Hawk Nelson (Top-10)

#7 Hawk Nelson (Letters to the President)

If you havenít heard this CDÖwhat a debut! When I met the band (click here for their exclusive interview) and heard these guys play, this 41 year old suddenly felt twenty years younger, with a up-amped faith in Jesus and renewed faith in young bands with a message. Their music has been described as ìpower pop punkî; think MXPX (an admitted influence for the band) with a touch of OC Supertones. The music is guitar and percussion oriented, a jump-up-and-act-crazy sound with lyrics that make you feel theyíre coming from a friend whoís been there and has now found a friend in Jesus that they want to tell you about.

Their formula is like that of many new Christian bands: some songs are about life in general and others have a direct faith message that ties it all together. The first song ìCaliforniaî is so catchy and gets so far in your head that you find yourself singing:

Letsí pack up and move to California/Sheís got lots of friends out there
Weíll never get bored cause we can go boarding
Letís let the sunshine take us there

I play this song so much at home and in the office that my eight year old son, as well as forty-something year old office mates (who already live in California) are also hooked on this song. The next song gives a hint that this album is about to go deeper. ìThings We Go Throughî has the following chorus:

Wake up everyone around you/Letís rock until the clock strikes two
Stand up for what you believe and shout to/Hereís another song from the youth that surround you
Save me Iím all alone as Iím coming to the surface
Tell me Iíve got to know what is my meaning and my purpose ?
Show meÖIím far from homeÖlost with no sense of direction
Take me to Your throne

Before you have a chance to let the teen angst from that song take root too deeply, song #3 ìEvery Little Thingî sort of solves it.

Sheís been on my mind (sheís working overtime)
Sheís got perfect reasons/Says she loves to talk to Jesus
I think I believe her when she says/Life can be so simple if weíd all just learn to pray

Those of you who have heard any of Hawk Nelsonís songs on Christian radio have likely heard ìLetters To The Presidentî, a rather bold lyrical song under a slashing wave of guitars about saying things youíve been thinking about when you finally get a chance. Hawk Nelson asks about the future for their generation - things like school budget cuts, drugs, same sex marriage, murder and date rape. Itís a song with a purpose. Their newest release ìTake Meî is a melody that will likely gain wider radio airplay.

When Youíre near me, I feel like I just found me
In the traces of the boy from yesterday
But in a world that is so black and white

I will take the steps to change my life
And I wonít be coming back to here again
I need Your loving hand to guide me
Through the maze of all the things inside me
Then Iíll know that Iím alright

Cause I need You more than ever
I need Your help to find where Iíll be going wrong so far
Tale me under Your wing tonight
Make me so perfect in Your eyes Hold on cause it will be alright
Youíre not alone anymore

I could talk about just about every song on this CDÖîLike a Racecarî is the strongest musically, ì36 Daysî will remind you of some of the best ìon the roadî love songs from older bands like Journey and Bob Seger. There is not a weak song in the bunch. Buy this CD and play it loudly! Check out a few streams and know that once you listen to Hawk Nelson, youíll want to pass it on to your friends. Believers will be discovering a new band to check out (HN is touring everywhere this summer) and those who are not yet believers may take those important first steps. Isnít that what itís all about?