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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Jeff Hanson: Minneapolis Voice from on High
Wednesday 12 February @ 14:27:23 |
 by Rob van Alstyne
With so many struggling musicians in the world its becoming increasingly hard to get noticed, to have that certain listener-captivating quality and leave the rest of the nondescript rock pack in the dust. Minneapolis’ Jeff Hanson has that ‘it’ in the form of his voice, an unbelievably high-pitched instrument showcased throughout his solo debut album, Son. At first listen it can be hard to get past Hanson’s windpipes and focus attention elsewhere, but with further spins it becomes clear that Hanson’s potent folk-pop is far from a one trick pony. “When I think back on all the music I’ve really enjoyed in life, it always had that certain twist to it that made it a little bit different from everything else and more interesting,” explains Hanson, 24, via telephone from his Minneapolis apartment. “I think my voice just makes people more interested initially, a little more open to giving it a listen. From there hopefully they can get into what I’m doing.”
Written and performed entirely by Hanson (excepting the occasional keyboard fill), Son avoids falling into the trap of becoming a predictable solo troubadour outing by including a few rock numbers (“You are the Reason” and “If You Ever Say”) that channel sublime Beatlesy-pop better than anyone outside of Elliott Smith (who fittingly made his solo debut on the same record label as Hanson, Olympia’s prestigious Kill Rock Stars imprint). The acoustic numbers are far from standard strumming affairs, usually featuring multi-layered acoustic guitars and Hanson’s double-tracked heavenly harmonies in the background.
After the dissolution of M.I.J., his emo-esque band who started in Wisconsin and garnered a solid cult following during their time on Caulfield records, Hanson knew that there was a different sort of music inside him waiting to get out. “I think I always knew I would eventually be a solo artist. I didn’t sit down and make any conscious decisions about where the music was going after the band ended. The whole process just seemed like a very natural kind of progression. The difference between being in a band and doing it solo is still something I’m adjusting to. Being on your own and not having any one around to tell you if a particular idea is good or bad is liberating. As a songwriter you start to trust yourself more when every decision is left up to you. Now if I feel good about something—I’m just going to do it.”
Fortunately, judging by the recorded results, Hanson has impeccable instincts and an ear for melody that should make him a local favorite—provided he starts leaving his apartment. “From the beginning I’ve done things very differently than a lot of other people in terms of music,” admits Hanson. “The idea of playing live two or three times a week and sort of slowly building a word of mouth following around town is a method that undoubtedly works, but it wasn’t something I was interested in doing. I knew, going into the whole process, that I wanted to sit in my apartment and write songs and just work on my craft and get an album together first. Basically for a year I just wrote songs and sent out demos. Fortunately I received really positive responses and ended up signing with Kill Rock Stars after playing some shows out in Seattle and Olympia.”
Now that Hanson has an album he can be proud of under his belt, he’s looking to leave his apartment-filled days behind him. “I’m going on a national tour starting in February and playing SXSW in Austin in March. I know now that this record is out I would really like to play out more in the Twin Cities. We should have some shows happening in March lined up soon. Time will tell, but the few times I’ve played out here have been good.”
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