Excellent from Beginning to End

There is not one bad song on Hook Me Up by the Veronicas. Every song is polished, well-produced and catchy. The vocals are strong as are the harmonies. If you want great music, here it is!

Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this is one great cd. i love all the songs on it. im going to tell all my friends about it. everyone should own a copy of it.

Electro Pop Punk
The Veronicas seemed to edge back into the scene this summer with the release of their string-infused pop track "Untouched", leading up to the release of their second album. Unlike most artists these days, 'Untouched' is actually pretty representative of what you get on the album - lots of hypercharged dance beats with a slight 80s tinge and very catchy, often-spoken lyrics. Gone are the days of the girls' quasi-whiny, chipmunky Avril Lavigne guitar-punky tunes. In their place is a great, electronic, catchy sound.

Aside from 'Untouched', other standouts include the snotty guitar-y 'Popular' and the the 80s-tinged 'Take Me On The Floor'. If you're still pining for the girls' old sound, 'Revenge Is Sweeter (Than You Ever Were)' is a nice halfway departure between the old and the new and another standout for me, 'All I Have' is another example of blending the old rockier sound with the new electronic style the girls have, but not quite as good as 'Revenge'.

The album is overall enjoyable - but there are definitely better songs than others. If you're a fan of bands like The Sugababes, Skye Sweetnam, or Ashlee Simpson's latest album, then you'll definitely like The Veronicas second effort. Although it's nothing particularly groundbreaking, it's entertaining, and a good, unique departure from the girls original sound.

Synth Excellence
I had heard the Veronicas song "4Ever" a few years back. I didn't think much about it until this year when I saw online that they had a new album. I figured I would give it a try and boy was I pleasantly surprised. Granted, the album is a departure from the "pop/rock" sound found on their debut album, but it's pure synth excellence.

The album sounds very much like it dropped straight out of 1984 which is not a bad thing. It may have an electronic sound, but it's a solid meaty sound. It has great hooks and beats that are great for the car-ride, workout, or the dancefloor while there are also some heartfelt emotional tunes like "In Another Life" where you can honestly feel the sadness and emotion in their voices as they recorded.

These girls are extremely talented and have managed to evolve and grow for the better. Don't be afraid of the genre change!

And now not even you could save me
Prior to the US release of Hook Me Up all I heard was grumblings about the fact of The Veronicas leaving their rock leanings behind in favor of electronically produced music. I won't deny that I was bummed and contemplated not even buying Hook Me Up. However, I decided to give them a fair shot and I didn't come out mad. Quite the contrary really. This version of The Veronicas, I feel, suits them a bit better than the rock sound they sported on their debut, The Secret Life.

While it took me until recently to enjoy their debut fully, it's been clear that the girls were always about having fun. Hook Me Up picks up immediately with that vibe as well and carries it beautifully until the final seconds tick off of the last track.

Concerns you surely felt prior to hearing Hook Me Up:
1. Will they still have their trademark vocals?
2. Did they mature at all lyrically?
3. Will it be as good as the debut?

Easily enough, the answer to all of those questions is a resounding 'YES'. Their vocals (and the sole reason I decided to venture into this CD) are intact and sound as great as ever. The lyrics are still bratty, conceited, and sexual, but they work. Heck, Take Me On The Floor and Popular, arguably the CDs most sexual (Take Me..) and conceited (Popular), are highlights of the record. And finally, for my money, yes Hook Me Up is better than The Secret Life, if only because they know what they're doing and they're doing it well.

As for standout tracks, I Can't Stay Away is probably the best song The Veronicas have ever given us. Kind of a call-out to a love lost, there's not a single thing that isn't perfect about this song. Past that, the opening Untouched is incredibly good given the in your face beat. I Don't Wanna Wait is one of those songs that is just begging to be ravaged at a karaoke bar. Revenge Is Sweeter (Than You Ever Were) is downplayed but beckons back to their debut nicely. Someone Wake Me Up's chorus soars like no other on the CD, something that just needs to be heard. And finally, In Another Life is a great little track that is mostly just the piano and Jess for the first part until it reaches its intense climax.

So! For everything you may not have liked about The Veronicas debut, Hook Me Up corrected it. I've found very few things wrong with this CD, and certainly none that hamper the listen too much in any way. So whether you're a longtime Veronicas fan or just thinking of looking into them, Hook Me Up is sure to impress.