Liars: WIXIW

Liars
WIXIW
Mute Records [2012]









Fire Note Says: Liars once again change things up but still get solid results!

Album Review:
Liars are one of the very few bands that absolutely keep you guessing with every new release. WIXIW is no different as it once again moves into a new direction for Liars and pushes the artistic envelope. The other important thing to know about WIXIW is that the album matches some of their previous excellent work and is another trip into the Liars world.

Like their catalog, WIXIW has its own style which takes a much more new age experimental path as it combines atmospheric elements with periods of drone and then lets its tracks simply float along. All of this is blended by the laid back vocals of Angus Andrew which takes on the roll of conductor in this very large and orchestrated piece of work.

I will warn you that WIXIW is not a record for the casual listener as it is initially a very distant record that pushes its fans away. How the record works though is that no matter how cold some of these tracks get they also create a mystery shroud of intrigue that brings your ears right back into the heart of the album. This is where you absorb the commanding presence and intensity of it on tracks like "No. 1 Against The Rush" with its entrancing beats and smooth vocals while the dirty electronic parts of "Brats" get your feet tapping as the hazy vocals push the track along.

The Liars once again have produced the unique listen here that fans expect and it should enable them to get completely on board after several spins. WIXIW is a complicated listen but one that can be respected after every spin. This is not an album that will be your every day favorite but will still sound sonically superb tomorrow and 10 years from tomorrow - that is the point that makes it solid!

Key Tracks: "No. 1 Against The Rush", "Brats", "III Valley Prodigies"

Bands With Similar Fire:
TV On The Radio
Radiohead
The Rapture

Liars: Sisterworld [Fire Note Review 3/15/10]
Liars: Liars [Fire Note Review 9/5/07]


Liars Website
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Mute Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony