Liars Inc. are just another fish swimming in the modern rock ocean. Superjaded is a guitar driven pop-rock record that is structured around melodic pop-rock lyrics. Their musical style is strikingly similar to Our Lady Peace and Failure. Some of the material on this record seems to be lacking a power punch to put them over the top. Hailing from Los Angeles, the foursome has talent, but needs to develop a more fresh sound that separates them from the other angry bands that have already gained recognition.
“Anybody” highlights Liars Inc.’s strengths in their vocal harmony and the meshing of big chords and big riffs that roll into their rock aggression. Frontman/guitarist Raile paces the opening track with slow building lyrics and guitar, then seconds later explodes like a time bomb. The combined forces of big chords, hard pounding drums, and the chorus, “Yeah, does anybody ever know?/Yeah, does anybody ever wanna feel like I want’em to feel?” will leave you with a ringing impression of teen angst. This is one of the better moments captured on the record.
Upon hearing the first lick from Dillinger’s bass on “Hey”, I knew that this song might be better than the others. The bass is the backbone of the track, the guitars and the singing just add more energy to the song. Raile’s singing coupled with the lyrics is testament to just how far an artist can carry the word “yeah” to make a completed song. I calculated at least fifty times that the word “yeah” was used in the course of nearly four minutes!
“JPW” is a feverishly orchestrated stop and go rock track. Raile and Ray Hartman (guitar) collaborate for a fierce and well-balanced guitar assault on the listener’s ears. “No Good” and “Darkest Daze” also illustrate how Raile and Hartman’s musical companionship helps to maintain the balance in Liars Inc.’s guitar laden pop-rock.
At times Liars Inc. seem to be forcing out lyrics and music and in doing so they create a number of unsuccessful tracks. A handful of songs start by fabricating a slow mood, then jump into rocking out. I wasn’t really impressed.
+ larry sarzyniak
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