Les Sages

"[Les Sages is] fan-freaking-tastic! There's good reason why Deep Elm has hailed the disc as 'one of the most memorable ever released by our label.' Blending sensitivity and tenderness with bitter acid-tongued barbs, Share This is an album that caters to just about everyone. Introspection? Check. Caustic kiss-offs? Check. Ornate harmonies? Check. Spiky guitars? Check. You get the drill. Whatever you want in a disc, this has it. From the mid-tempo movement of album opener 'The League War,' to the jittery 'Friends,' there's a certain charisma at work here that just isn't found these days. Of the album's first half, the two most memorable compositions are the vindictive and vitriolic 'Reinvention,' and the earnest and compassionate 'Nomads,' the latter evoking a definitive Death Cab sentiment. The urgent 'Red Lights,' is a call to action, offering up positivity, self-exploration and a rousing movement that should not be played softly. Those of us who've spent time in one-horse towns and rural America, will certainly find a kinship with the song's imploring nature. The feathery valentine 'Action,' is the best song Waking Ashland never recorded, while 'Rain City,' has a pulsing, rhythmic cadence that only further cements the band as something worth watching. Of the disc's last two offerings, 'Driver of the Hearse,' is a rumbling and look at identity that should not be skipped, while 'Tricks,' is a brooding and timeless ballad that documents the collapse of a romance. Share This is as inspired, earnest and as compelling as any disc released so far in 2010. Remember all the reasons you fell in love Straylight Run, Brand New and Taking Back Sunday, then marry that with all the reasons you fell for Death Cab for Cutie, Lydia and Mae. That's what listening to Share This is like." - Absolute Punk Blood Harmony