the recording of this song, 20 YEARS LATER!?!? The guitar playing is OFF THE CHARTS!! He is AMAZING!!! 😍 This was INSANELY good!! 👏

River - Live From Albertane (1998)

    - The chorus of this song is actually freaking FANTASTIC!! Ike, you're a LEGEND! Not many people can sing a song they sang as a child and still make it sound so good and relevant! Polished to a tee. THAT HIGH NOTE BELT!! 😱😍💓🧡💛 YOU ROCK IKE!!

Next Train - Watch Me Bleed EP (2002)

    - YESSSSS!! I ADORE this song! 💓🧡💛 I heard it for the first time in April of last year when Hanson was doing some special music videos in celebration of their websites 20th (!!) anniversary. Ike sang this and I fell in love!! He has such an incredibly smooth and polished voice that hardly ever cracks or breaks and he just SLAYED this song and it makes me so HAPPY!! I love this song so much!! 👏👏

Lucy - Middle of Nowhere (1997)

    - AH!! WHAT!? This is FANTASTIC!! This song is from their very first album and it's a baby Zac lead and now Isaac is singing it and I'm just FLOORED! Especially because this cheesy song actually sounds so good right now!! 😍 WHAT!? Hahaha!! 😂 I can't! This is AMAZING!! 💓🧡💛 The guys need to do this more often...taking lead on songs they usually don't sing lead on. It's so fun!! 

Love Song - This Time Around (2000)

    - A total Isaac classic. I love it! 🧡

Hand in Hand - This Time Around (2000)

    - WHAT!? We get a BONUS song!? Woot woot! I mean, I guess it makes sense since these two songs literally go hand in hand 😉 YASSS! Ike goes SO HARD on this song and SLAYS EVERY.TIME! His inner rock star just can't help it! Those facial expressions tho!! 9/7

ACOUSTIC CONCERT:

Islands & A Stream - Dolly Parton & Kenny Rodgers cover

    -Love this cover of a song I've actually never heard before! Their harmonies are just moi bein! 😙 Perfection! Love when they sing in literal perfect harmony like this!! 😍

Been There Before - The Walk (2007)

    - YASSSS!!!! They are so on tonight!! "If you can't get through it, you can listen to it!" 💓🧡💛 I love how Taylor still acts like there's a live audience there, talking to us, telling us to "keep it going," etc. haha! He literally just said "That's our first crowd interaction without a crowd!" It's probably just so natural for him to interact with an audience while he's performing he didn't even think about it and it slipped out! He was always like that, even as a kid! 

Call Out My Name - Sound of Live EP (2013)

    - 💓🧡💛!!! 😍👏 GET.IT!! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!! The three of them sound like an entire crowd! AMAZING!!

Strong Enough to Break - Underneath (2004)

    - CHILLZZZ!!! HOW ARE THEY SO PERFECT!?! 😭 They ALWAYS do this song justice!! 💓🧡💛 Forever my favorite song!!

Stories - 3 Car Garage (95-96)

    - CRY-ING!!! 😭 My MIND IS BLOWN!!! I have NO WORDS!! This is just an INCREDIBLE start and I am HERE FOR IT ALLLL!!! Every song has been AMAZZZINGGGG!! I was SO MAD when I found out they had played this during the January stream (that I stupidly missed!) so this was a real TREAT!

On and On - Sound of Light EP (2013)

    - Love when all three of them play their acoustic guitars together!! So talented! THE HARMONIES MY GOSH!! JUST STAP! IKE IS A GUITAR KING! 👑 "Sail me out, sail me down the river" ugggghhhh those harmonies! Favorite part! 💓

On the Road - Music Made For Humans EP (2014)

    - STRAIGHT FIRE 🔥 TRANSITION INTO THIS SONG THAT I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HEARD LIVE AND THEY ARE NAILING IT SO PERFECTLY! OH MY FREAKING HECK THIS IS THE BEST I'VE EVER HEARD THEM I SWEAR!! PERFECTLY IN SYNC! ISAAC AND TAY LOOKING AT EACH OTHER WAS THE CUTEST THING EVER!!

Go - The Walk (2007)

    - GO!?! SWEET!! I don't think I've ever heard them do this one live! ZAC SINGING FROM HIS WHOLE SOUL TONIGHT!! Get after it my man!!

Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone - Bill Withers cover

    - AHHHHHH!!!! THEY ALWAYS SO THIS ONE SO PHENOMONALLY AND THIS TIME IS ABSOLUTLEY NO EXCEPTION!!! THAT ENDING!! 💓🧡💛😭 🙌 EVERY.TIME.

Get Up & Go - Underneath (2004)

    - Literally started SCREAMING a little bit!! THIS SONG HAD ME UP AND GOING THAT IS FOR SURE!! LOVED THAT SOOOOO MUCH!! 💓🧡💛

Musical Ride - Shout It Out (2010)

    - Beautiful song! Always. NAILED IT!! It sounded a little different this time...but in a GREAT way!! I don't know how to explain it but it was magical! ✨

Dressed In Brown Eyes - Continental Breakfast (In Bed) EP (2020)

    - WHOO HOO!! Love this one!! Taylor just killing it as usual! So upbeat and fun! Makes me wanna dance! Ike and Taylor sang the majority of this together and their voices blend so perfectly. It was fantastic!! No offense Zac but your older bros really stole the show with that one!

Hey - Underneath (2004)

    - SO.MUCH.FREAKING.FUN!! 🎉 There was not a single weak performance!! Hanson out did themselves! I am just shook over how fabulous this entire concert has been start to finish! WOWOWOWOWOW!!! 💓🧡💛