CD Review - Hellogoodbye
by Kevin Ehman
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Drive-thru Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! |
If The Village People and Fall Out Boy had an illegitimate love child, its name would be Hellogoodbye. The brainchild of front man Forrest Kline, HGB is a California-based dance-pop foursome that is equal parts emo and disco, and it’s this blend of sounds that has attracted their equally diverse fan base—although a stint on the Warped Tour and an appearance on the Real World didn’t hurt. The follow-up to 2003’s self-titled debut album, Zombies is a buffet of musical tastes, but unlike so many before them, HGB manages to make this hodgepodge sound remarkably cohesive.
The album begins with its two strongest tracks, the synth- and vocoder-laden “All of Your Love” and the Cher-reminiscent “Here (in Your Arms).” Both of these undeniably catchy tunes may initially alienate the cool kids due to their cavity-inducing sweetness, but one or two listens later, the most cold-hearted scenesters will be nodding their heads. Other standouts include the acoustic ditty “Oh, It Is Love,” which brings to mind fellow, albeit slightly more serious, popsters The Shins, and The Beach Boys resurrecting “Baby, It’s Fact.”
Considering Kline got his start as a graphic-design intern at Drive-thru and only started making music at the prodding of label higher-ups, Hellogoodbye looks, sounds and feels like the real deal. Religious touring and an out-of-control live show have earned these boys a reputation as crowd-pleasers and gained them a dedicated following. All that remains to be seen is if they can reach the level of fame achieved by contemporaries Panic! At the Disco—but don’t be surprised if they do.