Everyone needs to hear this record. There, I said it. Released just this week via uber small Pennsylvania indie Prison Jazz Records, Hello, Hello is something of a pop masterpiece. With obvious influences coming from The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Phil Spector’s early work, The A-Sides fill Hello, Hello with upbeat rock & roll music, perfect three part harmonies and just plain great songs. Destined to be the soundtrack of my springtime, Hello, Hello wastes no time in getting to the good stuff. Album opener “Sidewalk Chalk” begins with a bombastic drum beat and anthemic hand claps before diving into a thick wall of sound with a driving bass line and wailing guitars. The “wall of sound” is a common theme on this entire album. Songs like “Everybody Knows The Way”, “Sorry Cloud”, “Tall Buildings”, and shit… just about every other song, all pack in layer after layer of vocals, guitars, bass, drums, violin, trumpet, piano and hand claps. But what really makes this band special is their ability to pull heavily from past while still creating a body of work that sounds fresh, modern and original. If you like The Beatles and The Shins, The Beach Boys and Belle & Sebastian, this will be your new favorite record. You can sample some songs here, but Radio/label guys, if you want to check out Hello, Hello (and you should), you’ll have to reach out to Prison Jazz and ask nicely. Trust me, it’s worth it.

The A-Sides
Prison Jazz

1. Silver Storms
2. Live – The A-Sides @ Mercury Lounge | NYC
3. MISC – Top 50 Bands Of All Time
4. Charles Manson and Phil Spector: Dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock?
5. Early Beatles Albums Boxed Up For The Holidays