LIARS

 

Liars
Self Titled

(Mute)

 

Entertainment Today Sep CD Review Series

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From their 2001 debut, Liars were all over the board with a weird mixture of punk, noise, art-rock, experimental, and pop that often was too jumbled for me to get into. Last years Drum's Not Dead marked a glimpse of hope in me that this band was on the right path to honing in their sound into something that the world at large could get into.  Their new album doesn't really strengthen my resolve that Liars are on the path to making commercially viable music, but it does prove that the group isn't playing to that crowd.  After relocating to Berlin from Los Angeles, it seems that the trio has bee soaking up enough local culture to abandon a good chunk of their LA "make a pop album and ride the wave" mentality, which has left them to their own sinister devices.  Ambient noise, falsetto singing, thick guitars, and random keyboard flourishes through this CD and helps create a sound similar to Seattle's Grizzly Bear, and at the same time reminds me of something The Stooges would have done if they were still around and began listening to the New Wave of Swedish Rock music.  A definite must-spin.  Get the Vinyl edition and be a hip indie kid.
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Entertainment Today Sep’07 CD REview Series

 

 


Mark Johnston, a native Californian, has travelled the world with various circuses, sideshows, and arena rock tours. As a musical monkey he has delighted fans the world over. Upon his return, he has since founded the Atomsmashers Publishing Company, written 2 books in the company's Warm Horchata series, created a weekly comic strip based around LA's more "colorful" characters, written reviews, articles, and rantings under various pseudonyms; this has since culminated in Johnston being named Captain Fabulous by the Superhero Association of America.

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