Entertainment

Hanson Performed Songs From Their Christmas Album On NPR & It's A Nostalgic Dream

NPR

It already seemed like incredible luck to get them one time, but this is an embarrassment of riches. Hanson's Christmas performance for Tiny Desk Concert is their second appearance on the National Public Radio series this year, at a time when they're already dominating the holiday season. Your childhood self was probably already jumping for joy the first time that Isaac, Taylor, and Zac Hanson cropped up in the impromptu concert setting in the fall. But a secret that they and the good folks at NPR have been keeping from you for months is that the trio actually filmed two episodes of Tiny Desk.

One was to promote their greatest hits album Middle of Everywhere, released Sep. 8 of this year. And the other, filmed later that same day — which the public radio station says they've never done before — was in honor of their holiday album, Finally It's Christmas. The trio performed three songs off the album, which was released on Oct. 27: the title track, "Finally It's Christmas," "'Til New Years Night," and "Joy To The Mountain." For all three, as is tradition, the brothers were cram-jammed into the desk area of Bob Boilen, host of the NPR program "All Songs Considered."

And, surrounded by twinkling lights, hanging paper snowflakes, and a be-garlanded and be-ribboned piano, they showed us what the holiday season is all about.

This year, it's about Hanson, and there's no doubt about it. The band has existed for 25 years at this point, so you might be nervous that their star is fading. But you can tell your nostalgic self to breathe easy, because they're still going strong. Their voices are clear, their Christmas sweater game is on lock, and their harmonies are tighter than ever. Plus, they're hard at work to dominate this season.

You already know about the two albums they've released this year alone — that two-CD career retrospective and the Christmas album with 12 holiday tracks — but the latter of features the Oklahomans' unique take on some holiday smash hits including Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas," Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas," and Isaac taking on vocals on the Judy Garland classic "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." It's their first drop since 2013's Anthem, and their second Christmas album since 1997's Snowed In, two decades ago, respectively.

But not content to just fill our earholes, the handsome fellas of Hanson are looking to fill our eyeholes and our schedules, too. They've dropped a lyric video and a full-on music video for their Christmas album title track, "Finally It's Christmas," complete with a clip of the boys from their much younger days, in their own Christmas special with ABC, which aired 20 years ago. (Long hair and all, because what are nostalgic Hanson memories without those classic '90s hairstyles?)

Plus, they just wrapped up the tour planned to correspond with their career anthology album, the Middle of Everywhere 25th Anniversary World Tour. Two and half decades after first putting this show on the road, the brothers visited four continents and performed 61 shows. Those concerts wrapped up on Dec. 6, but they aren't stopping there. The Hansons also added on a few concerts in support of the Christmas album, sprinkled across North America, like one at the Disney Parks on Christmas Day. If you're lucky, you could catch them live in a town near you.

But, even if you can't, it's been a while since Isaac, Zac, and Taylor have dominated the airwaves like this, so revel in this nostalgic throwback to your younger days and cross your fingers that your old faves stay this prolific.