Le Divorce

The Sting and the Light, Le Divorce's latest effort, starts off with "Six Feet Under," a bit of a rocker that quickly evolves into a surprisingly straight ahead pop song with jazzy undercurrents. In "Under Boxcars," a breezy melody meets textured rhythm, while the layered atmospherics of "Splinter Song" evoke early-'90s dream pop without sounding retro in their long arc of sonic momentum. "I Won't Call Them" and "I Shout" are reminiscent of Pulp, minus the decadence and undertone of resigned desperation. And in closer "Make Up Your Mind," Le Divorce proves itself capable of expansive, orchestral songwriting. Emotionally poignant, filled with an eclectic but never diffuse sensibility, The Sting and the Light finds Le Divorce staking out its own voice.