Hellogoodbye [EP]

Hellogoodbye

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 9, 2004)
• Original Release Date: November 9, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: EP
• Label: Drive-Thru
• ASIN: B00066VU3E
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,805 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Ask the members of HelloGoodbye how they chose the band's name, and they'll tell you straight up. It's not about the Beatles. It's not about greetings and farewells. Rather, says lead singer Forrest Kline, "Screech said it in the Hawaii episode of Saved by the Bell." So much for deep meaning. Turns out HelloGoodbye has one mission: make great music and have as much fun as possible doing it. Judging by their new self-titled Drive-Thru Records debut EP, HelloGoodbye is right on target.

Rooted in tight melodies and winning arrangements, the five songs on the EP show a sophistication beyond the band's do-it-yourself m.o. Forrest Kline sings with disarming joy, while keyboardist Jesse Kurvik adds light and humor. "I go for old Nintendo," he says with a laugh. "In terms of synth sounds, we want kitschy and cheesy."

Though only five songs long, the EP shows off the band's versatility. "Call and Return" is a pop jewel in the classic style, oddly tender but relentlessly upbeat. The harder-rocking "Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn" is a surprisingly perceptive break-up song ("Turn down the beating of my heart/mark the places in my book/with photographs we never took"), while the fragile "Bonnie Taylor Shakedown 2k," just may be the first song to pay simultaneous homage to "Louie Louie" and "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." "Jesse Buy Nothing (Go to Prom Anyways)" is a refreshing blast of musical insanity with a little history attached. "Jesse needed to ask a girl to the prom," says Forrest. "We figured a song was the best way to go, so we made the song in my house, made a nice little package for it and then I delivered it via 'hellogoodbye express mail,' i.e., me dressed in beige shorts and a button down." The EP ends on a sour-sweet note with the pop-rock (a la Weezer) ballad "Dear Jamie...Sincerely Me," expressing the impermanence of relationships.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Happy Accidental Purchase, July 13, 2006

By	Debbie Tam "gabrielsmom" (Omaha, NE) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this EP because Zombies will not be released until August 8th. This was a happy accident since I had not bothered to listen to any of the songs before this purchase. I bought this cd solely on the strength of a cut I heard from Zombies called Here (in your arms). This EP is thoroughly listenable. The singer's voice is sweet. The lyrics are clean and simplistic. In fact, sophormorically simplistic. I bought their DVD which by the way includes a fantastic set they did at the House of Blues. Both versions of Bonnie Taylor Shakedown are worth having though the 2K4 version is a more danceable version and very peppy. Dear Jamie is saccharin-ly sweet. In fact, most of the lyrics are pretty saccharin. I thought this was a joke, a put-on, a wink to the audience. But after watching the DVD and seeing these boys, this is a not a joke. They seem like sweet kids, kind of innocent, good friends, and they just want to have some fun and make some fun music to go along with it. That being said, I am more of an emo, screamo, alternative rock kind of person but I am also a product of the 80's too. This is more of an retro throwback sound. If you like that sort of thing, then I highly recommend it. If you don't and you prefer the emo thing, stay away. This will not be your cup of tea. Then may I suggest Thursday, Hawthorne Heights, or AFI.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hellogoodbye is awesome, October 24, 2005

A Kid's Review

This c.d. is well worth buying! The tracks are all so good I can't even choose a favorite. Hellogoodbye is like a mix between the all american rejects and the click 5. Not to mention, that the song called Jessie Buy Nothing...Go to Prom Anyways is hilarious!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars woah, June 6, 2006

By	Leila M "I'm the new cancer" (IL) - See all my reviews

Honestly, this is my 'happy band'. When I'm sad, I listen to some hellogoodbye. The songs are upbeat and catchy, and wakes me up in the morning. Hellogoodbye, well i saw them live and they are fer sher the optimists. They're so 'down-to-earth' and well, amazing. I love the cd, even though its an EP. I love it.