Almost Legends

"Won't you dance with me?" is the first line that comes oozing out of the speakers from Eyes, the new disc by Almost Legends. That might as well be the statement of intent for the entire CD: Rife with smoothly jazzy funk, breathy hooks and tinges of singer-songwriter cheekiness, tracks like "Three Words" and "Fooled Ourselves Completely" call to mind everything from Maroon 5 to Barenaked Ladies to Jason Mraz. And while that's a less-than-stellar row to hoe, there's a down-to-earth sincerity — and even an ambitious complexity — to these dance-floor anthems that render this trio of young players far more palatable than their slick, sugary influences. It may not move everyone, but you can bet the guys behind Eyes are feeling every groove for real.