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They Threw Us in a Trench and Stuck a Monument On Top
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 21 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 8 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Mute / Gern Blandsten
Release Date: 20 August 2002
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rock
Summary
This debut LP from the experimental punk outfit from Brooklyn known for their strong live sets features lengthy song titles and an even lengthier closing track (clocking in at over half an hour).
Also By This Artist: Drum's Not Dead Liars They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
Also On The Web: Official Band Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
PopMatters
Mixing the grit that was The Stooges with the bounce that was Gang of Four, Liars and their debut release are everything that should be praised about Brooklyn's music scene.
Read Full Review >Dusted Magazine
An intense fifty minute ride through the minds of one of the best new bands to emerge in recent memory.
Read Full Review >Uncut
One of the most adrenalising albums you'll hear this year. [Sep 2002, p.110]
Entertainment Weekly
[Their] jerky, wired punk-funk sound salutes '80s underground heroes like the Contortions, Liquid Liquid and ESG, with a bit of Public Image Ltd. and Gang of Four tossed in. [Listen 2 This supplement, Aug 2002, p.17]
Almost Cool
The brief disc contains enough gusto and punch to get your spastic swerve on heartily.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Liars have a surprisingly unique approach that distinguishes them from other groups in their willingness to experiment with different tones, volumes, and styles, all of which make They Threw Us in a Trench and Stuck a Monument On an astounding debut.
Read Full Review >Splendid
While they don't quite have the cross-gender appeal of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the pouty disagreeability of the Strokes or the urbane refinement of the Walkmen, they heedlessly summon the spirits of post-punk monoliths like PiL, A Certain Ratio and the Pop Group without forsaking their gritty New Yawk-ian roots.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
This album's fucking great, like a sharp stick in the eye. [Sep 2002, p.81]
New Musical Express
Nailed to the dancefloor by Flea-like bassist Pat Nature, and dragged up to date by hip-hop beats and random electronica, musically Liars are taut as a tightrope.
Read Full Review >Neumu.net
Whether they're shrieking or pleading, dancing or shivering, they're always exuding an intensity that never fails to find a way to hit you hard, really hard.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
A ramshackle, art-damaged mess, but it's also one of the most bone-rattlingly ferocious records you'll hear all year.
Read Full Review >Trouser Press
An exciting mix of audacious punk rock stammering held together by such disparate art-rock nomenclature and tendencies as vocal transmutation, discordant climaxes and ironic herky-jerky rhythms.
Read Full Review >Launch.com
Liars got the punk wave thing down, but what makes them more interesting than their peers is their willingness to explore beyond the edges of the new-wave box.
Read Full Review >Mojo
Humour saves the Liars. [Sep 2002, p.110]
Austin Chronicle
While their found object gimmickry is a novel enough enticement, the Liars' solid stop/start rhythm section is what keeps the junkyard noise spastically danceable.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
Sometimes they're studenty when they think they're being menacing, but there's promise and ideas aplenty here. [Sep 2002, p.109]
Resonance
Savvy listeners won't find anything revolutionary. [#36, p.62]
Playlouder
The lyrics, insincere as they are, grate somewhat, but the spastic grove cannot be denied they're a bit like a pervy, conservative Devo, with more earwax.
Read Full Review >Blender
Liars are more about energy than solid songwriting, but these spastic, jagged grooves are powerful enough to inspire a sea of awkward punk-rock dances. [#9, p.150]
The Wire
They're at their best on tracks like "Nothing Is Ever Lost[...]," where they conjure the wheeling claustrophobia of PiL circa Metal Box. [#223, p.66]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Bob G gave it a9:
Does everybody who ranked this album have a last name starting with G?
less_success gave it an8:
Liars' debut is aggressive, but still dancey. Personally I think this is the best album to come out of the New York "dancepunk" thing. By the way, roman k's posts that Liars were dead after pat and ron left the group was a slight miscalculation.
Jeremy G gave it an 8:
The rhythm section owns this album, the other two members are just renting time and space on it. Personally, I stop the last track when it gets to the loop. To those of you who think that I don't get the album because of this, I wish you a good time as you enjoy your 26 minutes of loopage.
Adam X gave it a 10:
all round genius! a totally inspirational adventure... if you dont get the last track then you don't deserve to listen to this album... ;)
roman k gave it a 6:
the first time i heard this album by the Liars, i was blown away wholly by the intensity, creativity, and passion of these montage of blistering 2 minute punchy songs. then, i got to the last track, "this dust makes that mud". suffice to say, it ruined my whole experience of it. the first couple of minutes is on par with the rest of the album, but then we come to a loop, repeating the same 5 secs. for 26 MINUTES (!!!). i listened for 10 minutes, wondered if this was going anywhere, then fast-forwarded and retired. please - 26 minutes of repition is not musical exploration or pushing any boundaries to me. now that the liars are as good as dead (with pat and ron gone), RIP Liars.
sam g gave it a 10:
matt g is dumb, this album is great
