I know it’s been about a month since my last post, but fear not! A J-pop related post is coming up soon. However this post is obviously not J-pop related as the title suggests.

Today, March 14th marks Taylor Hanson’s 26th birthday, so I’m here to give him a nice big shout out and to get the word out on his latest project.

On March 20th at the SXSW festival being held in Austin, Texas (which started yesterday) Taylor’s new group Tinted Windows will be debuting. Their first single is up on their site and it sounds quite catchy.

Tinted Windows – Kind of a Girl (see post to listen)

Oooh.. nice jacket and tie… And I’m loving his hair combed back like that. <3

Tinted Windows features Taylor Hanson of Hanson (obviously) as vocals, James Iha, one of the original members of the Smashing Pumpkins on guitar, Adam Schlesinger of the bands Fountains Of Wayne and Ivy on bass, and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick on drums. I’ve watched the video they have up on their site, and I must say that it’s really weird watching Taylor perform without and instrument in front of him, but he sounds (and looks) awesome (and sexy) as usual, so that’s not a problem.

Tinted Windows is set to release their first album on April 21st, just a little bit after my birthday. I really hope I get some birthday money this year for so many things are releasing around that time. First, the Hello! Project Elder Clus graduation concert and C-ute’s upcoming single “Bye Bye Bye” are releasing ON my birthday, then this album about a week later.

Any Hanson fans who’ve read this far into this, fear not because Taylor is still in the band and they’re working to release a new album. I’ve read for a possible release date sometime in the summer, but we’ll see. Whenever it releases, I’m definitely getting it. I’m also impatiently awaiting their next concert tour which better have a stop in Toronto. The latest leg of their Walk Around the World tour skipped over Toronto, which was the first time they didn’t make a stop around here on a tour. It was quite depressing for me. I haven’t missed them once when they have come here and I don’t plan to start missing their shows any time soon.

Here’s Taylor doing his thing during a walk with fans to raise awareness on poverty and AIDS in Africa.

Anyway, a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Taylor!!! Here’s to another 26×2! ^_^