When We First Met – Hellogoodbye When We First Met – Hellogoodbye (Free Download / Buy)

With four long years gone by since their last album, Hellogoodbye has parted ways with Drive-Thru Records and released Would It Kill You? from their very own label Wasted Summer.

I can’t lie about the fact that my awareness of Hellogoodbye comes from their appearance on The Real World: Austin back in 2005, which documented their time at SXSW that year. With that said, it’s nice to be able to find out how they have progressed and see the kind of attack strategy they’ve staged to jump back into the 2010 music scene.

Their new effort has been effectively stripped of the synth pop wWouldeightiness found on ZOMBIES! ALIENS! VAMPIRES! DINOSAURS! These eleven tracks hold true to the sweet and fun sensibilities of the old tune “Oh, It Is Love,” working with unfiltered vocals and catchy little riffs. They’ve definitely matured into a polished and confident sound, but have kept little hints of punk and rock from their signature style in songs like “You Sleep Alone.” The most modern track, and a standout favorite of the album, is definitely “I Never Can Relax,” which gives off the dreamy, fun vibes of Miniature Tigers and a little bit of Dinosaur Feathers.

Lovey-dovey trials and tribulations still dominate the lyrical patterns in an endearing way, as opposed to dwelling sadly on the subject. Breezing through the entire album feels sort of like you’re sitting out in the sun listening to a storyteller spin heartfelt tales of past loves and future hopes, woven with playful rhythm and melody. “When We First Met,” “The Thoughts That Give Me The Creeps,” and “Finding Something to Do” are those adorable kind of ditties that you secretly want to play for someone because they instantly make you think of them. This seems like the honest intention of a lot of their music, so now is the time to take a lovely little track from Would It Kill You? and go for it!

I’d say that with their newly revamped sound, Hellogoodbye has emerged from the shadows and come back better than ever!