what can i say? this cd is beyond words. most of the rock music today is based on the singers bein pissed off at someone and mad at the world but Hoobastank is different. Douglas Robb sings with so much emotion that you feel like he's acually been through what he's singing about. here's my breakdown of the songs:

1. Same Direction- Great song and the right song to open the cd with

2. Out of Control- First single off the album. i loved it when i first heard it but it's overplayed. the only song about frustration

3. What Happened to Us- Different beat but it grows on you. great lyrics about a relationship falling apart

4. Escape- drums at the beginning are awesome. one of my favorite songs

5. Just One- song about wanting one chance to prove yourself. very encouraging

6. Lucky- this songs okay. kinda about floating on cloud 9 after finding someone you love. could be longer cause its too short

7. From the Heart- beautiful song about rebuilding dreams when no one else believed in you

8. The Reason- i listened to this song over and over again. Robb sings this rock ballad with so much emotion that you almost feel his pain and longing. Lyrics about changing for someone you love

9. Let It Out- good song between The Reason and Unaffected. a fun upbeat song but too repetitive.

10. Unaffected- second favorite song. i definetly connect with the song about people judging you before they ever meet you

11. Never There- upbeat song that says whenever i need you you're not there.

12. Disappear- 3rd favorite song. love the lyrics and everything about it. about a person who makes everything better when they're around you.

Buy this cd. its worth more then the 10 bucks you'll pay for it.

Very rarely does a band put out an album that you can listen to from beginning to end without skipping tracks. This time around I think Hoobastank really proved their potential with this album, it's pretty unfortunate that they're an underrated band but the quality of music is amazing, unlike their self-titled debut, there's more consistency to "The Reason". If you like music that's aggressive and can hold that aggressiveness even on the softer tracks, then there's no reason why you should pass this one up.

01. Same Direction - (5/5) - Great opener, it begins semi-light with a few strings but kicks in with a nice riff. The entire song is pretty energized and fast paced so I doubt it's something to get tired of.

02. Out Of Control - (4/5) - The first single from the album, I think it's a pretty good track though, like most singles, they get old really fast. If you've had enough of its airplay then just skip it and come back to it later, many of the other tracks could've surpassed this one as the first single.

03. What Happened To Us - (5/5) - One of my absolute favorites, it could be dubbed as the 'the typical soft rock song' but the chorus blows everything away. The strings on this track were pretty impressive as well. -- Should be the second single.

04. Escape - (4/5) - Okay there's always the song we tend to skip because the intro isn't catchy enough so we think it's a weak song, 'Escape' gets everything from the chorus, just like many other songs, the lyrics and bridges in between might seem a bit boring but in the end it's more than worth a listen, great vocals.

05. Just One - (5/5) - Another one of the favorites, if not the best track on the entire album. The best thing about this one is that you can wait forever for an instrumental/slow-down break that will never come. This song is extremely consistent and tight, everything, the drums, riffs, vocals, you name it.

06. Lucky - (3/5) - In my opnion the chorus tends to drag over and over, the vocals are amazing but come on, how many times can we hear "you" stretched out. This song could be compared with 'What Happened to Us', but the overall tone is more upbeat rather than 'poetic' if you will..

07. From The Heart - (3/5) - Rhythmically diverse, the beats go from moderate to high-paced to progressively slow. Not much else to say about this one, not a bad song, could've been better though.

08. The Reason - (4/5) - Your perfect "just broke up with girlfriend/boyfriend" dwelling period song. I was a bit suprised that this title track wasn't a heavy song, it really demonstrates what the album is about and more specifically what the title means.

09. Let It Out - (2/5) - Probably the worst song put on this album, I wasn't really catching what the slight guitar distortion was about. And once it got towards the end of the song and "woo's" over the instrumentation started I had more than enough.

10. Unaffected - (5/5) - Good thing this came after the worst song. Love the vocals, perfect for the car lip synchers. A great example of the toned-town-yet-effective side of Hoobastank.

11. Never There - (5/5) - The last 'pumped up' track of the album, I don't get why this was placed towards the end, it seemed like it would've been better somewhere in the middle of the songs but what stands out the most are the riffs before each chorus. They're almost like 'guitar slices' that add a nice effect to the song. Another favorite.

12. Dissapear - (3/5) - Good way to end the album, the sound itself lets you know that it's coming to a close, slower pace, building up to an appropriate fade out.

I bought this CD after reading about H'stank in Q and NME and some other U.S. music Mag's. I've ben staying away from all the "dude" bands like Limp, Linkin", etc.

I was thinking this was just another offshoot of those bands. I WAS WRONG. The talent these guys have is just unbelievable. There is not a filler song on this CD. From the opening track, I was hooked and as each song progressed so did my ear. I love these songs. Totally melodic with an edge which is where I am in life.

"The Reason" speaks for itself. It's an instant clasic. Don't skip over any of the songs to get to this track. I do have a favorite track and that is, "What Happend To Us". I think everyone can relate to this one. I can't wait to see them live. Pick this one up - You will not regret the purchase. I'll let the songs speak for themselves.

This CD tops their previous effort in my opinion. The songs may be a bit mellower than thier previous effort but there is is still plenty of rocking going on. What you get in exchange for a little bit more mellowness is a dramatic increase in musicianship. Can't wait to see these guys again with Linkin Park, POD and Story of the Year!

Track by Track breakdwon

1. Same Direction (7/10)- Gets the CD off to a nice fast paced start with a quick beat. Verses are a bit weak but hits hard into a great chorus.

2.Out of Control (9/10)- The single that you've probably heard

3. What Happened To Us? (9/10)- Great melodic guitar intro and dynamic vocals on this slow ballad type song. Chorus is acutally the weak part of this song as the guitars sound too similar to other songs.

4.Escape (5/10) Verses and the overall song a little too repetetive. Chorus saves it a bit but one of my least favorites.

5.Just One (8/10) Great fast catchy intro guitars. One of the faster and better songs on the album. This song talks about getting that one chance.

6.Lucky (5/10) Starts off with a nice acoustic guitar. I just thikn the verse vocals on this are bland. Chorus is Ok but not great in comparison.

7.From the Heart (8/10) Verse guitars similar why are you running away. this is another mid tempo song that builds into a great chorus talking about unfifilled dreams. Great emotion in the vocals. You can really feel this song.

8. The Reason (10/10) If you don't like ballad type songs then avoid this one. But if you do then this one is great as this should blow up big on the radio. Very slow simple, beautiful guitar line with beautiful vocals. Like the title says its about a loved one being the reason to be a better person.

9. Let it Out (3/10) I just don't like this song. Sounds like the filler song. Sounds like there trying to be some other band on this song.

10. Unaffected (10/10)Luckily the worst track on the album is followed by the best track that probably won't be a single. Great quick distorted guitar picking over mellow paced vocals. In my opinion this has the best chorus on the entire album. Again you can really feel the chorus as he is talking about people prejudging you.

11 Never There( 4/10) The Album just seems to fall off for me

12 Dissapear (4/10) The one mellow song that doesn't seem to work.

Though there are a few duds the rest of the album definitely makes it worth picking up. My favorite tracks are

1. Unaffected

Hoobastank's self-titled album was good, and THIS album, The Reason, ain't bad either. It's no surprise why the title track became a monster hit -- and incidentally, that song is tied with "Disappear" as being the best song on the album. But because the band has a huge hit on their hands, it seems like some people just hate them for it (to know how I feel about that, refer to my "true meaning of 'sellout'" guide). But that's okay because the rest of us can see how great this album is.

As other reviewers have mentioned, this album is more low-key than their last album. But results are still impressive, as shown by songs like the romantic "Lucky". And when the songs aren't so positive, they can still work, as evidenced by "Never There", "What Happened to Us", and the aforementioned title track.

There are other good songs on here too, like "Escape" and "Same Direction". But there are a few missteps as well. I don't think I would have cried if "From the Heart" wasn't on here, and "Out of Control" is just that (sorry, I tried my best to like that song). But this is still a great album from Hoobastank. Like their first album, this album also gets four stars, so pick them both up if you're a fan.

Anthony Rupert