Hanson The Walk Grade: A-

Driving into the sunset. Laying barefoot in the grass. A plane ride and a cup of coffee. Perspective.\nIf these events had a soundtrack, Hanson's "The Walk" would be it. Combining a cry for peace, love-ridden angst and the meaning of life, the three blonde brothers of 1997's Middle of Nowhere and hit single "Mmmbop" arrive at their seventh studio album having proven their maturity with intelligent and well-written lyrics rather than explicit windows into their sex lives.\nLines such as "The earth is shaking under siege and every breath we meet, it's fate," from the first single "The Great Divide" and "I'm blind with these eyes open. My body's tired and broken. I want a taste of something that doesn't leave me dry," from "Blue Sky" carry a tone of compassion no doubt inspired by the band's trip to Africa earlier this year.\n"The Walk" is a continuation of the band's talent from an early age, and it is their second record on their own independent label 3GC Records. As business managers, producers, writers, musicians and vocalists the album is an impressive feat.\nElectric guitar riffs combined with choppy melodies punched out on a keyboard are set to percussion that ranges from drums to the tambourine to the entire Hanson family clapping. Top tracks include "Great Divide," "Been There Before" and "Tearing It Down" -- all up-tempo tracks with the kind of perfect-pitched three-part harmonies that have hardly made a respected appearance in rock since Crosby, Stills & Nash or Three Dog Night.\nThe only collaboration on the album is with an African children's choir that sings "Ngi Ne Themba" ("I have hope") on "The Great Divide" to fuel an AIDS relief effort undertaken by the band.\nMaybe you hate where Hanson has been with sickeningly sweet chart toppers and long hair of ten years past, but even skeptics have to admit that where they're going is a long way from disrespected pop.