Send "Secondhand Serenade " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Blogcritic |
 The latest release from Secondhand Serenade, Hear Me Now is the third studio album for singer/songwriter John Vesely.Vesely originally signed with Glassnote in 2006 after coveting the top spot on MySpace's Unsigned Artist's chart. The label soon after re-released Vesely's acoustic effort, Awake. In 2008, Secondhand Serenade returned with A Twist In My Story. The album had a more rounded out sound, with the help from a full band. It's first single, "Fall For You," was a huge success. It was a platinum-certified top 10 CHR Top 40 hit, as well as hitting No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. The latest album was produced by Aaron Johnson, who has worked with The Fray, Vesely, as well as Secondhand Serenade drummer Tom Breyfogle. The album was mixed by Mark Endert, who has worked with bands Maroon 5 and Train. The first couple of songs on the album "Distance" and lead single, "Something More," have a similar vibe to A Twist In My Story. They make a good bridge from the last album to the new one. When track three, "Stay Away" starts playing, it becomes apparent to the listening audience that they are hearing a new musical side to Secondhand Serenade. The song shows the subtle changes made to Secondhand Serenade's sound. It starts slow, but by the chorus it has a rockin' upbeat that you can't help, but jam out to. Probably the best track on the album is "You And I." It is so different from both previous Secondhand Serenade albums. The melody is really upbeat and fun, with a bit of a pop feel to it. I can see a track like "So Long" being a fun sing-a-long when performed live. It's another upbeat track on the album that makes this latest album stand out....full text |
| Absolutepunk |
| He can hate me if he wants, but John Vesely, more commonly known as Secondhand Serenade, is this century's answer to Australian soft-rock kings AIr Supply. While sonically, there's a glaring difference between the 80s quintet and the maudlin balladry of Vesely, emotionally, his output crafts the same heart-on-sleeve pining that makes soccer moms and 15-year-olds wet with glee. On his third album Hear Me Now he blends syrupy affairs with self-ruminating meditations to create a potent stew of mid-tempo melodicism and timeless crescendos. While it's not exactly an album of the year candidate, there's enough radio fodder and at least a few hints at the possibility of another platinum-selling single. While Veseley has gone on record as admitting that Hear Me Now would focus less on relationships and more on upbeat numbers, neither of those two things are true. Album opener "Distance," is a sweeping and saturnine ballad about missing his wife, while first single "Something More," is a mid-tempo number with a sweetly affecting piano melody and lyrics that document self-reflection and identity. When he sings the words, "Do we know what we're fighting for? I fooled everyone and now what will I become?," it carries a sentiment that could easily resonate with middle-schoolers and post-grads. But are they profoundly deep? Therein lies the conundrum with Vesely. Sure his Hallmark lyrics may not exactly be thought-provoking, but his ability to marry heart-on-sleeve intimacy with radio-ready choruses truly knows no bounds. In short, when it comes to Top 40 and AC radio formats, there are few better than this guy....full text |
| Thealbumproject |
| Do people still listen to emo music? I suppose they must because Dashboard Confessional is still making music and Secondhand Serenade’s radio smash “Fall For You” went platinum. I personally can’t see why we need any more lines like “My eyes feel like they’re bleeding” and the vocals of John Vesely—the man behind Secondhand Serenade—just sound contrived and phony desperate to me. But whether or not I think we need more music from Vesely is beside the point because his third release, “Hear Me Now” is being released without my input. “Hear Me Now” is characterized by mediocre emo-pop ballads and a heaping of the most stereotypical, tear-your-heart-out-in-the-middle-school-bathroom sound imaginable, but there are surprising moments that manage to transcend the tackiness. The first track “Distance” is a typical soaring emo ballad with lyrics that sound juvenile, uninspired, and recycled as Vesely sings “I swear I’m sorry/Please don’t hate me too.” The next track, “Something More” however, is a poignant prodding of life’s purpose—hardly a new subject matter, but everyone’s entitled to their chance to untangle it—accompanied by genre-blending R&B beats. The title track “Hear Me Now” is incredibly angst-ridden, but carries integrity and believability that other songs lack. The song also has changes in tempo and feel that add to the song’s interest....full text |
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