From time to time, artists find themselves on the wrong side of esoteric. Defying description, the sound will simultaneously be lauded by its members for its originality and blasted by critics for failing to connect with even the most modest-sized audience.
With its sophomore release, Demons, Liars Academy does little to establish an identity, instead requiring its listeners to connect the dots and fill in the blanks on their own. To describe the band as your standard rock outfit is as specific as one can get, although the occasional subtle hint of INXS springs to mind while traversing the album’s 12 cuts.
Demons is the type of album that requires extra work, which to the band’s credit isn’t entirely bad. Rarely are the greatest records instantly hailed. The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds might be among the all-time best, but try telling that to someone hearing it for the first time. Chances are, they won’t get it right away.
Without the context of a more-robust catalog with which to compare it to, Demons finds itself alone and waiting for history to weigh in. For now, Liars Academy has succeeded in creating a few interesting moments, but is still far from hitting its stride.
