The oldest album to get a review from me so far comes from the Australian band The Veronicas. The 2007 release of their sophomore album "Hook Me Up" shows the transition from pop/rock to electropop for the sister group. The album is a great listen from beginning to end and the girls never stop giving their best. Compared to their debut, "Hook Me Up" is an improvement in every way. The songs have more meaning, the vocals are stronger, and overall the album is a complete and successful piece of work. In my opinion, the tracks on this album come together to form one of the greatest pop albums ever. Even though the album did not garner much commercial success upon its release, it is what I call a hidden gem and a record that I think deserves a listen.
As soon as the album begins, the band throws out everything that they have. The first U.S. single "Untouched" is everything that a pop song should be. The song is pop perfection, but also something more. Amazing lyrics, a fast paced beat, and great vocals by both girls made this song a success in the states because it was something unique. The album continues with the title track, "Hook Me Up". The band has something to say and they let it all come out. The lyrics have meaning which are sung on top of a military themed beat that combine to form a successful song for the album. The album quickly picks up the pace even more with the heartfelt track "This Is How It Feels", one of my favorites on the album. The song is powerful in every way. The lyrics will have the listener feeling every emotion that the girls did when they wrote it and the strength of the girls' vocals make it feel believeable. The band turns down the volume with the beautiful "This Love". A slow song that will make any listener shed a tear. The lyrics talk about never wanting to give up on the person you love. The song is a good transition from uptempo pop songs to ballads and the girls sing it perfectly. The next two tracks differ from each other completely. "I Can't Stay Away" and "Take Me On The Floor" take on two different subjects and are sung with different emotions. The first is another love song that fill the album's tracklist. A great song that continues the flow of the album. "Take Me On The Floor" brings out The Veronicas sexual side while singing that they are going to kiss a boy and a girl. The song is nothing special, but is the definition of modern pop and will have anyone dancing and singing along. The band brings out the violins for the next track "I Don't Wanna Wait". The song loses the loud background production and allows the song to become a track where the girls can truly show off their vocal talent, which of course they do. "Popular" would be considered the only slight stumble for the album. The lyrics come off cheesy, but it makes up for it with one catchy hook and chorus. It does not compete with any of the other masterpieces on the album. Another amazing track is "Revenge Is Sweeter (Than You Ever Were)". Again, the girls pour their hearts out in the song and the result is the greatest moment it their career. Beautifully written and sung is the best way to describe this track. The album continues with the tracks "Someone Wake Me Up" and "All I Have". Both desribe the pain of a break up, but both bring out different emotions and styles. One comes off as a ballad while the other takes on the "rocker" feel. Both are amazing tracks that keep the album enjoyable and the listener wanting more. The album closes with the last two tracks, "In Another Life" and "Goodbye To You". All uptempo beats are left out for "In Another Life" which the band considers their most emotional. The song takes the album to a whole new level and shows that the girls are serious about what they do. The final track is a fun pop track, but sort of gets forgotten even though it is an the end. Not bad in any way, just not as great as the rest. The album is amazing as a whole and is a giant step forward for a band that is still looking for their big breakthough.
"Hook Me Up" falls under the category of amazing albums that get overlooked because the popularity of the band or artist is not strong enough. It is a great shame because the album is filled with musical greatest. Never does the album fall flat, a couple of missteps, but nothing horrible. The band has put an album out that is amazing in every single way. The lyrics come from their heart and past experiences, they actually mean something. The production and beats are done just right, never overshadowing the girls' vocals which are near perfection on the album. "Hook Me Up" is a great electropop album that deserves a listen because it will not disappoint. The tracks sound very modern, but never do they sound boring or like something that has been done before. The album get a final rating of 88%, not bad for a second album.
Tracks to Hear: "This Is How It Feels", "Revenge Is Sweeter (Than You Ever Were), and "All I Have"
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