Album Review: Liars – “TFCF”

Liars have always been known for their continuing sound change and for how often they recycle through multiple band members.  Their only constant is the founder of the band, Angus Andrew.  After the departure of one of their other associates Aaron Hemphill, Andrew goes mostly solo on their eighth studio album, TFCF (Theme From Crying Fountain). As a result, he went all in on creating a project that is so absurd and unpredictable that you may find your jaw dropped by the end of it.

TFCF is atmospheric and quirky enough to never be stale or boring.  The instrumentation and lyrics are so abstract and so out of this world, to the point where Liars makes the Fleet Foxes record from earlier this year less complex.

With so much experimentation riddled throughout the album, there obviously was certain aspects that could have been ironed out a bit better.  Nonetheless, Andrew took some huge risks, and just listening to a majority of this project made for an exhilarating experience.

Andrew is at his best when using an acoustic guitar with supple vocal melodies and naturalistic samples.  For example, he really sets the bar high on the intro track, “The Grand Delusional.”  The wintry beginning of the song sounds like a sample from Fleet Foxes’ “Kept Woman,” and Andrew’s vocals give you the impression that he’s going all in on the storytelling.  I mean, with no one else telling him what to do when it comes to the creative process, Andrew pretty much has free reign on the production.

On “Cliche Suite,” the horn distortion meshed with more natural sounds are actually really impressive.  Andrew’s transitioning from each song to the next on this record is also extraordinary, and he really uses certain tricks that many artists have either not tried, or have failed to master.

The horns from “Cliche Suite” are slowed down to a crawl by the end of the track, preparing the listener for the bass-heavy “Staring at Zero.”  Andrew uses this type of maneuvering for the majority of the tracks here.  You have to listen to this album through it’s entirety to understand how intense and dramatic the finale of each tune really is.

It’s almost like watching a horror movie, and you know something huge is coming when this grand climactic music starts playing in the background. That’s how I feel with this Liars album.  It’s like Kid A (maybe not quality wise) only with Andrew’s thoughts and feelings taking Thom Yorke’s place.

‘Face to Face With My Face” is a perfect representation of that idea, with this really distorted bass driving Andrew’s askew vocal melodies home in a wonderful way.  The beginning of the project is really distinctive from other alternative albums, but by the middle of this journey, the sound is taken to a whole other level.

“No Help Pamphlet” is one of the more predictable and toned back singles, but while the  production isn’t diverse, it’s still a memorable tune with the acoustic guitar making another appearance.  I think it’s a song that fans of their older music will definitely appreciate.

From start to finish, Andrew makes it known that he will not abandon his sound at all, and I give him credit for that.  This is very much a freelancing record, and he could have easily lost his way on this project.  Instead, each tune has a similar enough aesthetic to know that it’s from TFCF.  

My only gripe is when Andrew tries to speed up the tempo on “No Tree Branch.”  It didn’t fit the overall mold of the music itself, and it felt somewhat under-developed.  “Cred Woes” was for sure a lot more robust and refined as an up-tempo tune.

After being impressed with the finale of that song though, “Coins in My Caged Fist” was kind of over-produced and way too berserk for me.  Despite that however, Andrew surprises us once again with a personable and emotional finale that will stick with listeners for weeks.  “Ripe Ripe Rot” is the perfect fusion of innate samples and haunting vocals.  The track makes you think, which is something I appreciate in music.

Both that track and “Crying Fountain” are short and precise ballads that leave certain aspects of the outside world open for interpretation.  It’s incredible to see everything come together by this point.

I give Andrew all the credit in the world for taking improbable risks even on the eighth project.  In an industry where some artists have some trouble staying above water years into their careers, Andrew seems to not have let the inner band drama faze him. TFCF may not be for everybody, but for those who appreciate music, this is a journey into a musician’s mind who has a lot of ideas that come together for a thoughtful and engaging listening experience.