Les Savy Fav- Let's Stay Friends*

Let's Stay Friends is the group's most accomplished release to date. Guitarist Seth Jabour has only improved as a player since he last stepped into a recording studio. Tim Harrington has always had a knack for catchy choruses, and his raw-throated howl is as iconic as ever.

There aren't any radical stylistic shifts to be found on this record, but LSV seem to have figured out exactly what works and refined it to a science. Studio embellishments (the horns on "The Lowest Bitter", backing piano on "Comes&Goes", the refreshing female vocals on "Kiss Kiss Is Getting Cold") give the band's music a sonic depth that they have previously lacked on record, and the crisp, punchy production (WOW the guitars and drums sound good!) goes a long way toward bolstering this same depth. I never would have expected to listen to a Les Savy Fav album with headphones on, trying to catch all the little auditory nuances they crammed into every nook and cranny.

All in all this is a really good record! It's a great jumping-in point for those unfamiliar with the band, and a welcome treat for those already converted. I highly recommend it.