After Edmund - Hello

Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

This Georgia-based band caught my eye when I saw them showcase in Nashville if only because of the goofy on stage behaviour from their keyboard player. 'Hello' just seems to be a very cool name for a debut album introducing a band to the wider public and in this case it's packed with fine modern rock songs that match melody with musical power and without sounding like your standard American Christian band. These guys have got something fresher when it comes to arrangements and sounds that has grabbed my attention. There are so many generic bands out there that it's quite a shock to come across one that's more difficult to pigeonhole. You know how much we reviewers like to pigeonhole things. I could name some bands that sound like influences, so you'd get a splash of Keane, a dash of My Chemical Romance and maybe a tablespoon of Mute Math. The result is an album packed with winners and my favourites include the energetic "Thank God" and "Fighting For Your Heart" as well as the emotional impact of the ballad "Clouds". The band seem content to create emotive music that is spiritually stirring without becoming a worship band! Now, there's a rarity!