WIXIW

Liars | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 2012)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mute
• ASIN: B007WFQZF0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,219 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Exact Colour Of Doubt

2. Octagon

3. No. 1 Against The Rush

4. A Ring On Every Finger

5. Ill Valley Prodigies

6. WIXIW

7. His And Mine Sensations

8. Flood To Flood

9. Who Is The Hunter

10. Brats

11. Annual Moon Words

Editorial Reviews

Liars have returned with their sixth studio album and follow-up
to 2010 s critically lauded Sisterworld. WIXIW was recorded in
LA and self-produced by the band with additional production
from Mute founder Daniel Miller and mixed by Tom Biller. The
band worked more collaboratively than on previous recordings
and began when frontman Angus Andrew and bassist Aaron
Hemphill moved into an isolated cabin in the mountains to
begin writing.
The album is simultaneously the most accessible and the most
challenging release from this iconoclastic band - it is both a
summation of Liars work up to now, and a complete break
from anything they have done previously.
As Angus jokes, If we aren t confusing people, it s not us. If
we aren t confusing ourselves with what we do, then we ve
failed.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Smooth electronica -- Liars minus the aggro punk attitude August 2, 2012

By Autonomeus VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a very consistent, very accomplished album. It's smooth, and that, not the obvious move to electronica, may be the biggest difference between WIXIW and earlier Liars albums. Even where the beats sound mechanical and could be abrasive -- on the Autechre side of things -- they're not. There is a certain continuity from Sisterworld to WIXIW, a continuity of attitude and ambience, the sense of living in a vast, dark, urban landscape that is vaguely menacing.

Some have said it's all textures rather than hits, and while I agree there are probably no hits, I think this overlooks the strong beats and melodies found throughout. It may not be a dance album, but it certainly lends itself to dance remixes.

Within the universe of smooth electronica, there is a fascinating diversity across the eleven tracks. One common element, though, is the falsetto crooning vocals. This is the one thing that doesn't always hit me quite right, but it does assist in creating the album's stylistic coherence.

I disagree with those who say this album is more adventurous and experimental than the last two. It may be adventurous for the Liars to tackle a type of music they haven't played before, but it doesn't sound all that radical to the listener, not if you've heard electronica over the years. In fact, I think this is the Liars' most accessible album.

WIXIW is not as abrasive as Liars (2007) or Sisterworld (2010), and I don't think it's a masterpiece on the level of Sisterworld (see my review). It's not as ambitious -- it's not really *about* anything, other than relationships. (WIXIW, it turns out, is pronounced "wish you.")

This is an album that sounds great, sets a mood, but not one that has Something To Say. I could give it four stars by comparison with Sisterworld, but that doesn't seem like the right point of comparison. Compared to most of the rest of what's out there today in pop/rock, it's a five star album without a doubt.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Love it or hate it November 24, 2012

By rsf

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

You'll either love it or hate it which is probably true for all Liars albums, they are far from melodic mainstream and are not easily described by any musical style. This one has some smooth electronic beats and is a bit more accessible.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars... Another left turn, one of the year's best albums September 3, 2012

By Paul Allaer TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

In its 10 year run, Brooklyn-based Liars has not stopped surprising us, evolving and developing into many musical directions, yet always sounding very recognizable. After 2010's excellent "Sisterworld" album, the trio now returns with its 6th studio album.

"WIXIW" (11 tracks; 43 min.) starts off with a very dreamy, electronic track "The Exact Color of Doubt" and with track 2 "Octagon" in the same vein, it becomes clear that the band has taken yet another left turn in their on-going musical journey, and this might be their version of Radiohead's "Kid A" meets "The King of Limbs". Trank 3 "No. 1 Against the Rush" (1st single; a fantasy footbal reference?) reminded me somehow of latter-day the National. "A Ring on Every Finger" is a jumpy song (with in fact part of the melody seemingly lifted straight from the Belgian band Telex's song "Lakelele" of some 30 years ago). Good track follow one after another, and once you are submerged into the electronica, this is as good as anything Liars have done. "Ill Valley Prodigies" recalls early-Pink Floyd. The title track becomes an urgent multi-layered synthesizer exercise, just beautiful. Towards the end of the album we get "Brats", a slighly disco-flavored tune that is as immediately accessible as anything on here (and another single candidate in my opinion).

In all, while this seemingly comes as a surprise from Liars, this is an album that just shines from start to finish, with nearly a weak moment in it. It is for me one of the year's best albums so far, and sure to finish high on my year-end list. "WIXIW" is HIGHLY RECOMMMENDED!