Hellogoodbye

Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!

[5/5] In addition to being nominated for Sexiest Vegetarian Of 2006 by peta2.com, singer Forrest Kline and his band Hellogoodbye have been busy crafting another shamelessly fun dose of their unique XTC meets Panic! At The Disco happy-rock. This follow-up to their 2003 self-titled EP this is simply one of the most giggling and satisfyingly chipper records in years. Songs switch between whimsical banjo balladry of “Oh It Is Love” to gain-laden guitars on “All Time Lows,” a track that’s tastier than a soy-cheese pizza topped with Jimmy Eat World’s “Sweetness.” “Figures A & B (Means You And Me)” and “I Saw It On Your Keyboard” show the band’s ability to write a quirky pop song as good as anything off of Weezer’s debut, but without being formulaic. At first listen, Kline’s obsession with vocoders and Eurobeats might throw folks off, but only the truly hard-hearted will be able to resist the refreshingly fun spirit of this disc. (DRIVE-THRU) Casey Lynch


ROCKS LIKE: Peachcake’s Chain Letter EP • The Format’s Dog Problems • Cher ‘s Believe