1. WithSecretNoise

   10

   ALBUM OF THE YEAR (2012) - LIARS' "WIXIW" - (MUTE)
   
   Call it Liars' 'Gone Electric Album' minus the motorcycle accident. From the music releases I've heard this year, in the borderless world of boarded-up bodies, LIARS' 'WIXIW' is the album that stayed with me like a life-vest. Under-reviewed and undersold by most of the music press this year, "Wish You" is an album worth rejoicing for. It refuses the easy pop-single and jingle dandruff, even though 'No. #1 Against the Rush' and the 'Exact Color of Doubt' might suggest the opposite. It twists with its own sense of Los Angeles belonging. Recorded under Highway 101--from a road that entrances and disenchants its night-riders with ease--came the sound of this brand new world. Seemingly modest in contrast to Liars' masterpiece of 2006 ('Drum's Not Dead') and their other, more abrasive albums, 'Wish You' grows over you like a wet cloak of its own dark making; it rises in shadows while hiding its wearer's countenance; it's all atmosphere, all the time. The woozy, slurred synths, bird calls, echo loops. For a band known for its no wave guitars, vulcan drumming and pagan chanting, Liars retransmits Gary Numan and Aphex Twin with their own left-hand designs. They drop the noise of their Art Punk past and go wildly into the night streaking Daft Punk, transmuting alabaster surfaces into echo chambers. 'Wish You' is a warm, brave and spectral beauty, showcasing--in the most singular fashion--Angus Andrew's most fragile of falsettos. As their first electronic album, it's 'Kid A'--but with all of the warmth and grandeur of 'In Rainbows.' And of all the albums I heard this year, this one came calling back to me like someone I had lost once but still loved. It dialed back to my phone, my car, my computer, and even into the dreams of the unseen. [100/100]… Expand

   • Helpful? 1 of 1 users said Yes.
2. jmcpIII

   10

   Blew me away. By far my favorite album of the year. None of the tracks really fit together or carry some overarching theme (other than stylistically), which makes each song easily identifiable and memorable. I like concept albums but I find most to be pretentious and a little tiring as most of them are just too long and congested. But WIXIW seems easy to listen to if you like to digest music rather than just throw something on the stereo. I get all the Kid A comparisons with electronics/atmospherics but I think Liars have a more sinister and creepy approach to their music. Sisterwold scared the **** out of everyone, but WIXIW while retaining that nightmarish quality seems more aware of the fact and uses gentle touches of synth and other odd noises to keep that paranoia still present but subdued and accessible.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
3. Lolasaurus

   8

   Stylistic sequel to They Were Wrong; thematic lovechild of Drum's Not Dead and Sisterworld. Lyrically, the album is written up to be more than it is - only a few songs are conceptually tied, and Liars have explored electronic styles similar to those found here many times before. The biggest problem with WIXIW is it suggests a more perfect sound that balances the cerebral, tribal rock propulsion of "Broken Witch" and "Proud Evolution" with the calculated, over-structured futurism of the title track, "No 1 Against the Rush," and "His and Mine Sensations." Focus on the album like reading a map, with each song being its own unique area to explore while still bearing electronic motifs strewn throughout. That's the best way to tackle WIXIW if your new to Liars, or to reconcile this record with the rest of their discography if your a long time fan. It's an 8-9 float.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.
4. notoriouspdb

   4

   If you listened to Kid A and Amnesiac, get ready for some deja vu. This is, essentially, those records without any of the interesting bits. Liars have always been more ambitious than talented, and that trend continues unabated here.… Expand

   • Helpful? 0 of 0 users said Yes.

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