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“Does sounding eerily like Win Butler make your life as an indie musician really awesome or a million times more difficult?” Is probably the first thing I’d ask Say Hi’s one and only member, Eric Elbogen. I’d anticipate an answer of “really awesome” since the band’s had a fair share of commercial success this year, including but not limited to a Cadillac commercial and a few songs featured on Gossip Girl (additional evidence being Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs making Elbogen’s year-end top 10 list). Say Hi’s second release on Seattle-based Barsuk Records, Um, Uh Oh is scheduled for release next month and is sure to continue this upward, successful trend – for both the band and Gossip Girl’s popularity… duh.

Fans of Say Hi’s last record and previous six will appreciate the reappearance of catchy songs like “One, Two…One” on Um, Uh Oh (artwork above) and be pleasantly surprised by the maturity and depth of Elbogen’s lyrics. “Devils” (released as the first single, listen below) boasts a bass line rendering listeners defenseless against an instinctive shimmy, while the lyrics make you want to rescue him from the “dark, dark, dark”. The theme present and consistent throughout the whole album? Heartbreak sucks. It’s clear that he has been through his fair share of relationships; some good, some bad, but all painful.

Musically, Eric Elbogen is one talented dude – recording everything on his own and inviting friends or hiring musicians to accompany him on tour.  Lyrically, he’s smart and sarcastic, making the universal feelings of love and heartbreak personal yet relatable.  From lines like “it’s a triggersome word, let’s pull it” on the song “Dots on Maps” to “man, man, it must be tough, tough, tough, tough bein’ a man” on “Sister Needs a Settle”, his use of language serves a purpose beyond aesthetics; you can feel the emotions behind the stories they tell. Alternatively, “Take Ya Dancing” is an upbeat, bob-your-head kind of tune that paints a detailed picture of the sap – the guy that’s always available whenever the object of his affection decides to descend from her delusional throne. Another female trope explored is that of the battered woman – not necessarily physically, but definitely emotionally – who can’t seem to get away from her aggressor. In “Bruises to Prove It,” he describes her “scars and stitches…and bruises,” but affirms (not really) that they’re “better than a torn up heart”. Translation: insecurity, weakness, and dependency make you grin and bear it, because you think it’s better than losing what you’ve got. “Handsome Babies” is my favorite song on the record (mostly because I think it’s the prettiest). It’s slower and calmer than the rest, with the beauty stemming from the guitar – which is present throughout, but spotlighted here. The music, coupled with the nostalgia and sadness (“…just like they said it would be, just like you read it would be…”), makes me play this one on repeat.

Conclusion? Um, Uh Oh is a good listen, so good in fact, I think the title should read: Um, Uh Oh, This One is Pretty Great, and Now I’ve Set the Bar Too High (Again).

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Listen to “Devils” above or head over to Daytrotter and check out the session Elbogen recorded earlier this year. Um, Uh Oh is out January 25th.

-Kristina Grbich