Liars - WIXIW
 

http://i.imgur.com/6sI3D.jpg

Liars - WIXIW
June 6 2012

The Exact Colour of Doubt
Octagon
No.1 Against the Rush
A Ring On Every Finger
Ill Valley Prodigies
WIXIW
His and Mine Sensations
Flood To Flood
Who Is the Hunter
Brats
Annual Moon Words

I'm on my second listen and I'm still not sure what to make of it. It just doesn't stand out as well as some of their previous work, but at the same time I remember thinking it would do these guys some good to look up the word subtlety in the dictionary. I really like the track "Flood to Flood" but I don't have much to say on the other ones as not much jumps out at me. I don't dislike it and I do think it's a well put together album, I just wish my mind could focus on it better, but that could be more of a failing on my part than on the band's.

I think this is excellent. It's a nuanced, hypnotizing gem, and yet another example of the band's willingness to go beyond. It's my favourite release from them, and worthy of its 4.5/5, in my opinion.

Upon first listen, this was a complete bore to me, but since I have a history of initial resistance to new albums, I didn't let that phase me. After a couple more experiences with it and some spinning in the car, the album gently started to endear itself more to me. I definitely don't get the reasoning for Liars to explore the territory that it does on this release (post-Kid A electronics are among the most self-indulgent areas to which rock music has ventured in the 21st Century IMO, especially given that these bands rarely have a good grasp of electronics history) but it does a good job of finding new frontiers. WIXIW never comes off as a weird Radiohead/Interpol/white NPR person homage, and it never falls into the pitfall of "apply minimal techno beats and synths to rock structures" so I can give it props for that. Still, the least interesting release from what might be the best rock outfit of the 21st century since their self-titled dropped.

3/5

This is probably my favorite Liars album.

I have a really odd enjoyment of their albums. I usually fixate on them for a few weeks then take a break. Whenever I come back, I never enjoy them quite as much. They lose their magic and become mediocre.