Good enough by itself, but almost anything by Les Savy Fav is, and one wonders why a 17-minute long EP was chosen to represent them on this list, rather than
Go Forth,
Inches or
Let's Stay Friends, any of which are superior to this one both in songwriting and production. Anyway, if you've heard Les Savy Fav before, you know the drill: angular postpunk, kind of like Fugazi with a better sense of humor and a fatter singer, thumping Gang of Four-ish bass and weird, twisty song structures. Truth be told, there's not a
weak track on this record, but a lot of it just seems like a dry run for the more ambitious and affecting work the band would put out just a year later on
Go Forth (not to mention
Inches, which is without a doubt the best singles compilation of the entire decade). Also worth noting here is that numerous songs on this release begin with a gorgeous melody and eventually drop it for a less interesting, somewhat generic post-punk backing, which is disappointing--both "Asleepers Union" and "In These Woods" have this problem. Basically the band was in a transitional mode here, still a little bit too much in thrall to the Jawbox/Fugazi mode. They hadn't found their own style yet. Maybe the shorter length makes it more "punk" or something, but generally any musical classifications not based upon the music itself are bullshit anyway. Good for what it is, but there's a lot better out there.
MY RATING:
5.8
Les Savy Fav - "Hide Me From Next February"
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