Hello London plays songs that are a soundtrack for your life. It is the brainchild/alter ego of James Froese, a musician from Buffalo, New York. It is a dream’s dream, passion that is a few steps but a lifetime away. Things you think about, but don’t obsess over. With this latest album, he dives into the particulars of life once again, this one is called Past Futures. Let’s see why this is an addictive little nugget.
Opening with The Brink, the song sounds like if Oasis took another route. Edging on the cliff that is alt-rock, Hello London uses a slower, deliberate pace to really make the lyrics count. It has a journey similar to many rock tracks, however his use of tones and melody arrangement is something fresh. With its soft ending, it creates a natural cushion for Somewhere Else. This has an intro like early Coldplay, turning into a quicker, joyous number. The distortion has a crunch that is palpable, a sound that would be as perfect live as it is on the recording. The chorus is a fun pocket, breaks and style collisions galore.
Back on the Train has a 00s rock ballad on the album. From the fun strumming to the gentle percussion slowly building, it is interesting to see origami art like this develop. The warmth is in the lyrics as well, flourishes in the lead, compelling the vocals to take new directions. Synth echoes create something new, bringing a new dimension to a song that has an acoustic spine.
Rolling has a groove that salutes something of a Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers energy. Vocals lead, paving the story, while the minimal instruments build to a powerful swing and kick. The song has some really beautiful, magical elements coming together for the chorus, from the instrumental perspective. Another Day has the jangle of a Johnny Marr guitar. The layered cake approach is goodness on all accounts. It has a marching band kind of percussion background, the bass withdrawn. Hello London brings different texture experiments, the way the lyrics lead him, maybe. It is refreshing to listen to so many styles within an album.
A little bit of English rock and roll might come our way with Always. From the delicious bass notes to the riff development, its fascinating to watch different approaches create a new structure for each song. You can never predict anything with Hello London. Lucid carves a new path, breaking the pattern again to create something fresh. There are some superb undercurrents in the melody, especially from the bass.
Stolen Words gives the compass another spin for new adventures. From the muted guitar imitating percussion, to the romantic chord progressions and honest lyrics-you feel like you’re part of this journey. Past Futures was released in December 2022, and features the genuine best of Hello London, in songwriting and composition. Follow him for more dreamy music like this!
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Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
