The Reason (Hoobastank album)
| The Reason | ||||
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| Studio album by Hoobastank | ||||
| Released | December 9, 2003 | |||
| Recorded | March–August 2003 | |||
| Studio | Bay 7 in North Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 42:00 | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Producer | Howard Benson | |||
| Hoobastank chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Reason | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| ARTISTdirect | |
| Entertainment Weekly | C |
| Rolling Stone | |
The Reason is the second album by American post-grunge band Hoobastank. It was released on December 9, 2003 and has been certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA. To date, the album has sold more than 2.3 million copies in the United States alone. This was the last album to feature Markku Lappaleinen prior to his departure in 2005.
The band entered the studio in 2003 with producer Howard Benson, who has produced records by P.O.D., Cold and The Crystal Method. However, recording was disrupted for a month when guitarist Dan Estrin was seriously injured in a minibike accident in August. Estrin had recovered by October and the band headed off on a Nokia Unwired Tour with the All-American Rejects and Ozomatli in November.
Lyricist and vocalist Doug Robb said in a biography on the band's website that several songs on the album are about questioning what you are told. "A lot of it is about asking questions or questioning all that people see. It's not all about religion. "Out Of Control" is about that and about opening your eyes after being blinded by being devoted to anything".
The Reason garnered mixed reviews from music critics. Johnny Loftus of AllMusic found the album's teenage poetry and soft-sounding instrumentation too similar to the band's self-titled album but found their musicianship more expertly done, concluding that "In the end, The Reason is really a better version of Hoobastank, written and played by more mature versions of Hoobastank." Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone saw promise in the album's opener "Same Direction" but felt it was dragged down by middling sentiment and angst, saying that "Fugazi-esque guitars and memorable melodies occasionally poke through on The Reason's overbearing attack, reminding you of Hoobastank's promise." Jim Farber of Entertainment Weekly credited Hoobastank for crafting a radio-ready Incubus album but concluded that "they’re still just a crummy Hydrox answer to Incubus’ creamy Oreo."
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