by John Bear
Daily Lobo
Sorry for the constant drug referencing when describing the numerous rock 'n' roll CDs that come barreling across my desk.
But, to steal one from a comedian whose name I have long since forgotten, without sex and drugs, rock 'n' roll's just not that good - I will try to get some sex in this article if at all possible.
Having said that, Drum's Not Dead, the latest disc from Liars, sounds like a less-talented Led Zeppelin on more acid as heard while sideways on NyQuil.
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Since I still feel the lingering effects of this weekend's raucous NyQuil deluge, this album is doubly nauseous. My stomach gurgles with each subsequent combination of rolling drum beats and abstract noise that comprises the melodies. This is not necessarily a bad thing.
The title of the of the album is a deft choice, because drums have always formed the backbone of rock 'n' roll music. On this album they are the not only the backbone but also the flesh, blood and a majority of the music's personality. Heavy but not thundering, they seem to be fed through numerous electronic processors, which give them a sound flush with reverberation and chorus. Liars avoid standard rock drumming patterns in favor of more inventive, and tom-tom driven rumbling.
This becomes evident on the opening track, "Be Quiet, Mt. Heart Attack," where wavering guitar oozes through enough effect pedals to make U2's The Edge yell, "Enough." There also seems to be computerized music at play here, but finding what instruments the three bandmates play was an exercise in futility. For reasons not entirely clear to me, bands, especially indie bands, love having press releases featuring language more flowery than an English garden. It is beyond me.
Anyway, the album veers away from any sort of genre trappings, but is highly listenable - that is, it never gets too experimental. Occasionally, it will remind listeners of nostalgia-happy indie band cousins with the clunky, arrhythmic drumming, but it avoids the jocking of '60s and '70s bands and never gets too sappy. Other times they sound akin to the Japanese noise band Mono but more accessible. And I must say that once in a while, they remind me of Beck's best album, Mellow Gold, with a sort of loser whining inside a trash can-type of ambience. Take your pick.
Tracks on the album shun any standard pop song constructions with no clear verse or chorus. The lyrics don't matter at all - as if they ever do anyway - and instead become seamlessly blended into the instrumentation.
The highlight of the album is the eerily Doors-reminiscent "It Fit When I Was a Kid," where haunted, nonsensical vocals compete with in-and-out drums, pulsing bass, spooky church organs and bizarre sonic texturing. Check this one out. You won't be disappointed.
The CD comes with a DVD featuring music videos and animation. I didn't watch it. Music is for ears only. Besides, this stuff is so out there it doesn't need any visual accompaniment.
Drum's Not Dead
Liars
Grade: A
