Hansonic Well – Hansonic Well (Album Review)

Rock musician Hansonic Well has a new 17-track self-titled album. His voice is pleasing, but he only sings about two lines, and Lois’s voice – singing rather faintly – comes along. ‘The Wave’ opens the album. The song builds atmosphere with drums and strings before vocals come in at 41 seconds. At five minutes, coupled with the fact that Hansonic Well sings in an easy manner, this is laidback song. It gives advice and words of encouragement to a ‘you’ who might be the listener, a third party or Hansonic Well himself. Lyrically, some words are completely audible while you have to strain yourself to hear some. 

The drum pattern that starts us on ‘The Silent Stay’ is deceptive. The track opens with a brief drum accelerando, creating an immediate surge in intensity before the tempo decelerates, settling into the measured, core rhythm which is accompanied by a crunchy guitar. The rhythm is then punctuated by stop-time rhythmic breaks where the guitar and drums execute sudden stabs followed by brief moments of silence, creating engaging, stop-start sounds.

While Hansonic Well keeps his signature laidback approach vocally, sometimes he soars. Lyrically, or story-wise, this is a love song where there’s some tension between our character and their lover. It seems to me that the song speaks to a dual feeling where one should and shouldn’t stay silent. Those accelerated drums come in now and then, but another addition is a soulful guitar.

‘By The Norm’ is the third song off the album. We get understated drums here and crunchy guitar, but there are some piercing string sounds as well. Hansonic Well’s voice here is deeper or gravelly. Lyrically, this is a song that speaks to expectations that society has on individuals – the pressure, the failure. This gives the song a heavy, if not sad, attachment to it.

Up next is ‘Somewhat Human’. For a change, we have a song that starts with the piano. If Hansonic Well was in a darker space on the previous song, he sounds darker on ‘Somewhat Human’, but he still manages to sound ethereal. Lyrically, one of the themes the song deals with is violence, with our character here telling us that we turn to violence and afterwards claim self-defence.

Up next comes ‘Leave Tonight’. There’s a live performance feel to the song when it starts. ‘Leave Tonight’, we hear Hansonic Well say, and then some crunchy guitar plucks kick in, beneath it accompanied by understated drums. On this song, Hansonic Well seems like he’s in a mood to sing or croon. At  least, he’s in an expressive mood. This is a beautiful song both vocally and instrumentally and perhaps lyrically, too. One line talks about how one cannot avoid the looks a woman is throwing.

Then we have ‘You Won’t Be Denied’. The song has a retro sound to it. Lyrically, it’s one of those   motivational songs that acknowledge that in life people go through up and downs. Hansonic Well is philosophical or meditative on this one.

Up next is ‘This Is The Way’. Piano starts us on the song, and we have some whimsical sounds punctuating the song. The instrumental here is upbeat, but Hansonic Well sings in a melancholic voice. The bass accompanying the instrumentation however stops the song from being entirely sad. Lyrically, the song speaks to a jaded view on love relationships.

Another song with a thick bass is ‘Let’s Take It From Here’. It’s a self-introspective song. Here our character reveals that although they understand why a partner doesn’t bother staying in touch, they themselves have never been good at it. Thematically, this speaks to the effort required to keep relationships going on.

Up next is ‘Sunday Blues’. The instrumentation here is crunchy and Hansonic Well’s voice is bright. This is one those songs that uses the ‘you’ pronoun. Lyrically, the song also speaks to the duality of life or feeling. One time you’re feeling good at what you do, and at times you are harsh on yourself.  The crunchy sound and the jumpy piano and Hansonic Well’s vocal delivery make for an enjoyable listening. ‘Sunday blues’, he sings!

‘I Know’ follows. Hansonic Well’s voice is perhaps more laidback than on other songs. His delivery at first is almost speechlike, but he manages to soar at times. Our character here is anxious to have their partner come over. And they declare their love, saying that they are one of a kind. The instrumentation here is cleaner and leaner, perhaps soulful as a result of strings and bass rather than the sound of the crunchy sounds from earlier on in the album. It’s also one of those songs where you feel that Hansonic Well wanted to sing or was in an expressive mood.

Crunchy instrumentation return on ‘It Worries Me’. Hansonic Well’s voice is rather subdued here. However at times his voice rises. Be that as it may, this is an underwhelming song. Perhaps it’s the song’s theme that makes it so. Our persona here says that they should be in a position to know their partner well enough, saying there are a few things they don’t.

Then comes ‘You Are A Darlin’ (Sometimes)’. We have a rock sound here. From the title alone, I’m reminded that Hansonic Well has a cynical or grounded approach to relationships and life. He understands that relationships, for example, are not all sunshine and roses. Our persona on this song talks about a partner who’s a darling – such a darling – but not always. Sometimes. And Hansonic Well repeats ‘you’re such a darlin’’ a number of times.  

Next up is ‘You’re Stalling’. There’s some whimsical sound that seems from a piano key to start us off and then comes some crunchy instrumentation, which then later includes what comes out as, perhaps remotely, reggae sound. Our lyrical persona is on the outside and looking in, we hear, and they’re addressing someone’s who stalling and losing direction.

Then comes ‘The Essence Of Life’, which introduces itself with the piano. Our lyrical person locates themselves at a point in time. Now. They’re in their 30s, we hear. It’s refreshing to hear the soft piano, especially on album which you can argue is mostly guitars and drums. But it’s heavy bass is remarkable and almost takes over your speaker at times. With this thick bass and very understated sweet piano, you get a beautiful pleasing sound. From the song, I take from the story that in your 30s that is when you begin to understand life. Whether that’s the case or not, at least we hear our character referencing their parents.

straight rock. And for a lengthy period, you just have the drums and guitar playing. Our lyrical persona here is tired of getting nowhere fast – almost a song of despair.

Drum and distorted guitar start us off on ‘Re-evaluate’. Like on the previous song, you also get a lengthy period of drums and guitar alone. The drums and bass are heavy, but you also get some light drum percussion. Lyrically, the song speaks to prioritising what matters and doing away with distractions.

‘Fo Once In My Life’ closes the album. ‘I’ve tried to be strong’, Hansonic Well sings, adding that now it’s time to move on once more. We also hear him sing, ‘I’ve waited for so long’, adding that it’s been a strain. This again brings forth my assertion of Hansonic Well’s duality and perhaps realism – the idea that life is about one doing whatever that needs doing, but coming to a point where you realise that holding on might just be holding you back. 

SCORE/Excellent: This album contains a number of songs with the distorted guitar sound. If this is a signature sound of rock, then one’s bound to appreciate the album for it. Apart from the crunchy guitar, which I tend to like at times, what stands out for me on this album is perhaps what I can just term Hansonic Well’s duality or philosophy – that understanding that while being hope is good, realism  also is.