The Music and Planet Project

The recently released The Changing Tide album by Buffalo-based Hello London will make anyone with a love of 2000s emo grin with content. Listening to this complete 10-track LP is like being transported to another space and time when bands like Saves the Day, Motion City Soundtrack, and Say Anything burst onto the national scene.

The album begins with two tracks that embody several elements of the quintessential 2000s emo sound: impassioned vocals, fuzzy chords, and mellifluous guitar riffs. The first thing that strikes me about the album in these opening tracks is the artist’s no-fuss sense of authenticity. Right away, it feels just like a guy earnestly noodling around with different guitar riffs, scribbling out lyrics, and trying out different melodies to fit the music. In today’s world of production-dominated music, it’s a good feeling to hear the genuine songwriting process shining through.

Moving forward through the album, track 3 is entitled Spark and takes us in a little bit of a new direction. Shakers and xylophone-sounding synths – which feel like hallmark elements of this genre – make their first appearance and add an element of sweetness to the sound. The chorus here is truly memorable: “they say it takes a spark to turn into a blaze” is repeated and sung with a catchy melody that you might find yourself repeating back in the shower. In an album of catchy tracks, this may just be the one that sticks on the brain the most. 

Upon reaching track 5, the title track of the album, there is a subtle yet noticeable change in character as we are ushered into the second half of the LP. In this track, The Changing Tide, Hello London introduces a new sense of texture through acoustic guitar and a new mood through the use of a minor key. Track 6, Volcano, also plays with a different flavor with more precise picking in the verses followed by a riff-driven chorus that has us banging our heads. The following tracks introduce a refreshing variety of new textures, including a thick acoustic guitar strumming pattern in Not the Same and an 80s pop flair in the synth and bass of Am I Wrong. Track 9, Wait Here Forever, is the first fully acoustic song of the LP and pulls on the heartstrings with that power that only a fully acoustic tone can accomplish. Finally, track 10, A Little Faith, brings us back to Hello London’s signature thick fuzzy power chord sound that we mostly heard in the front half of the LP. 

Overall, Hello London’s album The Changing Tide is a delightfully nostalgic dive into the emo genre. Musically, the artist manages to keep our attention held for the entirety of the 10 tracks by introducing subtle changes in texture throughout the different songs. Top highlights of the LP were the creative build structure and catchiness of Spark, the emotionality of Volcano, and the interesting 80s pop twist in Am I Wrong. Dig in and find out for yourself by streaming the album here and then explore the rest of Hello London’s catalog while you’re at it.