4/5 Long Needed Improvement
  by C. Smith (New York)
Hawk Nelson no doubt has talent, but since their debut they kind of stuck to the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. Fortunately, this time around they change things up a little. For example there is a guest vocal appearance of TobyMac on Eggshells, an interesting string arrangement to the contemplative rocker Meaning Of Life, a remake of an old hymn, and a funny song about Hawk Nelson's favorite hockey team winning the Stanley Cup. Throughout the entire album there is a near perfect balance of seriousness and fun. Although not a candidate for best album of the year, it is still a fun listen.

5/5 Hawk Nelson [Live Life Loud]
  by Kevin R. Davis (Perkasie, PA)
On the title track and opening song of their fourth album, Hawk Nelson urges its listeners to Live Life Loud. That sentiment, founding member Daniel Biro notes, is "as Hawk Nelson as Hawk Nelson can be." Live Life Loud. It's not just a matter of volume, mind you; it's a philosophy. Part of living at the extreme that title suggests is embracing all of life, accepting and even celebrating a little pain and darkness and finding a way to let it enrich life.

The album kicks off with Hawk Nelson's signature rock/punk sound with the title track, complete with cheerleaders. "Live Life Loud" reminds me of previous rock anthems "Friend Like That", "Bring `Em Out" and "California", but there is a maturity and musical diversity that really makes Live Life Loud the best overall album by Hawk Nelson from beginning to end in my opinion. "Never Enough" and "Eggshells" keep the rock going, and the guitar work has never sounded better. The band lists Jimmy Eat World as a musical influence and if you like that rock/punk sound combined with spiritual lyrics, this album is for you.

Catchy first single "Meaning of Life" continues the search for significance, harmoniously determining to "start today for a new beginning...find a way to make a change in all of us who need to find the meaning of life". The song reminds me of some of my favorite more pop-style songs recorded by Hawk Nelson, including "From Underneath", "Everything You Ever Wanted" and "One Little Miracle". The message of "Meaning of Life" is that we need to stand-out and not blend in with the crowd. We should be bold with our faith, Christians need to make a difference in our world. Next song "Alive" is about losing one's self and serving others. Another highlight for me is the song "Shaken" which includes some convicting lyrics "Open my eyes and help me see there's a world outside of me...Lord use me take me where You want me to go".

The second half of the album includes some more reflective songs including "Lest We Forget", a great cover of the hymn "Tis So Sweet" with guest vocals by Jenn Helvering (Sandi Patty's daughter), and the touching closing song "The Final Toast", written about Jason Dunn's grandfather. If you've liked previous albums by Hawk Nelson, you'll love Live Life Loud.

This is the best overall album by Hawk Nelson in my opinion. For me the standout songs are "Live Life Loud", "Never Enough", "Meaning of Life", "Alive", "Shaken" and "Tis So Sweet". If you like rock/punk like Jimmy Eat World, FM Static and Stellar Kart, then you can't go wrong with Live Life Loud by Hawk Nelson.

4/5 A good album
  by Robert P. Sterner
After a first listen I can definitely say I liked this album. There's a lot of variety across it, with slower songs and the bands more traditional pop/rock/punk sound. Not all of the songs are great, but they're all good. Some of them, like Ode to Lord Stanley are definitely intended to be funny and make sense for a band from Ontario. 'Tis So Sweet is a great praise song that shows they have stuck to their Christian ideals. Live Life Loud starts by making you unsure of what you're going to get and then really gets into the groove. Never Enough is a great song that is easy to listen to again.

If you haven't heard this band before their first two albums, Letters to the President and Smile, It's the End of the World are probably a better spot to start with, but this one is better than their third album, Hawk Nelson Is My Friend.

2/5 An Unfocused and Uneven Affair
  by Cory T. Shaeffer (Pittsburgh)
I really love this band, so writing this review hurts a little.

Hawk Nelson, up to this point, was as reliable as they come. Catchy songs, clever lyrics, and a little humor here and there. All those elements are still present on "Live Life Loud," but they are fewer and further between. As a matter of fact, this album is a backwards progression for this band, as it sounds more rushed than it does forced, and more grating at times than it does melodic and flowing.

The production is great, and the vocals are spot-on (but again not as good as their previous albums). But for a band that writes mostly pop songs, the album lives or dies with the melodies. The songs do have hooks, but nothing catchy or consistent enough to make any of the songs memorable. The album's best two songs ("The Job" and the title track) sound like outtakes from the last two albums, and, particularly the title track comes off as almost a self-parody. When an album begins with the line "I've got a hankering...." then it's not a good sign, unless it is an old Roy Rogers 8-track.

The ballads fall off sharply here, too. Nothing as memorable as the two ballad singles from their last albums. The jangle-pop track that closes the album is reminiscent of Relient K, but again, it sounds like an outtake from a Relient K album. It's okay, but it just doesn't sink in with repeated listens.

If you want to still call this band "pop-punk," then this album is very hard to sit through. It's not an enjoyable listen. Each of the band's previous three albums had become more focused and serious, but some of the songs on this record are just flat angry. That's okay if it can be conveyed in a convinving manner, but it sounds forced. They probably would have been better served to do what Stellar Kart and FM Static does, just deliver 35 minute albums of pure energetic fun. I have no doubt that Hawk Nelson will bounce back, just as FM Static did after their forgettable second album. But this is what it is. A below-average set of songs in an otherwise excellent catalog. 2.5 stars.

4/5 A More Mature Incarnation of the Band's New Sound
  by Media Lover
Well, if you read my review of "Hawk Nelson is My Friend" you know that I wasn't a huge fan of that album. The melody was there, the great performance was there, but there was far less emotion and sheen than was presented in earlier HN material.

That being said, I didn't expect a ton out of "Live Life Loud." After looking at the cutesy album art, stereotypical album title and bloated 3D presentation, I was pretty much ready to give up on this one... But I shouldn't have! The HN boys have pulled through yet again, and created a truly fun and catchy work of art. The sound presented here is very similar to their last album, but there's much more thought and emotion put into the lyrics. In fact, a couple of tracks on this album took me back to "Letters to the President."

If you're a fan of HN that was disappointed by "Hawk Nelson is my Friend," do yourself a favor and give this a listen. I don't think you'll regret it!