Home > Music > CD Review > Say Hi, 'The Wishes and the Glitch'

Say Hi, 'The Wishes and the Glitch'

Lo-fi synth-popper shortens his name and expands his sound

By Adam McKibbin, Special to Metromix

February 4, 2008

Critic's Rating:

• Email
• Print View
• Share
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Furl
  • Google
  • Reddit
  • Mixx
  • Mister Wong
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • Yahoo
• Add To Favorites
• Add to playlist

Backstory: New Yorker Eric Elbogen began recording under the name Say Hi to Your Mom in 2002. He released albums of lo-fi synth-pop on his own label, writing songs about girls and robots and vampires. For “The Wishes and the Glitch,” he magnanimously chopped the part about your mom out of his band name.

Why you should care: Elbogen’s evolution runs deeper than band names or song titles. “The Wishes and the Glitch” is a grown-up collection of songs, albeit not without homespun charm. Elbogen mostly does the one-man band thing, although he’s occasionally aided by pleasant harmonies from Nouela Johnston (Mon Frere). John Roderick (The Long Winters) and David Bazan (Pedro the Lion) also have vocal cameos.

Verdict: “The Wishes and the Glitch” is a smartly crafted synth-pop album with a handful of real gems. The home recording approach plays big dividends on “Spiders,” a claustrophobic tale of loneliness, but Elbogen isn’t shackled; “Northwestern Girls” and “Shakes Her Shoulders” soar to full-blooded, epic heights.
 
X-Factor: According to his MySpace page, Elbogen was an extra in “Boogie Nights,” hates going on dates and has a phobia of lotions.

You will be prompted to register or log in when posting.

Comment

Please note that by clicking on "Post Comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.