Hellogoodbye

Who? Vocalist/guitarist Forrest Kline began recording synth-fueled pop songs on his computer while in high school and doing graphic design work for Drive Thru (his band's current label home). He recruited classmates -- keyboardist Jesse Kurvink, bassist Marcus Cole, and drummer Chris Profeta -- at Southern California's Huntington Beach High to round out Hellogoodbye.

What's the Deal? The kitschy dance pop of Hellogoodbye's debut full-length, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!, is positively catchy. The quartet relish in their youth (they even cull their moniker from one of Screech's lines in Saved by the Bell), and they explore themes of love with the endearing naivete of the barely-20s set. The lyrics on "Figures A and B (Means You and Me)" are almost childlike with their didacticism: "There's no 'I' in team, no 'me' in us, no 'you' in me." And "Touchdown Turnaround (Don't Give Up On Me)" could be equally fun as a meditation on Dance Dance Revolution or as an adolescent love hang-up.

Fun Fact: Hellogoodbye are known to sport costumes during their live shows and they cart cardboard cutouts of famous guests (Beyonce, Darth Vader) onstage with them. Water guns, confetti cannons, and silly string are also staples of the band's performances.

Now Hear This:
Hellogoodbye - "Figures A & B (Means You and Me)" DOWNLOAD MP3

Now Watch This:
Hellogoodbye - "Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn (Live!)" QUICKTIME HIGH

Talk: Would Lisa Turtle dig these guys more than she did Screech? COMMENT

On the Web: hellogoodbye.net