Ehson Hashemian – Me Then You

Ehson Hashemian – Me Then You – Album Review

When I was reviewing Ehson’s album Believe earlier in the summer this year, did I notice that all his songs were in alphabetical order?  I can’t remember if that’s something I realized or not, but it did catch my eye when I went to push play on his new album Me Then You…that’s when I went back and looked at Believe, and sure enough, both set-lists are entirely in alphabetical order.  Coincidence?  Probably not?  I’m not about to be the guy to recommend that’s how you go about ordering the songs on your albums, but I can potentially see the fun in renaming things after the fact to suit such a purpose…I mean, why not?  Have a little fun with what you’re doing…put little Easter eggs in your releases for us to find…I’m all for it!  Plus, as an artist getting reviews, you get to see who’s actually awake and paying attention.

An inadvisable fourteen tracks on each of these past two records as well!  I remember having a favorable opinion of Ehson’s music last time, so I’m cool with checking this out…and as “Back Home” started up, I felt like it’d be no problem to enjoy the guy’s welcoming vibe once again.  Could be a little on the rushed side though…I mean…the basic math is 2 X 14 = 28 ideas…in one year.  I have about two unique thoughts per millennium, so all I can do is wish him the best of luck…he’d definitely be beating the odds to go a full 28-for-28, which is essentially unheard of.  As I listened to Me Then You this week, and I’d come back to “Back Home” in rotation, I felt like the uplifting energy was what grabbed me the most in this opening track.  It’s got that Indie/Pop-Rock sound I love, which I fully admit isn’t always the most substantial genre in terms of content & such – but it’s heckin’ catchy…and I like the sound of Ehson’s voice.  I’m not gonna tell ya “Back Home” should be bringing home the awards, but it’s a good start.  It was the rest of the album that ended up being more questionable.

It was probably around track two when I originally suspected Hashemian might be spinning his wheels a little bit this time around.  To be clear, I’m not turning “Everything” off or even turning it down for my own personal taste, but I would fully acknowledge this track is threadbare when it comes to the core ideas on display…as in, I think it was lucky to have made the lineup.  It’s got a quaint charm to it, and if that’s what you’re listening to music for, then you’re in luck – there’s a ton of that in this track.  If you’re looking for something more involved, or something with tangible hooks that will send you running back to push repeat…chances are “Everything” ain’t gonna be the song you’re writing home about in 2025.  What I think concerned me more than anything else though (and this could be the real pitfalls of going with alphabetical order instead of a more thought-out method for your track listings on an album) is that there’s a ton of risk putting a cut like this so early into the set when you’re still trying to secure the listener’s attention.  The concern would be that “Everything” could have them tuning out before they’ve officially decided to tune in, you feel me?  You might get away with this at track eight or something, but I still think in the case of a fourteen song lineup more objectivity is needed, and cuts like this could be cut in an effort to tighten up the set.  It’s not a bad tune by any means, but it is far from being a great one.

Then when the vocal pattern came into play on “I Knew,” I felt the sting of feeling like I might be right about Ehson pushing himself too quickly.  The performance is purposely loose, and I can understand that to a degree even if I’m not as convinced that everyone listening would get that…but the material ends up sounding incredibly thin real quick on Me Then You.  I’m not even all that sure what Hashemian would want out of us critics as a comment on “I Knew” – at best, it’s a slacker-rock style of performance that someone like Stephen Malkmus would appreciate…but at its worst, Ehson sounds nearly like he’s uninspired or straight-up bored as he’s singing this song, and I just can’t imagine that that’s what he was going for.  I’m not even quite sure what to recommend as a fix for this going forward…I do kind of like the laidback chill this song slips into, but it remains pretty static and stuck in first gear from start to finish…I suppose in a case like this, he needs more dynamics in the music to spark his vocal inspirations.

Yup…Ehson…we’re missin’ the mark here bud.  When you’re caught in that trap where the vocals just end up mimicking the design of the music, the lack of creativity can be more exposed than normal.  “I Wish” has that issue when it comes to the verses, and it might be invading the chorus a bit too much as well.  I do think Hashemian gives himself a bit more room in the verses to sing and that part of the song has a little more allure to it with that hazy swagger you’d find in music like Beirut…but I have the feeling he’s probably going for something more akin to Brandon Flowers overall, and not quite reaching that goal.  The focus on uniqueness and the reason to return has gotta become a priority – that’s what I’m hearing.  Right now, I’m hearing songs like “I Wish” that Hashemian could be putting more effort into, and I’m genuinely worried that his stylistic choices are going to get confusing for the listening ears out there.  Like, the dude CAN sing…but when you listen to a performance like you hear on “I Wish,” he’s almost singing like the incoherent guy at the end of the bar during last call.  Again, it’s up to him to decide if that’s what he’s going for, but I’m assuming it’s probably not.  As far as how he wraps this song up for the finale with the “I wish I could fly, up into the sky, like a bird so high…” I mean…what are we doin’ here Ehson?  Overused metaphors that don’t really say what you want to say, or say them with any kind of significant uniqueness…mediocre vocal melodies that are sung unevenly…this is all concerning.

Keep in mind, I’m a fan!  Like I said…I really remember enjoying his album Believe from earlier this year, and Me Then You has me scratching my head a bit in comparison.  “Just Want” sounds like he’s treading water right now…at best, making a lateral move, but probably sliding a bit backwards with this release.  In my opinion, it’s really coming down to dynamics.  You’ll notice that he’s able to switch things up a bit more with his vocals, but the music itself rarely makes too many changes.  In that kind of situation, what you end up with are songs that have a tougher time establishing one part from the next…like, you’d hardly notice the shift from verse to chorus on “Just Want” because the music doesn’t really make one.  Maybe a few extra beats on the drums and such, but the rest is essentially on repeat – and it’s a formula that he’s pretty much applying to the majority of the material in the way he’s written this record.  So, when you’re looking at the length of time on any given track, you’re basically spending that amount of time with the music on a large loop.  In cases like “Just Want,” where there was potentially a really good hook within the music, the overexploitation of that guitar part makes this song age extremely fast, to the point where by the second or third time you listen to it, you feel like you’ve already had your fill.

Ehson.  My friend…again…I ask what are we doin’ here?  I’m just looking for any reason at all to support ya, and that reason feels like it’s more elusive than it should be.  As I got to “Looking,” I was nearly ready to toss my computer out the ol’ window and call it a day.  I just feel like, best case scenario, people might be willing to include a song like this with the stranger cuts from The Killers or The Strokes, but for the most part, I just can’t see a path to victory with the material here this time around.  This is music that desperately needs seasoning, and it just doesn’t seem to be getting any.  The approach is relentlessly similar…Ehson gets the music dialed in, sets it & forgets it…after that point, it’s his vocals that do their best to make the difference, but that’s not really happening either.  Like, if we’re judging a song like “Looking” on the potential for the hooks to bring listeners back to it, I’d say the guy is in some serious trouble.  That inspired spark or irresistible element is completely MIA my friend, and that’s what we need to hear from ya.  “Looking” has the sound of an artist locked into a routine and missing their sense of purpose…their spark of inspiration…their desire to create…and their confidence in the material.

Louder for the people in the back…You. Cannot. Just. Rely. On. Vocals. To. Make. The. Difference.  That’s just not how dynamics work in music in a way that people will respond to…we need more than that.  I don’t even mind the particular sound of songs like “Me Then You” or any other on the record for that matter – but I do need variation.  Not only does the material sound fairly similar from track to track, with methods for creating them that are clearly the same…but the lack of switching things up in the music to go from verse to chorus, or hell, even adding a bridge or something…is costing Ehson big-time.  I’m not even quite sure what to say…maybe I didn’t pick up on this in listening to Believe earlier this year?  We need versatility, dynamics, and diversity as listeners…these are key ingredients, and they’re in very short supply on Me Then You to a worrying degree.  Each track so far to this halfway point has felt like it needs so much more than it has…and as to why Hashemian isn’t feeling inclined to give it more, is a little perplexing, in my opinion.  Art and music should be challenging to the creator, but so far it really sounds like Ehson is just going through the motions instead of pushing himself to the next level.  I want more than what we’re getting so far, and sadly the title-track wasn’t able to fix what was broken either.

We can all get caught up in what we do at times…so don’t get me wrong, I’m not picking on Ehson so much as I’m highlighting a problem that many artists and bands fall into at points in their own careers.  Heck, even me – I write my reviews in a very similar way most of the time and don’t often break outta my own routine for how I choose to write and break down each song as I’m listening…I could diversify my own material too, so take what I’m saying with a grain of salt I suppose.  I felt myself starting to check out a little around the start of the second half though as “One You Want” continued Me Then You.  I’m just getting absolutely desperate for a hook that I can’t get enough of, written into the fabric of one of these songs.  Right now as it stands, Ehson IS the hook and the reason to return…it’s the sound of his voice and that signature hazy swagger of his…it’s just enough to keep me listening, but I have no qualms about saying I want so much more outta the material and in his songwriting this time around.  I want not just subtle differences between tracks, but the kind that can’t be ignored, you know what I mean?  Right now, the similarities in the music & approach end up creating a droning effect dragging the album down.

Nope.  Nope, nope, nope.  We’ve got more than five minutes on “Only You” Ehson…so please don’t tell me that we’re just loopin’ our way through this one too, are we?  Vocally…I just think you’re taking too many constant chances brother-man, I truly do.  I think you’ve somewhat gotta prove you can walk before you run and continually take artistic license with the melody in the way that you are.  Basically, I know there is going to be a TON of people that will listen to a track like “Only You” and many of the rest of the cuts on this record and feel like you simply can’t sing…and I KNOW that’s not the case.  You’re going to convince them that they’re right though, because you’ve yet to put in one performance that deviates from the loose way you’ve been choosing to sing these songs.  So again, there’s huge risk in going a direction like that, and when combined with not adding enough dynamics into the music, you can see how the issues stack up to an experience that isn’t measuring up to what it could have been.  Like, again – I DO enjoy the sound of “Only You” to an extent, and if it was just a single, I’m sure I could be convinced I enjoy it more than it feels like I do within the context of an album where all the songs are created in such a similar way.  In any event, so far, it actually feels like “Only You” might be the highlight.  There IS something there that could work in the vocal hook of the chorus…but man it would be so nice if that could somehow be strengthened & reinforced within the music supporting & surrounding it as well.

Oy.  I am literally at the point where, just because “Time Is Right” has the most different sound in the lineup so far, that I’m almost willing to give it a thumbs up…but I’ve got a responsibility to be honest, and I can’t quite get myself there.  I’m not hearing the redeeming qualities of music that’ll retain an audience’s attention man…it’s really as simple as that.  Even in the case of something like “Time Is Right” or other tracks where I’ve cited that I like how things sound, the repetition is killin’ the vibe, and the vocal melodies, patterns, and songwriting feels too stagnant my friend.  I wake up every day, looking for a reason to cheer on the independent musicians and bands out there, and to be truthful, I don’t know that anyone takes it harder than I do when I can’t simply do that…but I gotta call things like I hear’em if I’m going to help assist the scene in the best ways that I can.  I’ve made my case so far, and the issues between songs essentially all revolve around the same things I’ve been pointing out – “Time Is Right” included.  Despite having a bit of a different flavor in its sonic texture, we’re still being served what is basically the same meal on a different plate.  If I’ve gotta be the villain in Ehson’s life right now for the advice I’m giving him, then so be it…I’ve got broad shoulders and I’m used to it at this point in my career – but if he’s willing to be objective and listen to what I’m pointing out, it’ll really help him going forward.

Uhhh…”To An End” is indeed, another song you will find on Me Then You…so…there’s that.  I’m kind of at a loss for words at this point.  Each of these songs has a pleasant and inviting vibe to it that almost feels like we SHOULD like these tracks more than we end up liking them by the end of a listen or two – but the similar approach and songwriting methods makes it too much in the course and confines of an album.  On their own, as singles, any of these tracks would likely have a better shot…but when they’re all surrounded by cuts that are pretty much doin’ the same thing, they get drowned out and become a kind of background noise that doesn’t feel like it needs your full attention, because your ears have seen this movie before.  I just kind of sat here as I listened to “To An End” and wondered how all this stuff I’ve been pointing out could have completely eluded Ehson, and why I felt so differently towards Me Then You than I remembered feeling about his last record.  Believe had some issues here and there too, but I feel like my opinion was favorable…and now I’m wondering if I need to go back to listen for what I might have missed.  “To An End” had me scratching my head in disbelief…partly because I’m shocked at how much it feels like Ehson has settled for mid-level material on this record, but also because I started to become convinced I liked the main chorus hook in this track as well after having repeated it so much.  When I’m at my most focused, I still stand by what I said earlier in that Hashemian is taking too many stylistic chances, and he really needs to convince the average everyday listener that he’s capable of singing better than he’s been letting on.  Did I just imagine that?  Misremember it?  Was it all a dream?

When considering the struggles that this album has gone through to this point in the lineup, I am sad to report that a track like “When It’s Over” is not going to snap the cold streak.  There are some lyrics that I dig in this tune…and…I might even be tempted to say it’s one of the stronger songs on the album in that particular regard.  Musically, once more it simply sounds like Ehson is treading water here.  I know there are folks out there that’ll tell you ‘less is more’ – but to that, I present this album as a case for ‘more is actually more’ by highlighting how there’s just not enough here.  I look at it this way…this record is now definitely a learning lesson…that’s the best assessment I’ve got for ya Ehson.  I also think that pretty much every single song presents what could easily be a GREAT idea, right from the get-go, each time – but you’ve gotta follow it up with MORE.  Having things merely carry on from the exact place where they start just isn’t gonna get the job done for the vast majority of listening ears out there…it’s just not.  So, from my perspective, you wanna go with those initial instincts of yours…maybe make that the verse, and then continue to explore the music further…see what else can be done with it, and really make the effort to broaden the material by defining the chorus and other parts of your songs through the music as well as the vocals…it’ll really make the entire difference.  As it stands right now, you’re putting every listener in the position whereby if they like what they hear at the start, great, they’ll be fine – but if they don’t & the song never makes a substantial change later on, they’ve got no opportunity to climb aboard.

The other option, which I don’t like nearly as much, is to shorten things up supremely.  A track like “Work It Out” might work as a two-minute tune…maybe…but at nearly five minutes of the same ol’ thing goin’ on, it’s once again too much and not enough at the very same time.  I’ve heard fantastic ideas on the guitar and bass at many points throughout Me Then You, only to have them oversaturated by the repetition…but if you can make fourteen separate cool ideas to start things out in your songs, then you must be capable of making a whole bunch more.  Or combine some of these things!  What if you went with seven songs, but each had two totally identifiable parts within the music instead?  My ultimate point is, more time needs to be taken with the songwriting Ehson, full stop.  There could be many reasons as to why you’re rushing things…but in the grand scheme of things, most artists and bands wouldn’t dare to drop two fourteen song sets within mere months of each other like you have with Believe and Me Then You coming out in the same year – and the reason behind that is simple…they want to spend more time on the craft & they’re focused more intently on their uniqueness from song to song.  Personally, I am not a fan of the vocal pattern to “Work It Out” whatsoever – but musically, it’s one of my favorites…this freakout Funk jam reminds me a whole lot of what I like in Polyphonic Exophilia.  As an instrumental, it might have worked.  Like I always say on these pages of ours, be mindful of the fact that if what you’re adding into a song isn’t REALLY adding something to it or enhancing the listening experience, then it’s more likely to be taking something away…and I feel that way about “Work It Out.”

I’m also not at all against looping for the record either, in case you were wondering.  It can be a true art if you ask me, when it’s done right of course.  I’ve been in the front row for every Marc Rebillet show I’ve been able to go to, and that’s a perfect example – it’s not just his skill for looping that’s remarkable, but his ability to do it in a versatile way that creates excitement and variety.  I was able to recognize very early on that Ehson was in trouble with Me Then You…but what worries me is that he somehow didn’t.  Is there a market for something like “You Got It” at the end of the album?  Sure.  There’s a market for all kinds of sounds, even if they’re not mainstream.  Heck, sometimes especially because they’re not mainstream.  That being said…you’ve gotta put yourself in a position to win…and I’m not so convinced that what I’ve heard on this album shows Hashemian at his best so much as it sounds like an album filled with songs he was able to make easily, without worrying too much about the details that separate the good from the great.  I’ll say this – I love the music at the core of “You Got It” – it’s probably the real highlight of the set for me in that regard, even if I still want way more variation than we get.  There are ups and downs in the course of every career when it comes to music & art…it’s more of a matter of how we choose to respond to the outliers and rebound from the downtimes with the wisdom of experience.  I’m fully confident that the next time we hear Ehson’s music you’ll find him more inspired and prepared than he was on Me Then You, because I know he’s got the potential and skills to really wow us all with his music.  Now it’s just a matter of proving me right with respect to that, and I truly hope that he does.

Find out more about Ehson Hashemian from his official website at:  https://ehsonhashemian.art.blog

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