August 26th, 2011 
James Shotwell 
Artist: Hello Hollywood
Album: The Loveliest
Genre: Pop-rock
Label: [unsigned]
The Loveliest is, in general, a polished and shiny pop rock release, chock full of yearning love songs and cheerful meditations on life and sentiment. It’s grand, as one would say colloquially here in Ireland – not exactly my cup of tea but sure to appeal to those of a softer palette.
The album is founded on a strong acoustic slant which lends the sweet, simple songs a sincere and engaging veneer throughout. It’s very chart friendly and veers at times into the cinematic; it’d be perfect fodder for your average episode of 90210 and suchlike. “Freakin’ Out,” the opening song, is poppy and upbeat with a nice cheery lead vocal. The instruments are kept minimal and basic, a recurring trend throughout, and the album unfolds in a neat, encompassing manner. “Killin’ Me” has a boisterous riff to open and a warm, sprightly air to it. The verses are temperate and gentle and the vocals remain enthusiastic; it picks up pace a little towards the end but this doesn’t really infuse it with any added spark or fervour. It’s laid-back, but quite difficult to dislike.
“Little Runaway” is a little edgier with the guitar taking on a more obvious electric twist. The sound is a bit fuller and more absorbing and the lyrics warm and sensitive. “Miracle” similarly is quite spirited and idealistic, with vigorous instruments and singing. The easy, relaxed air woven by these two songs creates a natural and believable tone, fittingly enough as the band now embark on some slower numbers. “Misunderstood” is a bit more timid and melancholic, yet it retains a very strong sound. The acoustics are interspersed with more thorough flashes of guitar here and there, and the chorus swells to include some soaring background vocals. It isn’t the most breathtaking song in the world but the feeling is potent and it does allow for a little diversity in the dangerously samey sound that had been developing. “Say It To Me” is a more obvious kind of ballad, with very pleading and emotive vocals sitting atop an acoustic guitar. For all its clichéd rambling, this one is actually quite nice – it brings in a beguiling string section and has a leisurely, endearing pace that sounds quite pleasingly cinematic. It’s kept very minimal, the only decoration courtesy of the aforementioned string sampling and some rather momentous drum rolls bookmarking the verses. You’ve heard it all before of course, but it does retain some heartfelt likeability.
The above two slower songs are separated by “One of a Kind” and “Please Don’t Go,” two fairly banal but decent tracks. The former is in the slower mould also, with a soft, very pop sound. The latter is rescued from dullness by a nice post-chorus flourish which lends it a bit more of an edge. It’s a little more determined and adds something to the momentum. Further along, “Wait” affords its electric guitars a bigger role to reinvigorate matters after the balladry. There’s plenty of life and energy to this one, with a spurring and layered chorus providing a neat centrepiece. It’s one of the faster and more effective songs on the album as its brisk approach is a breath of fresh air.
The title track comes last. It’s a worthy attempt at a bold conclusion for the record, but it’s a little too long and rather insubstantial. The chorus dreams very big, with a piano, repeated guitar thrill, and surging vocals designed to rouse and inspire. The choir that comes in towards the latter half of the song definitely feels like overkill, yet sports an uncanny tendency to get stuck in your head for ages afterward. Yet, it is an alright song (if you’ll pardon the boring description) – it fits the album’s mould quite well and makes for an apt swansong. Its sense of self is just a little too protracted.
In conclusion, The Loveliest is, as I mentioned in my introduction, grand. It’s vibrant, smiley, aims to put you in a good mood and keeps on trucking. For all that your attention span could fade and tune you out for most of it, its cheerful vibes are difficult to dislike and there should be many who warm to it. Not to be used for motivational purposes, but otherwise, good.
SCORE: 6/10
Review written by: Grace Duffy
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