Liars - Mess

Liars
Mess
24 March 2014
Mute

3.5 stars out of 5

 

Mess is the seventh LP by Liars, and it sees the band playing with EBM themes that would have been fresh in 1990, but which in 2014 are more nostalgic than cutting edge. That’s not to say that Mess sounds stale or derivative—it's neither. It’s a fun record that has both danceable and head-nodding moments.

“Mask Maker” begins in a late-‘80s industrial groove, somewhat like Nitzer Ebb or Front Line Assembly. It runs seamlessly into the next track, “Vox Tuned D.E.D.,” which continues the same theme. The first half of “I’m No Gold” could pass for FLA circa Tactical Neural Implant if it wasn’t for Angus Andrew’s vocals, which don’t resemble Bill Leeb’s in the slightest; however, the second half of the song is more disco-meets-funky house. “Pro Anti Anti” is dance floor-ready industrial in the vein of KMFDM or late-‘90s FLA. It’s an appealing, accessible, and fun dance track despite its dark sounds and almost menacing vocals. The sci-fi lyrical slant of “Mess on a Mission” only enhances its silly but quite fun robot bleep-filled groove. “Darkslide” could be by another Vancouver industrial outfit, platEAU. It’s an instrumental track that plays with minimalist refrains and subtle atmospherics and ends up being one of the more satisfying songs on the record. “Perpetual Village” is the album’s centrepiece: nine minutes of a brooding, bass-anchored groove, sprinkled with feedback and angst.

The final track, “Left Speaker Blown,” is a slow dirge that, combined with “Perpetual Village,” forms a coda to the album that charts an entirely different course from that of the preceding music. The sombre and mournful tones unfold in stark relief to the playful beats of “Mess on a Mission” or “Pro Anti Anti.” While this isn’t Liars’ best work, Mess has its moments and ends strongly.

reviewed by Richard Krueger