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Album Review: You’re A Liar [Self-Titled]
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If you think you know Bloomington band You’re A Liar, think again, because their new album presents ...If you think you know Bloomington band You’re A Liar, think again, because their new album presents the band with an energy like nothing you’ve heard from them in the past. The band’s first full-length album, You’re A Liar, is louder, more intense, and more complex than ever. With help from two new members, the band has been refocused and revitalized and this album really shows how much they’ve grown.
You’re A Liar has been playing in Bloomington for almost as long as I’ve been here, and I can always remember one thing about their live show: energy. Founding members Eric Day (bass) and Charlie Thomas (guitar) could play for hours on end and not even be tired. Their sound was LOUD (and I mean LOUD) and it just seemed like they would just go straight from one song to the next without ever losing momentum or excitement. They were good at what they did, and I was satisfied with what I heard. But moving into the last year, the addition of Andy Beargie (drums) and Gabriel Garber (guitar) opened a world of new possibilities to the band’s overall sound and creativity.
You’re A Liar has really found its foothold as a quartet. I can’t ever remember feeling this refreshed by their sound. And that isn’t to say that what they were doing before was uninspiring, but now their sound is just so much more complete. I can hear all of the parts of each instrument more clearly in the recordings. And no part sounds more dominant than the other, all four parts really seem to gel together well. This comes in part from having an extra guitarist, canceling out the need for excessive layering of guitar parts. It’s also due to the fact that the band really took their time to record this album. Bassist Eric Day is also a sound engineer in his everyday life and this was the first You’re A Liar album to be recorded at his new venture, Sleepwalk Recording. The patience and hard work has clearly paid off, as this band is sounding better recorded than ever before.
This album places the band at a level that cannot compete with its former self. Right from the start, the music is in your face. The first track, “Chew-E“, is chaotic and fast with changing grooves and tempos nearly every 30 seconds. It’s a rapid attack of a song, but is perfect for getting you ready for the wild ride that this album brings. The next three songs are packaged as “Fleas” I, II, and III, which display some great bass grooves and experimental tracks that allow each member to add a little spice to the mix when needed and even show off some solos. However, what I also like about these tracks is their ability to show off how well this band works in unison. There are moments when the band is just moving together, guitars, bass, and drums, and it’s like a musical force has been set upon the listener. All you can do is listen and marvel at how well these musicians play together and each others’ strengths.
Sitting in the middle of the album is “Spring Break” which displays some really beautiful complexities in its guitar parts, but don’t get too stuck on the guitars or you may miss how amazingly the drums not only match their pace, but never seem to become overbearing. Even as the song switches into a more lounge-style bass groove, the drums settle into a clean jazzy style that keeps the energy alive even as things are slowing down.
“Chops” follows next with much more intensity. Just try to guess the time signature of it, I feel like it changes every 10 seconds. This song really shows the band’s never-ending endurance. Even though the track clocks in at 2:16, it sounds like a marathon as the tempo and intensity is constantly changing, but the energy only continues to increase.
My favorite song on the album would have to be “Charlie Bugs“. This song demonstrates the band’s ability to be dynamic. It’s a song that changes between being loud to soft, featuring all instruments to only one, and from simple melody to complex wall of sound so fast that before you can even process it all, the song is over. Every time I listen to it, I find myself playing it over again, as if I’d missed something. There also happens to be an entertaining hint of Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” that shows it’s face twice.
“Stereodactyl” is 45 seconds long and would make a great song for a video game involving fighting, an extreme sport, or both. Oh, and when they play this live and it sounds like the song is over, don’t clap — you still have 25 seconds left to go.
The album closes with “The Thing of It Is“, which is another wall of sound track, where the band shines in unison for the most part, and then breaks into groove section where the instruments break up into several small phrases before coming together again for a dramatic, cliffhanger finish. I’m actually still waiting for the real last note to hit.
Overall, it’s still the You’re A Liar sound that you know and love, but it’s like the band went away to summer camp and came back with a new perspective. They have come back to us like an energy machine, leaving nothing on the drawing board. They experiment with new styles, a wider range of sound and interpretation, and execute with impressive perfection. This album is full of velocity, but never feels out of control. Instead you hear a carefully constructed technical journey, and a band that isn’t afraid to explore and recreate the boundaries of its sound.
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5 Questions with…You’re A Liar
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2010 saw You’re A Liar taking the stage with new members and a whole new energy. In between shows, t...2010 saw You’re A Liar taking the stage with new members and a whole new energy. In between shows, the band dedicated their time to recording their first album, and will celebrate its release this Saturday at 902's Nightclub.
1. How/when did You’re A Liar get started?
Eric: You’re A Liar started about four years ago with me, Chuck and James Lyter when we all lived together. The three of us went to the same high school and moved to Bloomington to attend IU. Chuck and I played in bands together in high school and I knew James from playing music as well. If my memory serves me right and it usually doesn’t, we played with the original line up for about two years.
Charlie: Andy joined the summer before last when Liar was looking for a drummer. Eric met him through work. Gabe joined a year ago when we realized that we layered way to many guitars while recording this album. His work with Impure Jazz led us to asking him to be in the band.
2. How is this new album different from any recordings/releases you’ve done in the past?
Eric: This is our first real album so we are super excited about that. We had this record done awhile ago but then Gabe joined so we let him toy with it and he added alot to the songs so we recorded his parts over what we already had. We also add three new songs written with the new lineup
Charlie: The first batch of recordings we produced contain many songs we like. With this new record I think we’ve put in much more work than previously, ultimately attempting to refine our sound. And we’re happy with it.
Gabriel: Aside from having new members (Andy and myself), these were the first Liar recordings done at Sleepwalk Recording, Eric’s studio. He has put a lot of time and effort into the place, and the record very clearly demonstrates how well he can make the room sound.
Andy: Sonically, the album is much better than the previous one.
3. Being an instrumental band, how do you keep your sound and live show fresh?
Eric: We keep things fresh by being fresh. That’s the secret.
Gabriel: I’ve played in a few instrumental bands before Liar, so I’ve had to learn to keep the listener’s attention. And it’s something I think we all understand and are aware of. Most of all, you just can’t do the same thing over and over and over again. Change is a necessity to keep things fresh. Whether it takes the form of longer songs with frequent changes or lots of short songs or whatever, you don’t want to bore people. Liar takes the “short and sweet” route. It also doesn’t hurt that our live shows are loud and boisterous. Anything to hold people’s interest.
Andy: Practice. Being an instrumental band, we kind of have to bring something else to our live shows to keep the audience captivated. We do this by trying our best to stay rhythmically tight, and playing loud. Its important for the audience to feel the music.
Charlie: Eric’s dance moves.
4. Where is your favorite place to play in Bloomington and why?
Charlie: 902's is really cool. Josh [Johnson] has helped us out a lot in the past few years. Basements are always the best.
Gabriel: I’d have to say 902's; I’d almost consider it our home turf. Looking back, I can’t remember playing a bad show there. They’ve all been really good–the last handful we’ve had were GREAT–and I always look forward to our shows there.
Eric: I like house shows overall. There is a special kind of energy you get when your packed into tight spaces with no stage. Its hard to get that at a venue.
Andy: 902's has always been good to us.
5. If you could change something about the Bloomington music community, what would it be and why?
Charlie: Louder bands
Gabriel: More all-ages or 18+ venues. Or more support for the current youth-friendly venues.
Eric: I would have more people who are supportive, active and open-minded about whats going on in this town.
Andy: My only concern is that there are so many people in this town missing out on all of this great music. I think more people need to get involved and help spread Bloomington’s music to the rest of the world. We all need to work together.
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you’re a liar [self-titled]
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you’re a liar is a a 4 piece instrumental band from bloomington indiana featuring andy beargie, eric...you’re a liar is a a 4 piece instrumental band from bloomington indiana featuring andy beargie, eric day, gabriel garber and charles thomas
they just released their self-titled album and are having their cd release show tonight at 902s in bloomington, indiana
this album starts off pretty loud – in a good way
the first few seconds give you a feel of what you can expect from this album
each song is short, but it definitely keeps your attention
about 3/4 through the first song i have the urge to do a victory dance
it’s one of those albums where you can feel the excitement in the music
you can tell these guys are having a good time playing
the next bit is broken up into three parts fleas I, II, and III
the excitement carries over from one track to the next all throughout the album
fleas II feels a bit groovier than the previous track
there is a recurring guitar bit showcased throughout the song – makes me want to dance – dance hard, but politely
fleas III is the last part of this trilogy of sorts
going all out on this one
while listening to this track i am transformed into gallagher – giving me the urge to smash watermelons with hammers
spring break is the next track on this album
the beginning is a nice contrast to the previous few tracks – exactly what you would want to hear
it starts off with a bit of ambiance and then a guitar part comes in offering the perfect buildup to the rest of the track
the next track, chops, is a direct continuation of the previous
if the previous track left you with any questions, this track has those answers
im going to be honest and say that charlie bugs, the next track, feels like more of the same, but with this album, that’s a good thing
stereodactyl is only 45 seconds long, but provides an awesome transition to the last track
the last track ‘the thing of it is’ is possibly the perfect way to close out this album
about half way through this track there is a neat bass part, and after the band comes together to show us what they have one last time before the album comes to a close
overall, this album has a great vibe going on
it would be great to see these guys at a small club with a bunch of sweaty folks who are all a bit buzzed, having a good time and dancing
definitely see myself playing this album with the windows down in my car on sunny summer days
you can head on over to their bandcamp and stream the album for free, or download it for $5 as well as check out their upcoming tour dates
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Barfly
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(text from a comic strip)
YOU'RE A LIAR
So I go to a punk show & find the opening act isn't punk...(text from a comic strip)
YOU'RE A LIAR
So I go to a punk show & find the opening act isn't punk but rather an "...instrumental, progressive, math-rock [band]." I think I threw up in my mouth for a second.
I can't stand most prog-rock bands. I'm easily bored by instrumental acts. And math-rock? Ugh! Don't get me started.
These guys in You're A Liar are really onto something. They totally captivated the audience with what sounded like a James Bond soundtrack from 30 years in the future.
They are the tightest most in synch band I've heard in a long time. I don't know what their practices are like, but I imagine a lot of hours go into creating this set. They are so damn good.
I was sure they were going to suck but I came away a big, big fan. I give these guys my highest possible recommendation. Go see them now!
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Bring Earplugs
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You’re a Liar is funky and hard progressive rock with some punk roots thrown in. They’ve got a less ...You’re a Liar is funky and hard progressive rock with some punk roots thrown in. They’ve got a less glam, simpler Dream Theater thing going on. They’re tight and (from what I’ve heard) vocal-free, so you can concentrate on the melodies produced by their riffs. Check them out here: http://myspace.com/youraliarband
