It's been four years since the power-synth-pop quintet hit the world stage with relatively successful debut “Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!”. After various legal battles with their former label, Drive-Thru Records, the band are back with their sophomore effort “Would it Kill You?”. The question is, was it worth the wait?
In short; yes, and then some. The album superbly well crafted, retaining the quirk that popularized the band originally, yet still manages to be completely different to anything you’ve heard by them, or anyone previous. You’re thrown into the thick of things straight from the off. Opening track Finding Something To Do sets the pace of the album, and the themes to be explored; love...well, just love, but that’s what made us like them in the first place. The pace slows for Getting Old, combining ukuleles and the acoustic guitar to compliment the now matured lyrics from lead singer Forrest Kline. Hellogoodbye spent their time off well. They’ve grown as musicians. So far, I love it.
When We First Met follows a pair of young lovers as they reminisce about bygone days, strangely citing the growth of hair, and various styles as the passing of time. What follows bucks the trend of the album so far; a song about breaking up. Betrayed By Bones tells a tale; a tale of a young man who knows his relationship is over. And he has to end it. It really is beautiful. I’m not afraid to say it; it’s by and large my favourite track on the album. Kline could’ve taken the album down a darker route following that. He doesn’t. The album has a break out moment. You Sleep Alone is the culmination of anger and despair. A wail of voices and electric surrounds the track, a mess of keys bridge it. It’s the track with the most appeal, let’s put it that way.
When We First Kissed is definitely the most forgettable of the tracks on show. It’s far too slow, considering what preceded it. The Thoughts That Give Me The Creeps pulls us back into the groove that betrayed set; fascinating, with hints of a break out following. And the albums does just that. I Never Can Relax takes us to the more indie aspect of the album, and I welcome it. Coppertone has a very “late night down by the lake” feel, and it’s great to hear. Would It Kill You? follows Coppertone naturally, and is just what you want after the slow dance track of the album. Something You Misplaced rounds off the effort in stunning form, begging to be played as ambience. It’s gorgeous, and that truly is that.
Hellogoodbye provide a more organic sound with this album, and, as a result, I see it as a contender for Album of the Year. Fair play to them, I guess.
