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Hellogoodbye has recently released the follow-up to their successful debut CD, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! That CD is best known by the single, “Here (In Your Arms),” which peaked at number 14 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Can their new CD,Would It Kill You?, stand up to that?
The Huntington Beach, California-based band developed a synth pop sound that served them well, but vocalist and primary song writer Forrest Kline did not stand pat. With a new rhythm section featuring Travis Head on bass and Mike Nielsen on drums, the group has matured into a harder rocking band, with Nielsen’s drumming driving many of the songs on the CD. The opening track, “Finding Something To Do,” is a hard charging, jet engine fueled, grab-your-attention song. It sets the tone for the entire CD.
“Getting Old,” the second track, reminds me of those beautiful sounds of the British Invasion or, thinking back to the ‘70s, the talents of Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford.
Kline’s ability to wrap the instrumentation, melodies, and overall cheeriness of this CD around his well-crafted lyrics makes Would It Kill You? more than just a collection of danceable tunes. An example comes from the song, “If You Wanna I Might.” Those uneasy feelings we guys felt inside when we had a crush on that girl who we thought was “oh so cute,” dying just for her to look our way, or to say a few words to us, is summed up nicely:
Sometimes I think I am out of my league
And then sometimes I think I can dream
Sometimes I wish I could be the one fish
That you choose out of all in the sea
My favorite track on the CD is “Coppertone.” It has a wonderful blend of British Pop and a Motown feel to the drumming, reminiscent of the Supreme’s “You Can’t Hurry Love.”
Those of you who have read my previous reviews know that I’m a rock ‘n’ roll guy who prefers to hear dueling guitars and pounding drums. A friend of mine remarked that Would It Kill You? is a “chick” CD. Well, I’ve always enjoyed watching a chick flick once in a while, and although this release may garner a larger female audience than that of males, it has repeatedly found its way blaring from my car’s audio player over the last week. You will play it just as frequently.
