You're A Liar

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 - Ryan Shenk - AlternativeSwag

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. - Nicole O'Neal - Bloomington Area Music

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 - Nicole O'Neal - HipsterSpinster

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 - Em Brown - Bloomington Area Music Blog

(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! - NUVO - Wayne Bertsch

"The next band, Impure Jazz of Bloomington, Ind., drew a few more kids. The drummer was a manic machine, hyper and expressive and powerful. The name Impure Jazz is fitting -- the instrumental music, progressive guitar chords and occasional solos of the drum/bass/guitar trio resembled the structure of the music I'd been hearing since the jazz festival began Friday. It was heavy, fast and chaotic, but it wasn't exactly anti-jazz..."

"The drummer for the final band — Impure Jazz, ironically — pounded the drums into submission. He was impressive."

Brent Hallenbeck - The Burlington Free Press

Impure Jazz is a trio building on a solid base of rock music. They find tasty licks, then decorate them with snappy rhythms and bright harmonies. - The Reality Tunnel

Impure Jazz – “Huckleberry Tots”
This instrumental outfit offers a track seamlessly woven together, punctuated by sharp drums, bass with bravado and wandering, chiming guitar melodies that turn into chunky, powerful riffs by the song’s end.

Kelsey McArdle - Indiana Daily Student

Impure Jazz
http://www.myspace.com/impurejazz
Impure Jazz is a young local prog-rock band. I'm not talkin "prog" in the dirtiest sense of the word; you will hear no Rush-esque wankery here, you will hear no insincerity, no artificiality, no bullshit. Nay, I am talkin progressive music here - I'm talkin unconventional song forms and rhythmically-asymmetrical phrases. I'm talkin innovative musical ideas and a focus on creativity while ultimately retaining the positive energy of rock music. Energy. Check out the myspace and listen and watch.

Andy Goheen - Spirit of '68 Promotions

IMPURE JAZZ
http://www.myspace.com/impurejazz
Who needs lyrics when the music gets as intense as this band lets it? If you haven't seen Impure Jazz yet, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself to one of Bloomington's most talked-about bands of '08. - Live from Bloomington

impure jazz: http://www.myspace.com/impurejazz
post-everything three-piece hailing all the way from beautiful bloomington, indiana, a city famous for its rock quarries. this band is much more interesting than rock quarries... unless you're in a geology club, in which case it's a toss up. we can probably settle on the idea that this band + rock quarries = an experience to behold. anyway, come see them and check out their monolithic sound. yes that was a pun. whatever gets you to come see these guys. they're good. - Amar Collective