Sister Hazel

Item: Lift
Author: Mark Fisher

Lift

(2005)

Reviewed by Mark Fisher

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Sixthman RecordsDecapolisApril 2005

adult alternative pop rock roots rock

Sister Hazel, although best known for their mid-nineties megahit "All For You", are one of independent music's brightest stars. The band, since parting ways with their major label bosses, has had tremendous success. In the last few years alone they have released a full length album, a double live album and companion DVD, and they have just released their second full length, Lift, for their own Sixthman Records.

Lift is the sound of Sister Hazel in their prime. While Chasing Daylight found the band a bit slow musically and tremendously contemplative to boot, Lift is a fine return to what we all know and love from this band. The songs here are some of the most positive and upbeat commercially friendly songs probably ever written. Lift is proof positive that commercial music can also be intelligent, creative, and well...it's allowed to make you feel good! There's no whining here, Sister Hazel's glass is half full even when it's half empty.

The songs here range from radio friendly pop rockers like "Surrender", "I Will Come Through", and "Green (Welcome to the World)" to singer/songwriter influenced ballads like "Another Me" and "In the Moment". Just to keep this album from falling into the predictable the band takes some risks with the 70's soul influenced "All About Love" and the amazing cover of The Cars "Just What I Needed" (I hate to say this but Sister Hazel's version may be better than the original). The lyrics talk about love and redemption and hope, even in their darkest verses. This album breathes hope.

I absolutely love this album. Up until now, I have been an on again/off again Sister Hazel fan but this album is truly great. The band takes a lot of chances on this record (something I'm not convinced that they have done a lot of in the past) and the payoff is huge. Fans of The Waiting, Bill Madden, O.A.R., and the like will find happiness here.

Inside the booklet there is an un-attributed quote, "Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things." This is a band with great passions.

4/4