Customer Reviews

Liar

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Liar is like getting the crap kicked out of you in some seedy cocktail bar. Nasty cutting guitar work, pounding drums and of course David Yow screaming like a drunken banshee hopped-up on goofballs. About as safe as a knife fight in a soviet prison yard.

It's bands like the Jesus Lizard that make me regret wasting my teen years in the mid '90's listening to FM radio-approved drivel, and Liar is one of the main reasons why. Liar is a wild, unhinged piece of punkish, metallic alt-rock, one that obliterated petty genre distinctions at the same time that it exposed the legions of pretenders that were just starting to pop up at the time. Want to know how ahead of its time Liar was? It came out before such boring Seattle knockoffs as Bush and Silverchair had even emerged, to say nothing of the ridiculous throwbacks (this means you, Puddle of Mudd) polluting the scene right now. Of course, being ahead of the curve is a virtual guarantee of going unnoticed by the masses, but then I don't think mainstream success was high on the Lizard's list of priorities.

Anyway, in the grand tradition of Steve Albini acts such as Shellac and Big Black (and yes, I know the Lizard's albums were merely *produced* by Albini, but why get picky?), Liar is assaultive, abrasive, and decidedly in contrast to all things commercial. Melody, good taste, and traditional rock-song structures are thrown right out the window here in favor of swirling collages of noise complete with twisted rhythms and the singular nasal howl of the great David Yow. Opener Boilermaker sets the tone literally from its first second, conjuring up a psychotic atmosphere out of a series of spastic drumbeats, hellish guitar riffage, and Yow's nightmarish chants. The next song, Gladiator, might be even more frightening, with Yow menacingly intoning such oddball lyrics as "You should see her use a gun," backed by a bass riff that hits with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the stomach. On slower tracks like Perk and Zachariah, Duane Denison's creepy-crawly riffs scratch against the surface of Yow's bizarre vocal impressionism, but fortunately the album loses nothing by slowing down because its oppressive atmosphere is never compromised one bit.

So, what more can be said about Liar? Well, unfortunately, not much. This is definitely one album that must be experienced to be fully comprehended. But let me leave you, gentle reader, with this: Liar is a supreme testament to a band that may not have released a classic every time out, but had a singular vision and didn't allow the temptations of fame or money to get in the way. If only more acts had their integrity, I might not have to comb the internet looking for stuff to listen to.

...perhaps one of the finest rock albums ever. There are simply not words to describe the perfect marriage of punk, metal, noise, and sheer brutality achieved by the finest lineup of the finest band that ever came out of Chicago (and that truly is saying something). If you're exceptionally low on cash and can only ever afford to buy one Jesus Lizard album-- or one punk album-- or one metal album-- make this it. Yes, it's THAT good.

The album roars open with what might still be the finest rock single of all time, "Boilermaker," and Yow sets the standard for lyric writing on this album with impressionist glimpses at his topic (in this case, infidelity, with a strong implication of murder involved as well), and for the next thirty-five minutes, you're hooked. Completely. The tempo changes, the ferocity sometimes takes a backseat to other, equally nasty, obsessions, but the absolute intensity and vitriol never lets up.

Easily one of the five best albums of the nineties (#1 changes depending on my mood). Should be in the collection of everyone broad-minded enough to appreciate its brilliance.

I am not sure if I like LIAR or DOWN better. Both are solid from begining to end. LIAR is a bit harder and raw, DOWN is more refined (if that word can be used to describe anything about the Lizard!?). Both albums represent the zenith of the Lizard's talent. If you have not ventured down this road and are unsure, do it. You will never look back and see the road the same way again.

A few comments. This was the first Lizard album I ever bought and at the time it was extremely different from the mainstream crap that was playing on the radio at the time. It scary, demented and little did I know that this was the definition of "rock".

After about a year I really understood these guys and I was able to do something about it. Fortunately I live in Chicago. I was able to see the Lizard about 5 times and every time I left a show I was amazed by this band. Tight. Hard. Powerful. Yow.

Yow was the 90's incarnation of Jim Morrison and I mean that only in the sense that he had such presence on stage. He was half drunk, staggering, yelling but always keeping composure.
He had a habit of coming on stage in various states of dress and the most messed up thing he did was come out completely wrapped in duct tape -head to toe. He proceded to rip the tape off as the show progressed. He was just about nude by the end of the show. The guy was insane and we loved every minute of it.

And the rest of the band? I have a hard time trying to think about a better live band. Sims, Denison, Kimball, McNeilly. The power and absolute precision that these guys played was unrivaled.

I somewhat remember a quote by a rock critic in Chicago about the Jesus Lizard, he said that they were "The greatest live band on this and three other solar systems". Nuff said.

The Jesus Lizard had a curiously twisted sense of humor. There's a song on this album called "Rope", where David Yow sings about a guy who is found dead in the woods with a trowel up his *ss. In "The Art of Self Defense" is David Yow howls out the phrase, "A saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad pygmy!!!!", which always brings a little grin to my face. These songs are blazing and incredibly tight, fast-paced hard rock. Nobody rocked out like the Jesus Lizard. I'd say this album is their high water mark, along with Goat. Puss is probably the standout track, and was also released as a split single with Nirvana (Cobain was a big fan). Pour some bourbon down your pie-hole and give this album a listen. Its good.

"Liar" kicks off like an explosion with "Boilermaker", one of the most powerful songs TJL ever wrote; this track ALONE is enough reason to buy this LP.

The rest of it is just as amazing. This album is my second favorite TJL record, after "Down". "Slaveship", "Puss", "Dancing Naked Ladies" "Rope" "Perk" and "Whirl" will make you thrash around the room like a ferret on amphetamines. This is one of the best rock albums ever made. And I just love Duane's slide playing on "Zachariah".

Steve Albini's work on this album is nothing short of genius--everything he records (especially his work with TJL) is three-dimensional, and this album is no exception.

I don't need to ramble on any more about this album, because I could go on all day. If you are a rock n' roll fan and don't own TJL's records, you should hang your head in shame.

Yeah, it's intense and all, but it's also more musically interesting as any ten meat-and-potatoes speed metal bands ever manage to be. From the searing "Boilermaker" to the surprisingly complex "Gladiator" all the way to the weirdly ZZ-Top-on-crack-ish "Dancing Naked Ladies", there's nary a dull moment amid all the racket and screeching. The only real low point on the record is the inclusion of "Perk" and "Zachariah" toward the end-- they're both good enough "slow" songs, but utterly out of place following the most insanely kinetic track on the record ("Rope") as they do. Otherwise, it's an essential piece of the Jesus Lizard catalog, as well as a reasonably accessible starting point for people new to the band.

There was a time, not that long ago, when this was THE sound of indie rock. Loud and visceral, like a shot straight to the gut. Not just Jesus Lizard, but bands like JSBX, Rodan, June Of 44, and labels like Amphetamine Reptile, Touch and Go, and Quarterstick, put out music that wasn't afraid to rock (and I don't mean the annoying, self-aware "rock"), and that was frequently ugly, threatening, and noisy. Former hardcore kids who grew into musicians and artists, but didn't forget the sound of their youth, and wanted to take it to the next level; which they did, with urgent, yelped vocals, machine-gun drumming, and propulsive, on-point guitars and bass.

My turn to weigh in on the Goat vs. Liar debate. I've loved hardcore and "underground" music for 20 years, and one thing all loyal fans of this stuff seem to share is a refined pallet. If a kid I knew indiscriminately supported all fast `n' noisy punk bands, he was likely to ditch the scene in a year or two. Veteran fans heard something else in the music besides clamor and rage: a sort of hairline complexity that can't be described but which you recognize when you hear it.

If all you want is speed and ferocity, "Liar" is your disk, but it's a much shallower experience than the slower "Goat". The latter hits just as hard, but with an underlying delicateness that just makes each blow all the more shattering. There are levels of crackling mayhem on that disk that "Liar" can't even approach. Also, its songs are more unsettlingly droll and address a wider span of subject matter.

"Liar" rocks out, I won't deny that, but here the band sounds stiffer, less integrated toward utter tumult than on "Goat". It's the difference between a tight group of musicians and a single, frenzied, discord-sowing Golem. A Golem with a subtle understanding of your nerve structure and which cluster to strike and when. "Liar" will always be here for you once you've recovered.

This has always been my favorite Jesus Lizard record and Touch and Go gave it a worthy reissue. I picked up the vinyl LP and the gatefold packaging is very nice. It also includes a big glossy insert with liner notes and photos. The sound quality is excellent. Luckily the LP came with a free MP3 download coupon; I'll be able to burn myself a CD version to blast in my car. If you don't already own this album, now is the time to fix that. The first three tracks are worth it alone, but there isn't a bad one to be found. An early 90's twisted, noise-rock classic.