Liars “They Were Wrong, So We Drowned”
Mute
Imagine the noise of a factory falling apart, groaning toward
anarchy as machines tear themselves from walls and explode in a
flurry of destruction. Such is the first six minutes of “They
Were Wrong, So We Drowned,” the new noise-rock concoction
from New York art-punk band Liars. Sounds of gears shifting over
steadily pounding drums assault your ears along with a barrage of
guitar feedback as Angus Andrew chants, “Blood! Blood!
Blood!” Like a lumbering dinosaur, the song “Broken
Witch” is rock ‘n’ roll in its most primal,
vicious stages. Liars soon move on stylistically, and “We
Fenced Other Gardens With The Bones Of Our Own,” recalls a
stone age Sigur Ros with its soaring vocals and sullen trudge.
“They Don’t Want Your Corn They Want Your Kids”
has a twinkling synth and a funky bass straight out of 1986, with a
bridge section you might mistake for Missy Elliott. “Hold And
It Will Happen Today” is the most dancy punk song Sonic Youth
never wrote, and an underlying sense of rhythm pervades most of the
album. The bland instrumental “Steam Rose From The Lifeless
Cloak” plods along without really accomplishing anything, as
does the toneless, carnival-like “Flow My Teeth The Spider
Said.” Where fellow New York City dance-punk purveyors the
Rapture stick to hipster-safe beats, Liars’ rawness and
folkloric imagery should keep it out of most of this season’s
trendier parties. This is not to say it’s not dance-worthy.
Just dance-worthy and eerie. A dark record that tries to be more
difficult than it is, Liars’ occasional melodic monotony and
unnecessary sections of droning and feedback mar an album that
could have been one of the year’s defining rock statements.
The inspired chaos of “Broken Witch” sets a standard
impossible to match with the rest of the album. Instead, the band
stumbles along the line between brilliance and monotony, crossing
over just often enough to make the album, at the very least, an
experience to remember.
–David Greenwald
Iron & Wine “Our Endless Numbered Days”
Sub Pop
“Our Endless Numbered Days” finds Iron & Wine
removing the lo-fi gauze from his music. In Sam Beam’s first
studio recordings, his voice rings crystal clear and not a single
carefully picked guitar note is lost. He expands his repertoire
beyond the guitars and banjos of his earlier work as well,
introducing soft percussion and, most beautifully, a piano in the
gorgeous “Passing Afternoon.” Thankfully, Beam’s
chronicles of love and regret in a time long, long ago remain
intact. “Sunset Soon Forgotten” combines the influence
of folk guitarists like Nick Drake and Paul Simon with a narrative
about the end of youthful misadventures. The arrangements remain
similar throughout, and without Beam’s older signature sound,
the album is carried primarily by his harmonies and guitar playing.
For the most part, this results in breathtaking ballads like
“Each Coming Night” and the bluegrass stomp of
“Teeth In The Grass,” but the occasional song missteps
into unmemorable territory. The album is not the masterpiece Beam
may someday produce, but definitely an important first step.
–David Greenwald