Hellogoodbye: Everything Is Debatable ALBUM REVIEW

For most people, there are bands, albums, and songs they used to listen to, but in retrospect see them as hokey, corny or just plain bad. For me, Hellogoodbye's debut album is kind of like that, though It sides more with the corniness issue. 

That LP came out in 2006 and received a fair but of praise for its hit single "Here In Your Arms", but after that album, the band seemed to disappear, as did my interest in them. Then, out of nowhere, as I was scrolling through my spotify playlists one day, I thought to myself, " Maybe I should see if that Hellogoodbye album still holds up", but I was stopped dead in my tracks with a sight I wasn't expecting... I saw that they'd released a sophomore album, titled, Would It Kill You? And without a second thought, I pressed play and was immediately pleased with what I was hearing. The album just  sounded so fresh and exciting, a perfect pop album, with little to no trace of the band's previous obsession ( or reliance) with electronics. 

So, while that album got me back in the fold with the band, I was still a little hesitant to listen to their new album, released October 29th of this year, Everything Is Debatable, but I'm glad to say that this LP maintains most of what made there last two albums great. 

Simply put, this is a bright, friendly and sometimes cutesy pop album with great hooks, instrumentals and vocals that are so pleasant to the ear, they're like a vanilla milkshake for your ears. Highlights include the folky opener and the m83 esq title track, which has one of the finest grooves in any pop song released this year. The tracks "Summer of the Lilly Pond" and "Die Young, Die Dumb; Not Soon" are breezy and fun. 

The only thing I can really knock this album for are the lyrics, which while sincere, are corny from time to time and don't really stray too far from the typical girl-boy relationship topic. 

While I still hold to the second album as there finest work, I am happy that Hellogoodbye managed to craft another little pop gem. It's just a shame a lot of people write these guys off because of how popular and niche their first album was, because Hellogoodbye are some of the finest pop song writers I've heard in the last 5 years or so.

8.5/10