Since his first release in 2002,
Eric Elbogen has dished out a prolific spread of clever, mopey bedroom synth-pop jams and diatribes first under the name
Say Hi to Your Mom, then adopting the truncated
Say Hi in 2008. Endless Wonder, his eighth LP and fourth for Seattle indie Barsuk, finds
Elbogen injecting a bit more swagger into his electro blues with strong, fuzzed-out textures and a ramshackle swing to his voice. Gritty, lovelorn tunes like "Such a Drag" and the darkly melodic "Like Apples Like Pears" provide some grip to counter the set's softer, but no less effective tracks. The album ends nicely on a rhythmic down note with the warm paean "Love, Love, Love" and the mournfully swinging "The Trouble with Youth." With over a decade of releases to his credit,
Elbogen continues to carve out his own distinct world that combines a smart wit, a strong will, and some solid pop songwriting. ~ Timothy Monger