November 22, 2006 - There is something to be said for knowing exactly what you are getting when you buy an album. Typically, that something is "boring", but roots rockers Sister Hazel have been relying on the same sound for a string of several decent albums in a row now. How much their fans will appreciate the latest will depend on at what point they tire of hearing the same sounding songs repeatedly.

The melodic rustic rock vibe of the band remain, as does the unmistakable raspy tones of Ken Block's vocals. Sister Hazel has found a sound that works for them, and they will be damned if they are going to abandon it. This is certainly not to say the sound is bad, it is rather pleasing, but at some point, a little growth or expansion of the sound would be nice. The few attempts the band makes to change things up fall flat in the form of a few lame piano ballads that break up the album, but in a bad way.

The acoustic based melodic rockers that fans have come to know and love rule the album, and see little to no change over previous efforts. The best of the new entries into the repetitive Sister Hazel catalog is the addictive "Hello, It's Me". The drippy blues riffs that flow through the heartbroken rocker, about a man looking for a reason to drive to his ex's, is a decent, but mild, upgrade to the tried and true sound. A typically solid hook anchors the jagged riffed "Shame", as Block belts, "I gave you everything, you got the best of me / But hey, hey, what a shame"; again featuring a moderate upgrade in the form of some gooey southern fried guitar near the end.

Songs like mid-tempo romantic number "Beautiful High" shows that the pace changes, but the sound remains the same. Soaring acoustic dust up "Mandolin Moon" works because of decent lines like, "Well I count my blessings and hug my luck / Like an old brass penny with two heads up". The slightly more aggressive charging beat of "Hey Hey" makes it almost too fun to care about that it sounds like too many other tracks on the album.

Absolutely is a monotonous listen only broken up by a few sappy piano pieces; meaning the album could serve as a microcosm of the band's career. If you have not yet grown tired of Sister Hazel's stubborn refusal to expand their sound, dig in. For those who want to be surprised with a new sound, look elsewhere. Sister Hazel has a pleasing roots rock sound, but if you have one of their albums already, you already have their new one too.

Definitely Download:
1. "Hello, It's Me"
2. "Mandolin Moon"
3. "Shame"
4. "Hey Hey"