Everyone Says Hi Releases Funny Cos It’s True Album

British indie-pop band Everyone Says Hi has released its second album, Funny Cos It’s True, introducing 11 tracks shaped by frontman Nick Hodgson’s home-studio production and the group’s growing musical partnership. Released October 9, 2026, through Chrysalis Records, the album explores grief, parenthood, friendship and political division through a retro-inspired sound. The record follows the band’s self-titled debut and features Hodgson alongside Pete Denton, formerly of The Kooks; Ben Gordon, formerly of The Dead 60s; Glenn Moule of Howling Bells; and guitarist Oli Swan.

According to release information published by TotalNtertainment, the musicians developed the new material after touring together to support their first album. Recorded in Hodgson’s North London home studio, the album combines melodic indie pop with a sound influenced by 1970s soft rock. Hodgson produced the record himself, using a setting previously reserved mainly for songwriting and demos.

In an interview with Music Week, Hodgson described the finished album as potentially his strongest work to date. He said the record had been completed in March 2026 and that he was eager for listeners to hear the finished material.

Hodgson also explained that making a full-band album at home changed the recording process. The smaller room and vintage instruments helped establish the sound he wanted, while the production deliberately avoided an overly polished finish. The musician cited 10cc as an influence, explaining that the group’s approach to recording in its own studio encouraged him to experiment with the material. He said he wanted to spend extended periods working in the studio rather than treating the recording process as a conventional production exercise.

Although Hodgson remains the principal songwriter, the new album reflects greater participation from the other members. He typically develops numerous musical ideas, discards most of them and presents completed demos to the band before the musicians build on the material together. The release’s central single, Real Friends, helped establish the direction of the album. According to TotalNtertainment, the band first recorded a demo of the track in Hodgson’s home studio in November 2024, before continuing songwriting and recording sessions over the following months.

Hodgson said the song began with its title and developed into a reflection on complicated friendships and the relationships that survive difficult periods. He worked with songwriter Justin Parker, whom he described as a real friend, to develop lyrics that avoided sentimental treatment of the subject. The song also drew on Hodgson’s experiences surrounding his departure from Kaiser Chiefs in 2012.

He connected its themes to the tensions and enduring bonds associated with his former band, explaining that those experiences informed the track without making it a straightforward account of past events. The album’s emotional material extends beyond friendship. According to TotalNtertainment, some songs address the death of Hodgson’s father from Alzheimer’s disease, while others reflect his experiences as a father to his young daughter.

Another track takes aim at the MAGA movement.

Everyone Says Hi has also been building its audience through live performances. The band previously played support shows with Neil Young, The Cribs and Feeder, followed by headline performances in London and Leeds in 2025.

Music Week reported that Hodgson sees personal relationships and in-person interaction as increasingly important to the music business. Drawing on his experience with Kaiser Chiefs, whose career began in the early 2000s, he argued that industry connections and record deals can be harder to establish when professionals rely heavily on email instead of meeting face to face. Hodgson also discussed his relationship with Jeremy Lascelles, CEO of Chrysalis Records and Blue Raincoat Music.

Although Lascelles initially showed limited interest in some early demos, he later reconsidered the recordings and became supportive of the project. Everyone Says Hi began its UK album-release appearances on October 11, 2026, with an in-store performance at The Jacaranda. The band is also scheduled to play the Old Blue Last in London on November 23, 2026, as part of a Chrysalis Records and DIY showcase.