Labels: Red Leader
Review by: Andy Malcolm
I nearly tossed this on the pile for an unsuspecting C reviewer but gave it a quick spin prior, ensuring that I’d keep it for myself. I was initially put off by the band name, not really sure why, I think I just assumed they would be dodgy MTV screamo, infact I did a myspace search for the band and accidentally typed “Screamo HellO” in the search, and my ears were assaulted by something quite dreadful. Anyways. Scream Hello make some really solid punked up indie rock on this 4 tracker. “A Few Minutes” is somewhere between Jets to Bazil, the Jealous Sound and Samiam. That should be up the alley of a few folks I reckon. Clean, strong vocals, over melodic, powerful riffs, plus a little bit of a singalong. Noice. Bizarrely for this kind of band, the song is almost 6 minutes long, which is perhaps a bit over the top for music like this! “A Few Minutes” indeed. Still, good track. “Breakin’ Shit” slides into earshot after that, soaring with hyperactive guitars, bringing to mind early Hey Mercedes or Mock Orange. The third song is titled with just a bunch of Rs, which is sure to fuck up the last.fm stats. I wasn’t so into this track, it starts off as vocals and piano, before scaling into the guitar. I definitely prefer their usual style to this. “Vinegar & Baking Soda” brings things to a rousing close, with shedloads of catchiness and killer guitar parts. And a really awesome breakdown part too, that unsurprisingly surges back.
Woefully out of fashion indie rock, but it has certainly caught my ear, that’s for sure. I miss when there were more bands like this, but Scream Hello is capably filling a hefty void. Check this shit out if you like your indie rocking and tuneful, like what I do.