Liars - The Overachievers

by Paul Waller

published: 6 / 6 / 2010

Label: Mute Records
Format: 7"

Brilliant new single from New York-based avant-garde rockers Liars, which includes a cover from Devendra Banhart of their song, 'The Overachievers'

Review

Back in 2001 New York’s Liars burst onto a scene that was screaming out for a new band to capture hearts like the Strokes had a few months earlier. Although the band gathered a fanbase quickly the group could never be pigeonholed into a commercial demographic. Liars are simply too weird. With this year's ‘Sisterworld’ LP they have shown that even when creating a more linear work they still have no idea how to create music for the masses. ‘The Overachievers’ hammers this message home. Underneath the distortion and undercurrent of Angus Andrew’s vocal lies a pop infused indie rock song. There are elements of both Butthole Surfers and Sonic Youth during their ‘Dirty’ period here, but it would seem that with their recent album and subsequent singles Liars have finally settled down into their own crazed niche of spazzed-out rock ‘n’ roll. Of both the two new songs contained here the sedate ‘Only Sometimes’ can’t compare to the dirty, scuzzy rush of ‘Pleasure is Boss’, but it’s the inclusion of Devenndra Banhart’s cover of ‘The Overachievers’ that is the masterstroke of the B sides. This alternate slice of folky Americana is the difference between the band's drugs of choice. Liars on uppers and Banhart on the downers. It’s nothing short of brilliant. I used to think this band was born with a ‘use for 3 years warranty’ applied, but I was wrong. Lairs were never meant to be built to last or this good.