New Say Hi!!

I have a soft spot for SAY HI. Eric Elbogen's bedroom production and songs about doing laundry and spaceships as distractions to real life have been a constant presence on my iPod for the last couple of years. Now comes the return of Say Hi with "Um, Uh Oh" (in fairness it's been out for awhile but I just got to writing about it). These are songs that usually take time to digest. The hooks and lyrical notions don't hit you right away, but over time they sneak into your brain and make you tap your feet.

Elbogen has a slight resemblance in voice to Win Butler of ARCADE FIRE. This is especially true in the opener "Dots on Maps" and the bluesy shuffle of "Devils". The musical similarities to Canada's favorite sons/daughters is not lost on me. Had this record been released before "The Suburbs" you could almost accuse Butler of ripping Elbogen off. The record is certainly more varied than previous efforts but the joy of the mundane and minute is still alive and well. "Posture, ect." is a mere accounting of chores that need to be done and how it causes us to lose ourselves in the day to day. "My, How It Comes" with it's use of an organ and bass tandem, has a macabre feel to it that is a new twist. There are also shades of BECK's trippier work evident here as well.

Elbogen has carved out a nice niche for himself as a basement troubadour who revels in small things that make larger statements. It's a really good record and I'm sure will be on my play lists for a long time.

(mp3) Say Hi -- Dots on Maps