CD Review

Hawthorne Heights
If Only You Were Lonely
(Victory Records)

The Ohio quintet’s long awaited sophomore release is finally here. If Only You Were Lonely has been hyped so much that it’s only normal for people to have high expectations. Though some of these expectations were met, the band still has stuff to work on. The first single, “Saying Sorry,” which has been getting tons of air and video play, is a well-crafted catchy song but isn’t really a good indication of what to expect on the rest of the record. The band’s latest venture is a lot slower and mellower than their first single leads us to believe. There is far less screaming and fewer fast-paced tempos. That being said, on this new record, there are more layers and they also make intersting use of the piano. Though it seems the band did try to distance themselves from the screamo genre, they don’t entirely break free from that mold. The one thing which the band should have done and failed to do on If Only You Were Lonely, is make more use of their three guitars. Album highlights include their single “Saying Sorry,” which will surely stay in your head even hours after having listened to it, and the guitar driven up-tempo, “Language Lessons.”

Hawthorne Heights seemed to have progressed musically and somewhat lyrically, but still have work to do if they want to be around ten years from now.

3.5/5

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