Bleeders Digest

Album review

Prolific Seattle-based pop oddball Eric Elbogen, still operating under his Say Hi moniker, offers up the second vampire-themed concept album of his career. Yes, while most bands are still trying to gather together their first collection of mythical being odes, Elbogen has already produced a sequel to 2006's Impeccable Blahs. The tone is set by opener "The Grass Is Always Greener," a strident, dark little rocker that introduces the character of Jenny who, for reasons unexplained, hurls a large boulder at her vampire neighbors who have yet to show her any aggression. There are songs about how much the vampires like the ladies ("It's a Hunger" and "Transylvania [Torrents of Rain, Yeah]"), songs about arrogant vampires driving humans from their homes ("Pirates of the Cities, Pirates of the Suburbs"), and offbeat references to the Ramones and Eddie Van Halen ("Teeth Only for You"). When Elbogen is at the top of his game, his eccentric indie pop works, as on "Creatures of the Night" and the romantic invitation to immortality "Galaxies Will Be Born." Even if a lot of his material sounds similar, there are some unique and artful ideas contained within many of these songs. The frustrating part about so many of Say Hi's albums, and Bleeders Digest is no exception, is trying to get past the overextended witticisms and the quirky subject matter that either feel telegraphed or not quite thought out. It's OK not to have a lot of depth in pop music, but musically, this album isn't very different from the type of bedroom pop he's been making all along, and revisiting a previously exhausted lyrical vehicle like vampires does little to freshen up the Say Hi brand. There's no doubt that Impeccable Blahs had its fans, but aside from a few highlights, Bleeders Digest feels like a sequel no one was holding their breath for.

© Timothy Monger /TiVo