Sister Hazel - Release Review

Posted by Michael James on 08.18.2009

Sister Hazel's most recent albums have failed to live up to the standards they set with their earlier work. Can Release reverse the trend?

Not all bands get to enjoy a long career of seeing their name in bright lights and their faces on magazine covers. Bars and small clubs nationwide are filled with the “other bands.” Some of these bands are on the rise, hustling around the country in vans trying to get noticed. For some bands, gigging is their livelihood, and they play shows to keep food on the table. Others have experienced stardom ever so fleetingly and have seen it pass them by. Yet they soldier on, whether in an attempt to recapture passed glory, or simply because they love the music and can’t comprehend their lives without it.

Fifteen years into their career, Sister Hazel falls into this latter category. In 1997, the future looked bright. “All For You,” off their second album …Somewhere More Familiar had nearly given them their first Top 10 single, peaking at number 11. You know the one:



The album had gone platinum. Their third album, Fortress was gold, and “Your Winter” had appeared in the hit film 10 Things I Hate About You. It turned out that that was as close to the big time as the band would get, as they soon left Universal. Yet they haven’t looked back, releasing five additional albums independently, including their most recent release, the not-so-creatively titled Release.


Track Listing:
1. Release
2. Take a Bow
3. I Believe in You
4. Run for the Hills
5. Better Way
6. Walls & Cannon Balls
7. Vacation Rain
8. See Me Beautiful
9. One Life
10. Take It Back
11. Fade
12. Ghost in the Crowd


Release finds the band returning to its tried and true workmen-like brand of Southern influenced rock, highlighted by Ken Block’s unique, lived-in vocals. Tracks like “Take a Bow” build from an intro of acoustic guitars and soft vocals to a soaring chorus as Block ends a relationship by telling his now ex-girlfriend that he’s already over her. “Vacation Rain” finds Block at the other end of the spectrum, remembering the happy time in any relationship where even an unexpected downpour leaves only fond memories in its wake.

The majority of Release neither adds nor detracts from the Sister Hazel catalog. Unfortunately, some of its most memorable moments are those where the group strays from its well-worn formula of straight-forward rootsy rock and waste what could otherwise be highlights in the process. A catchy hook on “Run for the Hills” is overwhelmed by overbearing background harmonies and “doo-doo-doo”’s. Elsewhere the track “Better Way” features strong guitar work from Ryan Newell, only to have it drowned by unnecessary orchestral strings.

An exception to the misguided experimentation is the album’s highlight, “Ghost in the Crowd”. The song combines a variety of familiar sounds, including pounding percussion reminiscent of “Mony, Mony” and a piano part which evokes Sara Bareille’s “Love Song.” The resulting track is several songs in one as it moves from a jazzy piano-based opening, to a soft ballad-y center before spinning off the tracks into an instrumental rock jam, again featuring a surprisingly rocking guitar solo from Newell. “Ghost” is destined to be a set closer at Sister Hazel concerts for years to come. Another highlight is “One Life,” a beautiful country piano ballad which will surely be a wedding song for somebody somewhere.

While Newell’s guitar playing reaches new heights on Release, the lyrics take a definite step back from the band’s earlier work. Throughout their career, Ken Block's lyrics have had a sincere clarity. Previous gems like “Your Winter” used simple images to perfectly express our most basic human emotions. Unfortunately, the band shifted to a more democratic songwriting process for Release, with each band member writing at least two songs on the album. Possibly as a result, many of the songs on Release lack the relatability and universality that defined their best songs. Instead, songs like “Walls & Cannonballs” are bizarre jumble of mixed metaphors: “You look just like a million dollars, but I think that you’re nearly almost spent”; “Walls and cannonballs make unlikely friends, seems their destined to keep each other out, knock the other down”. Even Block's efforts are subpar by his earlier standards, as “See Me Beautiful” strays to the wrong side of schmaltz.

After opening their career with four strong albums, Sister Hazel hasn’t put together a completely solid album since 2003’s Chasing Daylight. Release doesn’t reverse that trend-- most of the tracks are pleasant, but nondescript. The album’s highs don’t reach the highs of earlier in their career, and some of the lows sink a little lower. If I saw Sister Hazel in a small venue, I’m sure I would still be wowed. But as a recording act, it seems like their best days have passed them by.

If you’re like me, most of your music ends up in an endless .mp3 shuffle. In order to preserve your valuable disk space, here’s what’s Ipod-worthy from Release:

“Take a Bow”, “Vacation Rain”, “One Life”, “Ghost in the Crowd”

The 411: I would definitely see Sister Hazel in concert, but at this point their albums are pretty unsatisfying. While I highly recommend the first four albums in the band's catalog, Release is, like its title, a pretty no-frills affair. A great band in their heyday, it seems like any new success for Sister Hazel will stem from the laurels they have already learned. "Ghost in the Crowd' is a definite exception though and is well worth a listen.

Final Score:  5.0   [ Not So Good ]