Sisterworld

By Dylan Samson

The concept behind Sisterworld, the 5th full length LP by New York experimental rockers Liars, is an ambitious one. With the release of the new album, the band sought to create a world of their own, one where they could create their art free from the rest of society. The Sisterworld is a place you would not want to visit in your worst nightmares, as it seems to surround you with warped, brooding imagery very few would ever wish to experience. As difficult as it must be to create this place however, the band seems to have pulled it off.  The results are an album that is not only dark and twisted, but also one of the most enjoyable to be released this year.

Creating the Sisterworld has allowed Liars to make some of their strongest songs to date. While some songs are better than others, they all fit well together and are filled with the complicated drumming, creative use of sound textures, and dynamic style range for which the band has come to be known. “Scissor,” the album opening track that starts slow and foreboding then suddenly changes styles to set up perfectly for the rest of the album. The dissonant pianos on “Drip,” coupled with the pulsating noise of synthesizers create the sense that you are stuck somewhere you don’t want to be. “Scarecrow On a Killer Slant” is a powerful rocker filled with the twisted and violent imagery that characterizes the album. “Proud Evolution” is filled with whirling, ethereal, almost magical electronics held in place by a distinctly somber bass that compliments the lyrics perfectly. “The Overachievers” evokes feelings of the bands post-punk roots, but keeps the overall feel of the album intact. The final two tracks, “Goodnight Everything” and “Too Much, Too Much” offer a perfect climax to the album; the former shows the fright and power of the Sisterworld, the latter shows that there is a time to leave this world the band put so much into creating.

The band’s last two albums, 2006’s Drum’s Not Dead and 2007’s Liars, were each top quality releases. Sisterworld takes the band even further, setting them up to be one of 2010’s biggest indie/experimental acts. Every one of the songs has the ability to stand on its own, but work even better in context with one another. The album as a whole not only shows you the world Liars created in writing these songs; it brings you into it, making you feel as if the Sisterworld is a tangible place. With Sisterworld, Liars has achieved what few bands manage to in recent memory; a fully cohesive album filled songs that not only work well alone, but all fit perfectly into a specific concept, not only complimenting each other, but making an album that is even better than the sum of all its parts.

Rating: 9/10


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