I was pretty into II, the last record by Hakan that I heard (apparently III slipped past me). And while I really dug it, Jeff Burke’s fingerprints were all over the production and it was impossible to listen without recalling The Marked Men. This time around, the Italian trio has enlisted Matt Bordin to record, mix and master, and the results keep that pop core but it’s a little more distinct.
The style on Hakan Manifesto hasn’t changed: power-pop with an homage to the garage classics and guitar tones of the 1960s. It’s clean, pristine, upbeat, and memorable. But it’s a little rougher around the edges, which is a nice complement to the primary singer’s voice, which is weathered but still smooth. It’s music for everyday folks who work hard but like to have some light-hearted fun.
Power-pop (see: The Marked Men) is a tricky genre. It’s really easy for every song to sound a little too familiar, but Hakan has successfully crafted an album here. There are 13 songs and each has a familiar tone or vibe, but they mix it up. “Turkish” gives shades of the Ramones; “Ruined Day” is sunshine pop; “Funny” really hits those ‘60s tones; and “Number One” subtly adds some heart on sleeve r’n’r balladry to the mix. The title track has a TV theme song, quick-burst-of-positivity to it. Meanwhile, I think “Good Night” is my favorite jam on this one. It’s pop done right: heartfelt and so catchy, but it also sounds real and makes me yearn for an era when pop music wasn’t synonymous with auto tune and production gloss.
I’ll call this blue-collar pop rock. It’s really accessible, but it has enough rough edges to give it real human soul unlike the autotune veneer you get on the radio. Hakan Manifesto is another winner.
