Everyone Says Hi deliver big hooks and bigger ambitions on their retro revival Ddebut

Hodgson – best known as the founding drummer and a primary songwriter for Kaiser Chiefs, as well as a co-writer for pop luminaries like Dua Lipa, George Ezra, and Holly Humberstone – has traded his sticks for a guitar, stepping into the spotlight as a frontman with surprising ease. His new band’s self-titled debut ably marries the bright, tuneful spirit of 1960s pop (think The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society) with the freewheeling indie-sleaze sensibility of the early 2000s, giving us a polished record that sounds both nostalgic and refreshingly of-the-moment.

There’s not a misstep in these ten tracks – each song radiates the band’s confidence. Fans of The Strokes and Kaiser Chiefs’ earlier riffs on retro pop will spot callbacks here, but Everyone Says Hi is more than a continuation of Hodgson’s old blueprint. “Somebody Somewhere” is the album’s calling card, delivering an instantly addictive chorus and opening with lyrics that cleverly nod to Hodgson’s own journey: “A moment on your lips / a lifetime on your fingertips / My house is made of sticks / and it’s hard not to set fire to it”. The self-deprecating humor in these lines captures the conflict of a songwriter who penned many hits for others and is finally ready to stake his claim on the charts again.

On the twangy “I Wish I was in New York City,” Hodgson confesses: “I wanna be well known…I wonder if my jokes are funny / or if people think I’m strange” while also contrasting his confidence as a songwriter and producer – “I wanna make a sound so pretty / a number one for sure” – with the naivety of his former life, wishing he “was a first year rookie / who never missed a day”. Indeed, Hodgson sings like someone rediscovering the thrill of a small-club stage, harnessing that spark to craft an album that brims with radio-ready choruses.

The band’s name shares that of a David Bowie song, and there’s a Hunky Dory–era glow in the overall mood – especially in the loungy pop excursion “Brain Freeze,” which echoes the weightless cosmic vibe of Air’s Moon Safari. “Holding On to Let Go” brims with an Outrageous Cherry–style swirl of psychedelic guitars, laced with yet another earworm of a refrain: “You’re sending out an SOS / but every tear you cry is just for show”. All this reflects Everyone Says Hi’s ability to balance introspection with the big hooks Hodgson’s known for, assembling a band of seasoned players hailing from The Kooks, The Howling Bells, and The Dead 60s – and a perfect gateway to the thriving 2000s indie rock/pop revival happening right now.

Ultimately, Everyone Says Hi is the sound of a multi-platinum songwriter with a fresh fire under him – someone who has turned the page yet can’t help but pack these tunes with the kind of melodic heft that lands them squarely on your repeat playlist. Hodgson’s enthusiasm is contagious, his bandmates’ contributions are tight and purposeful, and the album’s flow is seamless. A brand-new group they may be, but with this level of craftsmanship, Everyone Says Hi feels like the beginning of something big all over again. It earns high marks – an impressive debut brimming with promise, an homage to the past, and a vivid statement for the future.