Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!
| type = studio
| artist = Hellogoodbye
| cover = Zombies Aliens Vamps.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = August 8, 2006
| recorded =
| studio = Cracker Tracks
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Emo pop
- pop punk{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/bobmarshall/41-albums-that-all-2000s-pop-punk-kids-loved|title=41 Pop-Punk Albums All 2000s Kids Loved|work=BuzzFeed|author=Marshall, Bob |date=July 1, 2015|access-date=June 12, 2016}}
- pop
}}
| length = 35:02
| label = Drive-Thru
| producer = {{flatlist|
}}
| prev_title = Hellogoodbye
| prev_year = 2004
| next_title = Would It Kill You?
| next_year = 2010
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!
| type = studio
| single1 = Here (In Your Arms)
| single1date = May 14, 2006
| single2 = All of Your Love
| single2date = March 2007
| single3 = Baby, It's Fact
| single3date = September 20, 2007
}}
}}
Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! is the debut studio album by American indie pop band Hellogoodbye. Produced by Matt Mahaffey, Jeff Turzo, and Forrest Kline, the album was released on August 8, 2006 in the United States by Drive-Thru Records. The album's lead single, "Here (In Your Arms)", reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum in the United States.
The album's title is a reference to popular geek culture and interests during the mid-2000s. The cover artwork was done by LeDouxville. The Japanese release additionally features live versions of "Here (In Your Arms)" and "Homewrecker".
Background
Hellogoodbye was formed in 2002 by vocalist/guitarist Forrest Kline, bassist Marcus Cole, keyboardist Jesse Kurvink, and drummer Chris Profeta.
Drive-Thru, which formerly employed Kline as a web design intern at 16, signed the band in 2004. The label's deal with majors MCA (and its successor, Geffen) was nearing its conclusion and the label intended to keep their newest artist signing quiet. Drive-Thru feared the majors might realize Hellogoodbye's potential and attempt to steal them away. The band issued an eponymous online EP for free, and although it was intended to remain "under the radar," it attracted commercial attention. "Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn" became a minor hit on MTV and helped the group gain notoriety.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hellogoodbye-mn0000778925/biography|title=Hellogoodbye – Biography|work=AllMusic|access-date=February 15, 2015}} The group was chosen by the cast of MTV's The Real World: Austin to be followed during South by Southwest (SXSW), and their profile began to increase dramatically. This exposure was aided by Drive-Thru's distribution deal with Sony BMG’s RED Distribution, through Sanctuary Records. Drive-Thru paid $20,000 to promote the EP, which Sanctuary funded retail pricing and positioning.
Recording
The album was recorded at Cracker Tracks in Los Angeles, a home studio that was owned by Matt Mahaffey of the band Self. Kline found his first professional recording not dissimilar from the way he had previously made music, via a computer in his bedroom.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytitan.com/2005/10/sayhellotohellogoodbye/|last=Schroeter|first=Christina|title= Say hello to HelloGoodbye|date=October 27, 2005|work=The Daily Titan |access-date=February 15, 2015}} Mahaffey and Jeff Turzo produced and engineered the sessions, with additional production from Kline, and additional Pro Tools editing from Thomas Olson. Mahaffey, Turzo, and Chris James mixed the recordings, before they were mastered by Tom Baker at Precision Mastering. Recording of the album finished in March 2006.
Release
The group went on an east/Midwest tour of the US from late November to mid-December 2005 with The Rocket Summer, Hit the Lights, and Dave Melillo. During this tour the group performed new songs. In February and March 2006, they supported the Academy Is... on their headlining tour.{{cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/archive_192/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014203953/https://www.altpress.com/news/archive_192/|title=The Academy Is… announce 'Truckstops And Statelines' tour|work=Alternative Press|author=Rork, Nicole|date=November 30, 2005|archivedate=October 14, 2018|accessdate=June 24, 2016}} The band supported Motion City Soundtrack on the mtvU Campus Invasion tour in April 2006.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/15968/tours-motion-city-soundtrack-straylight-run-hellogoodbye-on-mtvu-campus-invasion|title=Motion City Soundtrack / Straylight Run / Hellogoodbye on MTVu Campus Invasion|work=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=February 25, 2006|access-date=July 9, 2016}} Following this, they appeared at The Bamboozle festival, and went on the Warped Tour.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_523|title=Warped Tour confirms tour routing, venues, more bands|work=Alternative Press|date=March 2, 2006|access-date=July 19, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/15363/bamboozle-2006-lineup|title=Bamboozle 2006 lineup|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=January 23, 2006|accessdate=November 23, 2021}} On June 26, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! was announced for release, and the track listing was revealed.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_942|title=Hellogoodbye announce tracklisting for new album|work=Alternative Press|date=June 26, 2006|access-date=July 29, 2016}} The album was initially planned for release in May,{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_125|title=Climb aboard the ROFLcopter with Hellogoodbye|work=Alternative Press|date=November 4, 2005|access-date=June 24, 2016}} before being eventually released in August. It was made available for streaming a few days prior to release on their Myspace profile.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/18990/media-hellogoodbye-to-post-album-stream|title=Hellogoodbye to post album stream|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Reinecker, Meg|date=August 4, 2006|access-date=January 30, 2022}} The music video for "Here (In Your Arms)" was directed by Fred Savage. By the end of the summer of 2006, the group were regularly selling out 1,000+ venues. Following this, they appeared at the Bamboozle Left festival.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/18682/bamboozle-left-with-dashboard-confessional-brand-new-thrice-plus-44-bled-pink-spiders|title=Bamboozle 'Left' with Dashboard Confessional, Brand New, Thrice, Plus 44, Bled, Pink Spiders|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=July 17, 2006|access-date=January 30, 2022}} In October and November, the band went on a headlining tour with support from Ozma, Cute Is What We Aim For, Peachcake, Reggie and the Full Effect, and Melillo.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_1133|title=Hellogoodbye touring with Reggie And The Full Effect, Ozma|work=Alternative Press|date=August 16, 2006|access-date=August 4, 2016}}
In January and February 2007, Hellogoodbye played two shows in Japan, before embarking on a tour of the UK.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/21066/tours-hellogoodbye-japan-uk|title=Hellogoodbye (Japan, UK)|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=November 28, 2006|access-date=February 5, 2022}} On March 14, 2007, the band released a "All of Your Love" remix EP featuring "The Jimmy Pop Remix", "Forrest's Remix" and "Self's Remix".{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_1862|title=Hellogoodbye release remix EP at iTunes store|work=Alternative Press|date=March 14, 2007|access-date=August 10, 2016}} From early April to early June, the band went on the Two Months Of Spring Break Tour '99 tour of North America. They were supported by Boys Like Girls, the Hush Sound and the Rocket Summer.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_1820|title=Hellogoodbye announce North American tour w/ Hush Sound|work=Alternative Press|date=February 27, 2007|access-date=August 8, 2016}} In the midst of this, they appeared at that year's Bamboozle.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/22044/more-additions-to-bamboozle|title=More additions to Bamboozle|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=February 2, 2007|access-date=February 10, 2022}} In October and November, the group co-headlined the Myspace Music Tour with Say Anything. They were supported by Polysics{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2579|title=Hellogoodbye and Say Anything to co-headline MySpace tour|work=Alternative Press|publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc|date=August 29, 2007|access-date=March 18, 2017}} and Young Love.{{cite web|url=http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_2686|title=Young Love added to MySpace tour; date-by-date breakdown|work=Alternative Press|publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc|date=September 11, 2007|access-date=March 19, 2017}} They ended the year with a tour of the UK in November and December 2007 with Say Anything, Sherwood, and Go:Audio.{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/26173/tours-say-anything-hellogoodbye-sherwood-go-audio-uk|title=Say Anything / Hellogoodbye / Sherwood / Go Audio (UK)|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=October 24, 2007|access-date=June 5, 2022}}
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AbsolutePunk.net
| rev2 = AllMusic
| rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/r846581 |title=Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! – Hellogoodbye | AllMusic |publisher=allmusic |year=2011 |access-date=December 3, 2011}}
| rev3 = Punknews.org
| rev3Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/review/5900/hellogoodbye-zombies-aliens-vampires-dinosaurs|title = Hellogoodbye - Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!| date=December 15, 2006 }}
| rev4 = Spin
| rev5 = Yahoo! Music
}}
=Critical reception=
Spin{{'s}} Trevor Kelley gave the album 5 out of 10 in his review, remarking, "While the synth-punk anthems on the California quartet's debut full-length are infectious blasts, when Kline tries his hand at Kinks-y rave-ups ("Stuck to You") and sweeping orchestral pop ("Baby, It's Fact"), his overreach is a tad premature."{{cite news |url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/hellogoodbye-zombies-aliens-vampires-dinosaurs-drive-thru/|work=Spin |title=Hellogoodbye, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! |date=September 29, 2006 |access-date=February 15, 2015}} AllMusic's Corey Apar called it "a charming album that indeed entertains," while noting it as a "somewhat uneven listen when taken as a whole."
=Commercial performance=
Selling 40,057 units within its first week, the album debuted at No. 13 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, at No. 1 on the US Independent albums chart and on No. 1 at the US Internet albums chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=163478|title=Congrats to HGB!|work=Absolutepunk.net|access-date=October 16, 2006}} This response surprised executives at Drive-Thru, who in response began heavily promoting the band to pop radio. Through the help of RED and Sanctuary, it became a radio hit.
By the end of August 2006, the album had sold over 60,000 copies.{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=167376|title=Soundscan Results: Week Ending August 27th, 2006|work=absolutepunk.net|author=Kohli, Rohan|date=August 30, 2006|access-date=February 12, 2016}} By December 2006, the album has sold 150,000 copies in the United States.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iw4EAAAAMBAJ&q=hellogoodbye+2006+interview&pg=PA84|title=Hello Top 40, Goodbye Obscurity|last=Martens|first=Todd|date=December 9, 2006|volume=118|issue=49|page=84|issn=0006-2510|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 15, 2015}} As of April 2007, the album has sold 343,569 copies in the United States. It was released in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2007, where it debuted at No. 17 on the UK Albums Chart.
Track listing
All songs written by Forrest Kline, except for additional lyrics on "Figures A and B (Means You and Me)", "I Saw It on Your Keyboard", and "Touchdown Turnaround (Don't Give Up on Me)" from Jesse Kurvink.
{{Track listing
| title1 = All of Your Love
| length1 = 2:56
| title2 = Here (In Your Arms)
| length2 = 4:00
| title3 = All Time Lows
| length3 = 2:44
| title4 = Stuck to You
| length4 = 2:44
| title5 = Homewrecker
| length5 = 2:31
| title6 = Oh, It Is Love
| length6 = 4:00
| title7 = Baby, It's Fact
| length7 = 3:17
| title8 = Figures A and B (Means You and Me)
| length8 = 2:21
| title9 = I Saw It on Your Keyboard
| length9 = 3:03
| title10 = Touchdown Turnaround (Don't Give Up on Me)
| length10 = 2:30
| title11 = Two Weeks in Hawaii
| length11 = 4:51
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = UK bonus tracks
| title12 = Baby, It's Fact
| note12 = live from London's Mean Fiddler
| length12 = 4:07
| title13 = All Of Your Love
| note13 = live from London's Mean Fiddler
| length13 = 3:45
| title14 = Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn
| note14 = from the Hellogoodbye EP
| writer14 = Kline, Kurvink
| length14 = 3:13
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Japanese bonus tracks
| title12 = Here (In Your Arms)
| note12 = live at House of Blues
| length12 =
| title13 = Homewrecker
| note13 = live at House of Blues
| length13 =
| title14 = Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn
| note14 = from the Hellogoodbye EP
| writer14 = Kline, Kurvink
| length14 = 3:13
}}
=''Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! And More!''=
The album was reissued in 2008 in the US. Retitled Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! And More!, the CD/DVD combo was released with a new cover art depicting the band at a children's party. In addition to the original album, the CD features a selection of demos and alternate mixes. The bonus DVD includes a 50-minute live concert performed at the Avalon in Boston, Massachusetts on May 6, 2007 during their tour with The Hush Sound and Boys Like Girls.
{{Track listing
| headline = Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! And More! Re-issue bonus tracks
| title12 = All Time Lows
| note12 = Demo
| length12 = 2:49
| title13 = All Time Lows
| note13 = Demo 2
| length13 = 2:42
| title14 = All Time Lows
| note14 = Gm Og Mix
| length14 = 2:56
| title15 = Homewrecker
| note15 = Demo
| length15 = 2:43
| title16 = Figures A and B (Means You and Me)
| note16 = Demo
| length16 = 2:24
| title17 = Figures A and B (Means You and Me)
| note17 = Gm Og Mix
| length17 = 2:29
| title18 = I Saw It on Your Keyboard
| note18 = Demo
| length18 = 3:04
| title19 = I Saw It on Your Keyboard
| note19 = Gm Og Mix
| length19 = 3:01
| title20 = Touchdown Turnaround
| note20 = Demo
| length20 = 3:03
| title21 = Touchdown Turnaround
| note21 = Demo 2
| length21 = 3:19
| title22 = Touchdown Turnaround
| note22 = Gm Og Mix
| length22 = 2:56
| title23 = Two Weeks in Hawaii
| note23 = Demo
| length23 = 4:41
| title24 = Confuscious Say Rock and Roll
| note24 = by The Fortune Cookies
| length24 = 2:18
| title25 = If You Wanna I Might
| note25 = Demo
| length25 = 4:15
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Live At The Avalon, Boston, MA 05/06/07
| title1 = All Time Lows
| length1 =
| title2 = Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn
| length2 =
| title3 = All of Your Love
| length3 =
| title4 = Stuck to You
| length4 =
| title5 = Dear Jamie... Sincerely Me
| length5 =
| title6 = Bonnie Taylor Shakedown... 2K4
| length6 =
| title7 = Baby, It's Fact
| length7 =
| title8 = Oh, It Is Love
| length8 =
| title9 = Call N' Return
| length9 =
| title10 = Here (In Your Arms)
| length10 =
| title11 = Touchdown Turnaround (Don't Give Up on Me)
| length11 =
| title12 = Dammit
| note12 = Blink-182 cover
| writer12 = Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, Scott Raynor
| length12 =
}}
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.{{cite AV media notes|title=Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!|others=Hellogoodbye|year=2007|type=booklet|publisher=Drive-Thru Records/Sony BMG Music Entertainment|id=88697096572}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
Hellogoodbye
- Forrest Kline – vocals, guitar
- Jesse Kurvink – keyboards
- Chris Profeta – drums
- Marcus Cole – bass
Additional musicians
- Stevie Blacke – mandolin (track 6)
- Jack Antonoff – mandolin (track 6), 2nd guitar (track 4)
- Matt Mahaffey – drums (tracks 4 and 6)
{{col-2}}
Production and design
- Matt Mahaffey – producer, mixing, engineer
- Jeff Turzo – producer, mixing, engineer
- Forrest Kline – additional production
- Thomas Olson – additional Pro Tools editing
- Chris James – mixing
- Tom Baker – mastering
- Jesse Ledoux – art
{{col-end}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (2006–07)
! Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|UK|17|artist=Hellogoodbye|album=Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!|rowheader=true|access-date=February 15, 2015}} |
| scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Hellogoodbye|chart=all}}|title=Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! Chart History|access-date=February 15, 2015|magazine=Billboard}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 13 |
| scope="row"| US Independent Albums (Billboard)
| style="text-align:center;"| 4 |
| scope="row"| US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)
| style="text-align:center;"| 4 |
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{hellogoodbye}}
{{Authority control}}