Originally posted by VeganInFurs: Someone describe this one for me please? I'm really intrigued by this band.
This is impossible. It's sort of a concept album about the conflict between two characters: Mt. Heart Attack, the sensitive indie kid, and Drum, who is assertive and dominant. According to their interview in Pfork today, the two characters reflect the two different moods within the band itself. It makes for an interesting tension.
Sound-wise, I've not heard either previous Liars album, so I can't compare it, but apparently it's a significant stylistic departure. The focus is the percussion; there's also a lot of drone. And the last song is unbelievable (though not representative).
Originally posted by VeganInFurs: Someone describe this one for me please? I'm really intrigued by this band.
It reminds me alot of old Sonic Youth. Like Sonic Youth, I think some of the tracks are really cool, but alot of it just seems like droning unlistenable noise. I guess if that's your thing, you'll probably dig it. Dubs is right about the last song ("The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack") though. Easily the coolest track I've heard this year.
----- Use all your well-learned politesse or I'll lay your soul to waste.
Posts: 5638 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
Originally posted by ericg75: It reminds me alot of old Sonic Youth. Like Sonic Youth, I think some of the tracks are really cool, but alot of it just seems like droning unlistenable noise. I guess if that's your thing, you'll probably dig it. Dubs is right about the last song ("The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack") though. Easily the coolest track I've heard this year.
I agree with you to an extent about it sounding like early Sonic Youth. I hear a lot of Bad Moon Rising in this album. However, where early Sonic Youth was all about blasting feedback, this album is centered around tribal percussion. The other instruments/vocals play a supporting role, creating an atmospheric or ambient type mood with the drums propelling the album on it's way.
I would hardly classify it as unlistenable noise. Of course, I wouldn't classify Sonic Youth that way either, but this album isn't nearly as noisey as Sonic Youth. Yes, there's lots of "droning", but it's not extremely intense or offputting.
Posts: 22 | Location: So Cal | Registered: 26 January 2006
I just got this album, and I honestly think it's easily the best album that's come out in 2006 so far. It's so good.
I read the pitchfork interview, and although I didn't know that they write percussion parts first and then build the rest of the music around that, I'm not suprised they do it that way (when I listen to it). When I listen to it, it sounds so primal, in kind of the same way that Animal Collective sounds so primal.
I'm liking this one a lot. It does sound quite a bit like Animal Collective at times, only without the excessively animal characteristics. In fact, the vocal melody on "Drum Gets A Glimpse" is strikingly close to "The Softest Voice" off of Sung Tongs. Lots of drone. The singer sounds like Thurston Moore when he's singing the lower parts, so the Sonic Youth comparisons are justified. I'm really glad that everyone is enjoying "The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack." It seems like it could be used in a movie during a very solemn scene. Or maybe that's just me.
Posts: 28 | Location: ohio | Registered: 29 August 2005
Originally posted by joji: ... how is everyone listening to it? It's not out for 3 weeks.
Soulseek yo.
I used to have a live recording of the Liars and it was so awful that I don't think I'm even gonna give this new one a chance, no matter how much praise it gets.
-------------------------------------------------- Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
Posts: 4291 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
Originally posted by RavingLunatic: I used to have a live recording of the Liars and it was so awful that I don't think I'm even gonna give this new one a chance, no matter how much praise it gets.
Well aren't you stubborn.
Posts: 22 | Location: So Cal | Registered: 26 January 2006
Originally posted by RavingLunatic: I used to have a live recording of the Liars and it was so awful that I don't think I'm even gonna give this new one a chance, no matter how much praise it gets.
Even though I'm not a big fan of the album, in all fairness RL, this album doesn't sound even remotely close to any of the Liars' previous work. So if you hated their old stuff, you might actually like it. It'd be like if you didn't give "Kid A" a chance because you hated "Pablo Honey".
----- Use all your well-learned politesse or I'll lay your soul to waste.
Posts: 5638 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
Originally posted by AllHandsOnTheBigOne: Well aren't you stubborn.
I wouldn't call it stubborn. I mean, we all have a limited amount of time to spend listening to music, and we've all got to make decisions as to how to allocate that time. If I hear something awful from a band, I tend to think that I'm better off not taking the time to listen to their new album and instead trying something else.
Ericg's comments just might convince me to give it a shot though.
-------------------------------------------------- Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
Posts: 4291 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
Originally posted by AllHandsOnTheBigOne: Well aren't you stubborn.
I wouldn't call it stubborn. I mean, we all have a limited amount of time to spend listening to music, and we've all got to make decisions as to how to allocate that time. If I hear something awful from a band, I tend to think that I'm better off not taking the time to listen to their new album and instead trying something else.
Ericg's comments just might convince me to give it a shot though.
True. But of course you heard a live performance, which may or may not be indicitive of how the band sounds on record. Another thing to take into account is that each Liars album is stylistically quite different, so it's quite possible to like one but not another, like ericg75 said.
Posts: 22 | Location: So Cal | Registered: 26 January 2006
You've got to at least give "The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack" a chance. But it would be disorienting to hear that song and then the rest of the album.
Personally, I don't really love the album, even though this is like my 10th post about it. I've listened to it several times and it's just not my cup of tea. But I also don't like Sonic Youth. It's going to be one of those records where some people love it and some people don't get it at all or just don't like it. No one will listen to it and say, "That's nice." Those albums are always worth a few listens, as opposed to, I don't know, Supergrass or something.
Originally posted by dubs: You've got to at least give "The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack" a chance. But it would be disorienting to hear that song and then the rest of the album.
"The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack" is actually one of my least favorite songs on the album. I mean...it's nice. It's a cool way to close out the album. But it's nothing compared to the first 3 songs.
Posts: 22 | Location: So Cal | Registered: 26 January 2006
I agree. The first three songs sort of set the tone for the album, and I think they are 3 of the most impressive and original tracks I've heard over the past year.
