Fame and success haven't changed Hanson. Neither has puberty.

We should all remember this trio of Oklahoma brothers declaring in high voices that one should enjoy life to the fullest because in an "MMMBop" it might all be gone. The hit with the silly title and worthy theme thrust Hanson into the spotlight in 1997 and got them lumped into the boy-band thing when 'N Sync was just a twinkle in Louis Pearlman's eye.

Hanson, however, stood apart with its fresh approach to soul-influenced pop music. It was a bright, optimistic sound that fell somewhere between Little Stevie Wonder and Little Michael Jackson, with songs as earnest as they were innocent. And, oh, yeah, they wrote their own music and played their own instruments before it became fashionable to brag about it.

While This Time Around is no serious departure, there are obvious signs of maturity. For one thing, Isaac (or is it Taylor?) now sounds like an adult version of Michael Jackson. The theme of death has also crept into their work - though not as much as unrequited love. As before, this collection should have no trouble melting the hearts of teenage girls everywhere.

The boys had help making their second studio record such a slick, grand-sounding affair.

John Popper weighs in with some harmonica on one of the best tracks, In the City. Turntable scratching also adds a hip veneer to bouncy numbers like the Latin-spiced You Never Know. And the ballads, like the self-explanatory Love Song, although a tad overwrought, reveal a more thoughtful, adult-oriented attitude. Brimming with positive vibes and funky soul grooves, the lyrics are as insightful as three teenage boys can get. Samples: "All I care about is you and me and us and now ... If you love wrong it doesn't mean love's gone ... no matter how strong/we all return to the ground/another day gone/a day closer to fate/and soon we'll find it's a little bit too late."

A rich lode, this MMMBop concept.

Track Listing 01.You Never Know
  02.If Only
  03.This Time Around
  04.Runaway Run
  05.Save Me
  06.Dying To Be Alive
  07.Can't Stop
  08.Wish That I Was There
  09.Love Song
  10.Sure About It
  11.Hand In Hand
  12.In The City
  13.A Song To Sing