They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
by Liars
  • Record Label: Mute
  • Release Date: Feb 24, 2004
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 30 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 30
  3. Negative: 3 out of 30

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  1. BrianC.
    May 2, 2008
    10
    My favorite cd of all time, and certainly the best liars cd as well in my opinion.
  2. AViewAM
    Nov 2, 2006
    10
    Hehe...Rolling Stone dropped the ball on Pinkerton and they did it again here. Spin and Rolling Stone just keep on proving why no one with more than half a brain even reads their magazines anymore. They Were Wrong is one of the more challenging albums I've ever come across and after wrestling with it for, what, two years now? I've come to the unmistakable conclusion that Hehe...Rolling Stone dropped the ball on Pinkerton and they did it again here. Spin and Rolling Stone just keep on proving why no one with more than half a brain even reads their magazines anymore. They Were Wrong is one of the more challenging albums I've ever come across and after wrestling with it for, what, two years now? I've come to the unmistakable conclusion that it's probably the best alubm ever, only in disguise.… Expand
  3. johnf
    Mar 14, 2004
    9
    In ten years, we will all look back upon this album and realize that it is one of the finest acheivements of the early 21st century. All of the naysayers of today will be laughed at, and the few of us that recognize this album as groundbreaking will be grinning from ear to ear. This album falls into place among the likes of Kid A, among others. Splendid.
  4. JeffW
    Apr 30, 2004
    9
    The best CD (and probably the only) to rip off the first This Heat album wholesale right down to the multitracked flat harmonies. You can always depend on Rolling Stone and Spin to be a reverse barometer on challenging music.
  5. EoinT
    Jan 28, 2007
    10
    F*cking ace.
  6. TommyS
    Feb 28, 2004
    10
    Totally unbelievably brilliant... This is the incarnation of hope for contemporary rock. No other band can touch this Utterly awesome
  7. johns
    Mar 1, 2004
    9
    It is no surprise that Liars have been so roundly scorned by mainstream music press for this cd. Unlike during the no-wave era of the late-70s and early-80s, today there are far fewer journalists out there willing to challenge themselves with music so willingly atonal, and, certainly, conceptually imaginative. Liars evoke a bleak and spooky audio version of Milller's "The Crucible" It is no surprise that Liars have been so roundly scorned by mainstream music press for this cd. Unlike during the no-wave era of the late-70s and early-80s, today there are far fewer journalists out there willing to challenge themselves with music so willingly atonal, and, certainly, conceptually imaginative. Liars evoke a bleak and spooky audio version of Milller's "The Crucible" crossed with the mood of one of Nathaniel Hawthorne's horror tales from early New England. If you liked the first CD only because of its danceable bass lines and don't care for experimental and/or concept albums, then this is probably not for you. Again, no surprise that this Cd has so polarized the critics since most critics are only interested in melody, groove or the "prettiness" of ambient sound in post-rock. If you want to seriously open your horizons to one of the better Cds of 2004, light some black candles, dim the lights and put this in your cd player for half an hour.… Expand
  8. GarethC
    Mar 31, 2004
    8
    It's hardly a sparkling, new direction; more of a dark foray into the wilderness of pagan American and avant garde styles and all the better for it, this album is a very interesting beast. It's best moments come when they group grab convention and experimentation and stitch them together, such as on 'Flow My Tears the Spider Said' which ends with a bizarre and haunting It's hardly a sparkling, new direction; more of a dark foray into the wilderness of pagan American and avant garde styles and all the better for it, this album is a very interesting beast. It's best moments come when they group grab convention and experimentation and stitch them together, such as on 'Flow My Tears the Spider Said' which ends with a bizarre and haunting outro; and the robotic death funk of 'There's Always Room on the Broom'. Of course, the great titles sometimes hold one or two duff tracks, most notably, 'If You're a Wizard then Why do you Wear Glasses?', which is forgetable rather than fascinating, but the moody instrumentals and half dead songs create a story rather than an album, which is a very engaging listen. … Expand
  9. MarkB
    Apr 5, 2004
    8
    Not as propulsive as "They Threw Us..." but also not as easy to ignore. I would recommend this to anyone who liked SY's EVOL &/or Bad Moon Rising, Pavement's first 7" EP or Pere Ubu's New Picnic Time &/or Dub Housing. My ears hear much more in common with these bands than the classic no-wave acts Liars are so often compared to. There *are* weak spots but overall the Not as propulsive as "They Threw Us..." but also not as easy to ignore. I would recommend this to anyone who liked SY's EVOL &/or Bad Moon Rising, Pavement's first 7" EP or Pere Ubu's New Picnic Time &/or Dub Housing. My ears hear much more in common with these bands than the classic no-wave acts Liars are so often compared to. There *are* weak spots but overall the recording holds together remarkably well for me and is incredible headphone fodder. When you consider the pressure a second recording places on a band, "They Were Wrong..." is a miracle and a gift.… Expand
  10. RickB
    Mar 18, 2004
    10
    Yeah, I agree with those who say it's too much, too dark, too whatever- but once you stop teeth-grinding and just listen, I think you'll find a fantastic album underneath.
  11. PIRANHAg.
    Mar 31, 2004
    10
    Shit this is so wired but i like it
  12. CarlW
    Jun 22, 2004
    7
    Although most people are pretty divided about this album, I guess I stand somewhere in the middle. It's impressive that they were able to make an album that inspired such strong, polarized reactions from people, but at the same time, they've basically made an update of PiL's "Flowers of Romance" in terms of the extent of their departure and the actual sound of the album.
  13. Ace!
    Jul 22, 2004
    10
    First of all, people who claim that this album is unlistenable pay too much attention to critics. Even just a cursory listen reveals that not only is it very listenable, but most often quite engaging. It is one of the few releases of the year I can still listen to all the way through. Not only do I just plain like this release, but also it earns it's place in my canon by its sheer First of all, people who claim that this album is unlistenable pay too much attention to critics. Even just a cursory listen reveals that not only is it very listenable, but most often quite engaging. It is one of the few releases of the year I can still listen to all the way through. Not only do I just plain like this release, but also it earns it's place in my canon by its sheer ability to divide. Also, in this time, it is always a good sign of an album's originality that comparisons to other artists are very rarely consistent from review to review and often based on very tenuous connections. Over all, still, five months after its release, I see it as perhaps the most interesting and most deserving album of the year thus far.… Expand
  14. RyanM
    Jun 19, 2005
    9
    whoever made that This Heat reference was right on the money. only i'd argue that this trumps their work, builds on it. along with this heat, you hear traces of that "negation" that is so strongly associated with PiL and (though it's an overused reference) the whole nyc "no wave" movement of the late 70's/early 80's - but enough name-dropping and boring analysis. the whoever made that This Heat reference was right on the money. only i'd argue that this trumps their work, builds on it. along with this heat, you hear traces of that "negation" that is so strongly associated with PiL and (though it's an overused reference) the whole nyc "no wave" movement of the late 70's/early 80's - but enough name-dropping and boring analysis. the album creates a mood that, to my ears, is thoroughly unique to it, and that's reason enough to praise it. that it has a number of excellent, memorable tracks - try tracks 3, 5, and 6 on for size - is just gravy.… Expand
  15. EricC
    Aug 31, 2008
    8
    Oh, the benefit of retrospect, right? Years have passed since this album's release, and most critics, either through recent Liars reviews and articals, have admitted that They Were Wrong was underrated. Little good that does to their mediocre Metascore, which will scare away potential listeners. It's their loss, as this album is neither unlistenable or overly difficult. So what Oh, the benefit of retrospect, right? Years have passed since this album's release, and most critics, either through recent Liars reviews and articals, have admitted that They Were Wrong was underrated. Little good that does to their mediocre Metascore, which will scare away potential listeners. It's their loss, as this album is neither unlistenable or overly difficult. So what if it's not their greatest triumph so far. It's definately more engaging than their debut and their recent self-titled release. They took a sharp left turn after a hyped up review and the critics were shocked and felt betrayed. How dare a band explore new ideas and sounds, right? That's only allowed for Bob Dylan and Radiohead. Whatever, this is a fantastic album for anyone willing to give it their time.… Collapse

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 31
  3. Negative: 3 out of 31
  1. Rolling Stone
    20
    An electronic-noise collage that sounds disturbingly rooted in the what-the-fuck? tradition of Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music.
    Read full review
  2. Logo
    80
    There’s nothing even remotely punk-funk here, instead conventional structures are stretched, shattered and re-assembled.
    Read full review
  3. Mojo
    60
    Not quite magic but an impressive attempt at experimental spell-weaving. [Mar 2004, p.101]
See all critic reviews »