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The Black Lips - Lock & Key (Live @ Amoeba)

The Black Lips
The Black Lips - Lock & Key (Live @ Amoeba): Amoeba Music

Wed Sep 12 2007 · Posted in Songs on littleradio.com

Valet - Fire

Valet
Valet - Fire: Naked Acid
Kranky

Wed Sep 12 2007 · Posted in Songs on littleradio.com

Liars are a band that like to shift their styles of music as much as they can get away with. In fact, listening to lead singer/guitarist Angus Andrew, I can picture him chameleon-lizard like sticking a spiked tongue out while chanting falsettos in an abandoned warehouse somewhere. In keeping with their array of post-punk musical numbers, Liars again puts forth a misfit group of tracks that range from Psych-pop to industrial noise. The opening track "Plaster Casts Of Everything" off the new self-titled album by Liars struck me as a song that would be perfect for any new slasher horror movie out in theatres right now. The pounding drums and metal heavy guitar riffs are thunderous, however it's probably not the most accurate description of the rest of the album. Liars actually has a more psychedelic, shoe-gazer quality that shows prominently in songs like "Pure Unevil" and "Cycle Time". "Freak Out" is their most accessible number, somewhere between Jesus and Mary Chain and Gang of Four. It has that dance quality to it that seems to poke its head up at points on the album, but without the goofy effect.

There are moments when the "noise" aspect of the band overpowers the album though. "Leather Prowler" and "The Dumb in the Rain" both feel too heavy and almost a bit hard to listen to. However, for the track "What Would They Know", that same heaviness is made more melodic, and feels like a Bauhaus song. Perhaps they were trying to balance out the less accessible tracks by having these radio friendly ones. Regardless, in doing so, Liars created an album that strives to be dark and yet poppy, creating a middle ground that can be enjoyed by a wider audience. I'd recommend "Freak Out", "Cycle Time" and "Clear Island".

-Elana Rintala

(Looking for something similar? Try these bands: Gang of Four, Sonic Youth, and the Raveonettes)