Saying Sorry The critical reception to the sophomore album by Hawthorne Heights was anything but kind. But did this band that stormed onto the scene with The Silence in Black and White, and the emo classic of “Ohio Is For Lovers”, really deserve the hate that came from the release of If Only You Were Lonely? In my opinion, not by a long shot. While I can see why some writers took it upon themselves to write scathing reviews based on the album’s song titles like “Where Can I Stab Myself In The Ears” and “We Are So Last Year”, I feel there is still a charm and magic to If Only You Were Lonely. The set was released on Victory Records 20 years ago, and the promotion of the record was preceded by two singles in “This Is Who We Are” and the massively popular “Saying Sorry” that would lead to Hawthorne Heights’ highest charting album to date (#3 on the Billboard 200). The album would be the band’s final one with rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Casey Calvert, who tragically passed away in November of 2007. The critics who panned If Only You Were Lonely were largely tuned out by Hawthorne Heights’ fans, and the LP was certified Gold by the RIAA by March of 2016. While Hawthorne Heights seemed to be an easy target for criticism of the emo genre, it’s hard to not admit that If Only You Were Lonely was an important record in the development of the band.
The listening experience of If Only You Were Lonely begins with the lead single of “This Is Who We Are” that starts with softly sung vocals from JT Woodruff before Calvert’s screams of “Not going back” set the tone for the pointed chorus about mortality. The triple-headed guitar attack kicks into a new gear with “We Are So Last Year” as the two rhythm guitarists layered their sections, while Micah Carli did some interesting riffing in the distance. The intricacies are only noticed after repeat spins of the song, and it’s a more powerful track than most give it credit for. Woodruff’s emotive vocals in the chorus lend itself well to the approach of the band on this key song in the album sequencing, and highlight his strengths as a lead vocalist.
”Language Lessons (Five Words or Less)” feels a bit like a filler track, and it’s unfortunately placed prominently third in the tracklisting. The song suffers from a fairly standard emo chorus of, “I never said / This would be easy / I let her go when she said she was leaving / So whisper softly / And don’t forget / To tell me how you feel in five words or less.” Luckily “Pens and Needles” gets back to the strengths of Hawthorne Heights as the crunchy guitar riffing in the chorus helps with accelerating the song to the finish line. Casey Calvert takes the lead vocals reins in the screamed bridge of “I hope this message finds you well / I never thought I’d live to tell / What’s a dream and what is real?” It makes for a standout moment in the set, and it still hits its intended target today.
”Saying Sorry” is one of the most successful singles to be released from Hawthorne Heights over their career, and it’s pretty easy to see why. The song features vibrant guitars, punchy screamed vocals from Calvert behind Woodruff’s great cadence, and a bulletproof/anthemic chorus. When the crescendo kicks in, the guitar tones are turned up in the mix, and the steady drumming by Eron Bucciarelli makes for a powerful statement in the set.
”Dead in the Water” feels a bit dreary in the heavy guitar tones in the early-going, and it mostly broods throughout the song as it makes its way to the finish line. It feels a bit like a return to the sounds that the band went for on their breakthrough debut, with mixed results. “I Am On Your Side” is a mid-tempo ballad about letting the person who means something to you know that you’ve got their back through thick and thin. The steady riffing in the chorus paired with some cool lead guitar parts are more interesting than the lyrics of the hook, and is worth another close listen.
”Breathing Sequence” allows for a nice template for Calvert’s visceral screams and accentuated his importance in the band’s early rise. “Light Sleeper” is pretty thin lyrically, and it mostly gets lost in the shuffle of the entire body of work in Hawthorne Heights’ second LP. “Cross Me Off Your List” begins with a nice rolling drum beat from Bucciarelli and some interesting guitar parts, but the band chooses to get back to the softer approach to their sound in the verses and choruses. “Where Can I Stab Myself In The Ears”, which apparently got its title from an AbsolutePunk post back in the day, is one of the better songs found on If Only You Were Lonely. It features a more abrasive vocal style from Woodruff and Calvert, while the down-tuned guitars help with setting the tone of the song. The piano-laced ballad of “Decembers” closes out this second chapter of Hawthorne Heights’ career, and its a commendable slow jam that never overstays its welcome.
If Only You Were Lonely is much better than people gave it credit for back in 2006. Sure, the emo scene was flooded with bands trying to one-up each other with their sound, but Hawthorne Heights were only victims of their own success. The band leaned into what they do best on their sophomore effort, and it’s still my favorite record of theirs that they have released to date.