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The Liars Academy, for those who don't know, contains ex/current members of Cross My Heart, Dead Red Sea, and Strike Anywhere. But you'd be hard pressed to find any indication of any of those bands in the Liars Academy's sound. While CMH and DRS would be lumped in with the Deep Elm "emo" sound, and Strike Anywhere is hard-hitting fast paced punk rock. the Liars Academy falls more along the lines of straightforward rock.

As this 4 song EP plays out, I hear a lot of the mid-nineties rock sound - think Superdrag, for a starting point. The songs themselves aren't anything too challenging - each stays within the confines of your basic 4/4 "verse-chorus-verse-chorus-guitar solo-chorus out" form. The lyrics are stereotypically vague, all focusing around the song title for the hooks [especially in EP closer "It's Not Me, It's You," which just gets annoying after hearing that phrase over and over towards the end of the song]. Singer Ryan Shelkett's voice shines the most on the title track - I could see this song climbing the college/modern rock charts with enough of a push.

Overall, this EP sounds like an indie rock version of Pete Yorn - take a tinge of country, plus a pinch of roots rock, coupled with guitar solos that throw back to the 60's and 70's, and you have this band. It's all been done before, but the Liars Academy does a good enough job of rehashing to make it sound fresh.

MP3
Trading My Life






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    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 7, 2002 at 9:02 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    erg this sucks.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 7, 2002 at 7:44 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    that's a cool website address.

    the>muffin>girl

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 6, 2002 at 9:08 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    This band rocks a lot, the lp is pretty good and catchy as hell, the ep is more mature...wish it had more than 4 songs on it though...by the way, for anyone into Samiam and the Liars Academy, you Have to check this band called The Tie that Binds from texas, they are incredible www.tttbmusic.com

    Posted by maverick on 2002-11-06 11:36:26
    My Score:

    It basically just sounds more polished. "No News..." to me was too long and too weak in points - there were some good songs, but there were just too damn many. This is more or less just trimming the fat and polishing it up.

    -Scott

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 at 7:42 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    haven't heard this yet. what's the general feeling this compared to 'no news is good news'?

    Posted by maverick on 2002-11-05 19:34:38
    My Score:

    Why don't I make my reviews juvenile? I don't quite understand.

    -Scott

    Posted by abileneINlove on 2002-11-05 19:13:02
    My Score:

    The worst performance I have ever seen. Hands down. Literally I cannot stand this band.

    Why don't you make your reviews juvenile?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 at 6:39 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this band blows. they are the most unoriginal sounding band since SR71. i'm not joking. ihopeyouexplode

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 at 4:08 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    gib blossoms were catchy, dont deny it.

    This EP was a bit disappointing, the full length is alot better, it feels like compare to the LP they cant decide on being a straight rock band or being a little more uptempo.
    wyzo

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 at 2:17 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    if samiam is god, gin blossoms are the devil - bigjerk

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 at 1:11 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I think this is good. Their full length ripped off to many bands (although, in that case, too, shelketts voice saved it), and this one is a little lacking of...something, but i think this seems like a transition, like the calm before the storm. i expect their next release to be killer.
    i'm also surprised nobody mentioned this: It doesn't matter how good the songs are, the packaging is great. It was almost worth the money for that.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 at 1:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    sounds like samiam meets the gin blossoms. which isnt a bad thing at all, samiam is god...

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 at 12:00 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    so many... conflicting ... styles... i'm scared of this CD now. there's like 8 names i hoped never to see near each other.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 5, 2002 at 9:49 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    My brother thinks it sounds like a punk version of the Gin Blossoms - bigjerk

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