Inches
Les Savy Fav · 2004
70 min · 18 tracks · art rock
An exhilarating blend of art rock and punk energy, underscored by frenetic rhythms and witty lyrical commentary.
Top tracks — play these first
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Hold On to Your Genre — This track encapsulates the album’s playful critique of musical identity, blending catchy hooks with satirical observations that resonate throughout the record.
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Fading Vibes — A standout for its infectious energy and clever lyricism, this song showcases the band’s knack for combining humor with a driving rhythm that defines their sound.
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Obsessed With the Excess — This track exemplifies the band’s ability to merge chaotic instrumentation with incisive commentary on consumer culture, making it a poignant reflection of early 2000s attitudes.
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Our Coastal Hymn — A more introspective piece, it offers a contrast to the album's frenetic pace while still maintaining lyrical sharpness, exploring themes of longing and place.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases energetic compositions with sharp lyrics, though its cohesion is affected by the length and variety of tracks.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features high-energy tracks that maintain a fast tempo, while the second half introduces more varied pacing and dynamics.
- The lyrics often employ clever wordplay and social commentary, with vocal delivery that alternates between melodic singing and aggressive shouting.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic journey with varied pacing
- chaotic energy for active listening
- for late-night exploration
- engaging live performance vibe
Maybe skip if you
- prefer straightforward, linear albums
- seek instant gratification tracks
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Inches marked Les Savy Fav's return after a four-year hiatus since their previous album, Go Forth, showcasing their continued evolution within the post-punk revival scene. Released in 2004, this album solidified their status as influential figures in the art rock genre while navigating the changing landscape of indie music during the early 2000s.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Blood Brothers· At the Drive-In· Refused
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Meet Me in the Dollar Bin 4:21
- 2 Hold On to Your Genre 5:16
- 3 We'll Make a Lover of You 3:43
- 4 Fading Vibes 3:58
- 5 The Sweat Descends 4:15
- 6 Knowing How the World Works 4:49
- 7 Hello Halo, Goodbye Glands 3:53
- 8 Obsessed With the Excess 4:05
- 9 One Way Window 3:18
- 10 Yawn, Yawn, Yawn 2:56
- 11 No Sleeves 4:14
- 12 Reprobate's Resumé 3:23
- 13 Reformat (live) 6:10
- 14 Reformat (dramatic reading) 2:55
- 15 Bringing Us Down 3:04
- 16 Our Coastal Hymn 4:20
- 17 Blackouts on Thursday 3:27
- 18 Rodeo 2:20
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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