Although initially lumped into the New York dance-punk scene of the early 21st century, they have come to be categorized by their dramatic stylistic shifts between albums, while retaining a consistent interest in rhythm and sound texture. Liars are one of the many contemporary bands to draw from the late 1970's British post-punk movement. Their first album, 2002's They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top, bore some resemblance to the work of Delta 5 and Gang of Four, accenting their angular, acerbic punk with modern synths and drum machines. Liar's second album, 2004's They Were Wrong, So We Drowned, eschewed their debut's trendy post-punk aesthetic in favor of dissonant atmospherics and electronic soundscapes more akin to the sound of This Heat. That album stratified fans and critics alike, especially chafing with those who took to They Threw Us All for the clear dance/punk leanings of a number of that album's tracks (e.g. "We Live Northeast of Compton"). 2006 saw the release of Drum's Not Dead., which continued the direction they had taken with They Were Wrong but was met with a much more favorable critical reaction. 2007's self-tited LP, Liars, found the band once again shifting styles, this time towards 60's style garage rock and 70's proto-punk, all through the dark, effects-driven prism that Liars began channeling on They Were Wrong. While more straight-forward than their previous 2 LPs, the record contained the same focus on rhythm and experimentation with the deconstruction of traditional sounds. Similar to Drum's Not Dead. Liars was critically praised and found its way on to Best of 2007 lists. They released Sisterworld, in 2010, which continued in their experimental post-punk direction. Its deluxe edition came with a completely remixed version of the album, with tracks being remixed by artists such as Thom Yorke, Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead and Carter Tutti. In 2012, they released WIXIW, which saw the band take an almost entirely electronic direction with their music.
On January 13, 2014, Liars premiered their single "Mess on a Mission" and announced the title of their 7th album as Mess, which was released on March 24 via Mute Records.[17]
TFCF
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On February 20, 2017, Liars updated their site with a short video clip titled TFCF.[18] Another video was later added, called TFCF H, and then TFCF E, and so on. When taking the last letter of each of these videos, the word THEME is spelled out. On June 2, the band released four more videos which spell out the word FROM.[19] On June 15 and June 24, more videos were released spelling the words CRYING and FOUNTAIN, respectively. On May 18, Andrew announced a new Liars album to be released sometime in August, along with the amicable departure of founding member Aaron Hemphill. He will go on tour from August with a new backup band.
The initialism TFCF was the title of the band's LP which was released on August 25, 2017. Liars have, as a matter of course, sounded radically different with each album, pursuing new concepts and occupying diverse mindsets. On this, Liars’ eighth studio album, the bustling backdrops of Los Angeles, Berlin and New York have been replaced with a presence far more intimate and autobiographical.[citation needed]
The Apple Drop
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On May 4, 2021, Liars announced the release of a new album, titled The Apple Drop, which was released on August 6.
Flow My Tears The Spider Said
Liars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So the lions and tigers they eat really well
But the desperate teenager's under a spell
Yeah, they'll sign up for treasure but leave with the girl
Yeah, they'll sign up for treasure but leave with the girl
Yeah, they'll sign up for treasure but leave with the girl
By the lightning that crackles and rivals the wind
Where the only expression of love is through tears
And the highest creation on earth is a bird
The most powerful symbol achieved, let it burn
The most powerful symbol achieved, let it burn
The lyrics of Liars’ song Flow My Tears The Spider Said are filled with intricate imagery and symbolism that can be interpreted in many ways. The first few lines describe the inequality of the world, where only a few are given heavenly portions, while others, like desperate teenagers, are under a spell. The lines “So the lions and tigers they eat really well/But the desperate teenager's under a spell” imply a stark difference between those who are privileged and those who are not, and how it affects their lives.
The next few lines describe how people sometimes go after material possessions, but end up losing something more valuable in the process. The repetition of “Yeah, they'll sign up for treasure but leave with the girl” reinforces this idea. The lines “And the mountain that drew us together is lit/By the lightning that crackles and rivals the wind/Where the only expression of love is through tears/And the highest creation on earth is a bird” are more abstract, but they seem to describe a place or a moment where emotions are heightened and love is expressed through tears.
Finally, the last two lines “The most powerful symbol achieved, let it burn/The most powerful symbol achieved, let it burn” suggest that even the most significant things can be destroyed or lost, reinforcing the idea that nothing is permanent and that we should appreciate what we have while we have it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, the portions of heaven they gave to a few
The distribution of good fortune is uneven and scarce.
So the lions and tigers they eat really well
The privileged few enjoy abundance and luxury.
But the desperate teenager's under a spell
The vulnerable and hopeless youth are easily controlled and manipulated.
Yeah, they'll sign up for treasure but leave with the girl
People may pursue material gain, but often end up sacrificing or abandoning more important things.
And the mountain that drew us together is lit
The source of our unity and connection is illuminated.
By the lightning that crackles and rivals the wind
The power and intensity of love can be equated to the forces of nature.
Where the only expression of love is through tears
Love is often accompanied by sorrow and pain.
And the highest creation on earth is a bird
The most elevated and admirable being on earth is a creature of flight and symbol of freedom.
The most powerful symbol achieved, let it burn
Even the most revered symbol of accomplishment or authority should be questioned and allowed to crumble.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind