Album Review: hellogoodbye - 'Everything Is Debatable'

It has been a long time between drinks for California pop band hellogoodbye. The four piece last released a full length in 2010, leaving fans starved for more by the time they released new album 'Everything Is Debatable,' and without giving too much away, it was well worth the wait.

Album opener, 'And Everything Becomes A Blur' is exactly what you've come to expect from hellogoodbye. Catchy pop melodies, a healthy dose of electronics, and all in all, just a lot of fun. It's when we hit the second track, '(Everything Is) Debatable' when we see just how much the band have grown, producing a much more mature sound. They've got everything that's always been there before, but it's been steered in more an indie pop direction, rather than the synthpop of previous releases, and the result is an incredibly enjoyable listen.

The album reaches a peak in the middle, with 'JUST DON'T LET GO JUST DON'T,' a synth-heavy song that thrives off an absolutely stunning chorus, and constant textural changes, before dropping down to a disco-influenced jam to finish the album off. The tempo drops back for 'I Don't Worry (As Much As I Should),' where Forrest Kline gets a chance to show off on a track featuring only his vocals and a piano, with some minor electronic noise in the background.

Second last track 'Die Young, Die Dumb; Not Soon' is another throwback to 2010's 'Would It Kill You?', which manages to, much like the opening track, feel as if it could fit in perfectly onto the album, without appearing at all out of place on 'Everything Is Debatable.' The record finishes with 'A Near Death Experience,' which caps everything off perfectly, as if to wrap the album up in a neat little package.

When a band waits as long as hellogoodbye have to release a follow up album, expectations are generally fairly high. Fortunately, 'Everything Is Debatable' manages to go above and beyond expectations, showcasing a fun, mature sound that shows hellogoodbye at their best.