HANSON Live From Albertane (Mercury) 79/100 The shrill, high-pitched screams that open Hanson's concert album, "Live From Albertane", are the same prepubescent shrieks that greet other teen idols like N'Sync and Backstreet Boys. However, that's where the similarity ends. Unlike fabricated boy groups who dance and pout for the cameras, the three teenage Hanson brothers are a real band with gritty, wily chops and an accomplished, no-nonsense approach to their music.

Recorded at Seattle's Key Arena during the brother's first national tour last summer, "Live From Albertane" leaves the little girls in the dust with rockers such as "A Minute Without You" and the raucous pop of "Where's The Love." Keyboardist Taylor's voice has deepened since "MMMBop" first skateboarded onto the charts, and his raspy vocal exchanges with guitarist Isaac give a beefy, harder edge to Hanson's sound. Although still prone to goofy kid antics, 13-year-old drummer Zac is darn serious about his kit and sustains a solid, even aggressive, backbeat throughout his show of rowdy rock bravado from a band determined not to let its 15 minutes of fame expire.

(by Kara Manning)