In his past albums, Say Hi to Your Mom frontman Eric Elbogen has been known to spill his angst into clever songs about spaceships and robots; however, on the band's fourth and newest release, Impeccable Blahs, he chose to move onto a slightly darker material. The liner notes explicitly state that ""Impeccable Blahs is a record about vampires."" However, they are ""not creepy goth vampires but rather people like you and me who happen to get their nourishment from drinking blood."" An interesting subject matter for a band that once specialized in detailing the angst of girls and video games, but it works well for them. Elbogen continues to write witty lyrics, this time using vampire tendencies as a metaphor for romantic human love, resulting in an album that is both fun and intelligent.
""These Fangs"" kicks the record off with a driving bass line over a steady drumbeat, a prime example of Say Hi's ability to create catchy pop hooks with minimal production. As he worries about the fighting and the possible downfall of his relationship, Elbogen soothingly sings ""and I don't mind if you want to hide your fangs too,"" effectively transforming ""fangs"" from a supernatural term into something more human and sensitive.
Elbogen's sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek writing continues in most of the tracks, his barely-there whisper making each line all the more biting. In ""Sad, But Endearingly So,"" he detachedly slurs, ""We like your headshots / But your head could been better,"" creating a suggestive double meaning, and in ""The Reigning Champ of the Teething Crowd"" he admits, ""Yeah she'll stop your pulse / But not without some fun.""
Despite some of the angsty lyrics, Say Hi keeps the record upbeat with a constant barrage of subtle, catchy melodies set to a backdrop of fuzzy synths and light guitar. Elbogen's talent in writing consistent melodic hooks is truly impressive, as each song is equally addictive yet unique enough to hold its own. ""Sweet Sweet Heartkiller"" is a electro-pop gem as memorable as anything written by the Postal Service, and ""Blah Blah Blah"" is an immediately infectious indie pop song.
However, the humming synths and the fuzz of the guitar combine in the cutely titled ""Snowcones and Puppies"" to set apart the song from the others and create a sort of melancholy lullaby, as Elbogen proves his vocal depth by effortlessly sliding from a slurred whisper to a soaring cry of ""sleep."" The song's fragile yet emotionally charged vocals and blurry instrumentation bring to mind Radiohead, and hint at a band that might take themselves more seriously than their playful lyrics imply.
Say Hi to Your Mom continues to improve on their already successful formula for quirky indie pop and lightly pull off a record that could have accidentally ended heavy and dark. With all of its vampire references and cutting remarks, Impeccable Blahs can indeed come off as a little emo—but endearingly so.
