John Vesely, better known as Secondhand Serenade burst onto the international scene with the success of 2008 single "Fall For You". Known for his melodic sound and deep lyrics, Vesely is back with the release of his third album Hear Me Now.

The first few tracks on the album are very reminiscent of 2008's A Twist In My Story. It gives a nice introduction back into Secondhand Serenade’s sound – love themed lyrics blended with numerous harmonies and soaring violins.

Vesely however does mix it up more compared to his previous albums – Hear Me Now has a more upbeat sound with greater use of drums and driving beats. "Stay Away" in particular showcases a slightly different sound with more emphasis instrumentally, particularly in the chorus, making a nice change from the usual harmonious love songs.

Because Vesely does have quite a distinct voice, he can fall into the trap of his songs sounding very similar. Compared to his other albums however, Hear Me Now showcases a more versatile and diverse sound, which works well in his favour.

Title track "Hear Me Now" is worth listening to, mostly due to the collaboration with Automatic Loveletter lead Juilet Simms. Simms and Veselys voices work well together, however I feel a greater emphasis on Simms vocals would have pushed the song into great territory.

Overall, Hear Me Now is a solid album. Fans of Secondhand Serenade will love the new songs, and there is no doubt Vesely is great at writing emotional power ballads. I just can’t help thinking of lovesick teenagers when listening to his songs though, and ultimately that’s not a good thing. Not a bad album at all, but perhaps just better in smaller doses.

Review Score: 6.5/10