liars

                                                          2006
                                                          Drums not Dead - 7/8

       I am unfamiliar with their two previous records, but I love what I hear on Drums not Dead. A mix of Nick
Cave (depressing) and Radiohead (high pitched, abnormal vocals), it is also tribal and freaky much like
Confusion is Sex era Sonic Youth. The tribal element of the album may come from the title, meaning a
return to form for all of rock music to follow to its tribal roots. There is some "concept" with all these titles,
but who really cares? It's all bullshit, the band is just messing with your mind. It is a very consistent record,
supreme highlights being the demented "It Fit When It was a Kid" (which samples some 60's pop hit in a
hilarious way, but I can't think of the name of it! Some one-hit-wonder....) and the Residents inspired "Drum
and the Uncomfortable Can". "It's All Blooming Now Mt. Heart Attack" is completely devoid of any substance
kind of recalling Kid A's ambient instrumentals, so in my opinion it absolutely sucks. That is the albums only
real flaw but to be picky they could have dumped one or two songs on here and expanded the lengths of
others; there are really some great ideas on here. In all, Drums not Dead makes me want to go back and
get those Liars records I have missed and the band should be praised for making a record from the heart
(a very demented heart) and avoiding trends and clichés. - Trevor e.y.

1.be quiet, mt. heart attack- 4
2.let's not wrestle mt. heart attack- 4
3.a visit from drum- 4
4.drum gets a glimpse- 4
5.it fit when i was a kid- 4
6.the wrong coat for you mr. heart attack- 4
7.hold you, drum- 3
8.it's all blooming now mt. heart attack- 1
9.drum and the uncomfortable can- 4
10.you drum- gf
11.to hold you, drum- 3
12.the other side of mt. heart attack- 4

                                                            2007
                                                            Liars - 7/8

        Flashback to the mid 1980's, when albums like Jesus and Mary Chain's Psychocandy and Sonic
Youth's Evol were all the rage (at least that's how the Billboard charts recall it, right?) and that is pretty
much what this album does. Songs like "What Would They Know" and "Freak Out" could have fit right on
either one of those albums or a mix of the two. But then again, the first track sounds nothing like this...damn
Liars! They are hard to categorize, but thank god for that! Each song on the band's fourth album sounds
completely different from the one preceding it whether it is the synths of "Houseclouds", the melodic
detachment of "Pure Unevil", the confused state of mind of "Leather Prowler", or the hypnotic distortion of
"Clear Island". Not that every song works - "Cycle Time" fails in it's attempt to be party music and the closer
"Protection" tries to be "The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack" from the previous record and doesn't quite
work. The band sounds a tad more accessible than on Drums not Dead, a record that completely
de-constructed rock music, but really it is the same "kind" of music. The difference is on Liars, the band has
gotten so comfortable that they can sit back and have fun with it all. It's a brief listen, but that is not a bad
thing. I certainly was surprised at how laid back it all is without sounding at all like a bid for popularity. Kudos
to them! - Trevor e.y.

1.plaster casts of everything- 4
2.houseclouds- 4
3.leather prowler- 4
4.sailing to byzntium- 3
5.what would they know- 4
6.cycle time- 2
7.freak out- 4
8.pure unevil- 4
9.clear island- 4
10.dumb in the rain- 3
11.protection- 2