On my first pass through Four Letter Lie's latest, What A Terrible Thing to Say, I was almost ready to write them off, something I still may do. However, I stuck with it and have plowed through the ten song set a few times, and while it is not exactly to my taste, there is no denying that they know how to write catchy tunes that rattle around in your head for awhile. Granted, I found that they rattled right on out after I stopped playing them, but that could just be my brain being wired more towards other genres and styles. When Four Letter Lie was at the heaviest was when they were most effective, especially when they added bits of melody to the mix.
As I continue to listen to this album, despite the catchy-heavy-catchy cycle of their music, I cannot get completely on board as a fan. There is something that feels familiar and ever so slightly repulsive to me. It is a feeling I am having a hard time putting my finger on. There is a voice in the back of my head urging them to go to the next step and play something truly heavy, not merely on the borders, but then that would cost a little of the melodic side, which seems to be a big part of their sound.
Have you ever listened to a band that no matter how much you wanted to dislike them, you couldn't? That there was some decent talent behind their music, and the execution was good enough to, however temporarily, hold your attention and tease you into liking them? Four Letter Lie is one of those bands. They play a style of music that is not in my wheelhouse, yet when it is playing it is endearing.
Whatever the case my be, Four Letter Lie is here, and are likely here to stay once this album hits the shelves. So, when you do check them out, pay attention to the songs: "It's Coming This Way," the title track "What Terrible Thing to Say," "I Don't Speak to Dead Men," and "Charlatan" for a mix of heavy and melody.
Bottomline. No, they have not won me over as a fan, but they surely have a place in the musical landscape. This is a style that brings in a couple of different crowds and is crafted by songwriters who have a focus on what they want to make. They are going for it and making it happen. So, if you like this style, and you know who you are, make sure to give this a spin.
Mildly Recommended.
1 comments:
these guys are awful and make the mn music scene look bad as a result. nothing worth ever listening to.
Post a Comment