Les Savy Fav
Inches (French Kiss)
by Evan Solochek
Les Savy Fav‘s latest release was nine years in the making. Billed as the band’s second coherent idea – the first being their name – Inches is a concept album of historical progression. A gimmick of either pure brilliance or pure arrogance, Les Savy Fav has spent the better part of the last decade releasing nine different 7″ singles – each on a different independent label – with the hope of, in time, creating a single entity that encapsulated their musical evolution. Inches is just that. Assembled in reverse order of original release, it takes the listener on a journey of musical regression. You can distinctly hear Les Savy Fav’s tight and intelligent brand of art-rock devolve into their raw, noise-obsessed roots.
In a musical world where most fans lament the musical growth and evolution of their favorite band, Inches is a testament to the ills of artistic stagnation, as well as strong evidence that perhaps brilliance and arrogance are just two intrinsic ingredients of greatness.
(www.frenchkissrecords.com)