Making terrible music is not the best way to be innovative. It is, in fact, possible to make a groundbreaking album without resorting to seemingly random instrumental choices and agonizingly dreadful vocals. Some bands do not understand this simple truth. Liars are one such band. Their newest album, Drum's Not Dead, is excruciating to sit through. One could inflict this album upon his or her worst enemy and still feel kind of guilty about it afterward.

The album is like one long song. The tracks all flow together. This concept would be interesting if the album had a satisfying sound. Unfortunately, this is definitely not the case. Liars borrow their sound primarily from tribal music, but attempt to add their own style. Instead, they manage to make one massive mess.

Think of a song that you hate. Doesn't it feel like that song takes a really long time to get over with? Now imagine that the song lasted for just under 48 minutes. That is the length of Drum's Not Dead, which feels as though it lasts for an eternity.

At least the title is accurate. They do actually set out to prove that the drum is not dead. In fact, maybe they push that point home a little too hard. There is such a redundant beat that lies behind the track "A Visit from Drum" that it starts to weigh on one's brain. It is almost hypnotic, but not in that enjoyable, "getting into it" way.

On top of that, the track "Let's Not Wrestle Mt. Heart Attack" begins with some truly terrible wailing. It sounds like the average man-on-the-street is performing it: their singing ability in no way conveys a sense of accomplished vocal talent. Following this atrocity comes the didgeridoo. The arrival of the didgeridoo signifies the band's forced attempt at doing something different. The entire album is comprised of moments of faux creativity such as this one.

The following is a fictitious conversation that could potentially have taken place during the recording session. "This song isn't bad enough yet," said one member of the band. "Let's throw in a didgeridoo," another remarked. "Great idea! Now we're being creative! We shouldn't let those aboriginal people of Australia hog all the didgeridoo glory!" the third exclaimed. "You should sing bad too!" he added. "Brilliant!" they all cried out.

This is neither bashing didgeridoos nor the Aborigines, but it is bashing the band members of Liars. The point is that they do not appear to be using the didgeridoo to make anything that even resembles quality music. They seem to be using it to pretend as though they have some sort of musical insight, which, to the best of the listeners' knowledge, the band is severely lacking.

The music is unique, but it is also god-awful. They tried too hard to do something new and not hard enough to do something entertaining. It is interesting, but not in a positive way. More like that way a toddler's drawings are interesting.

The only track that is remotely amusing is the ninth track entitled "Drum and the Uncomfortable Can." In this song, Liars create swift, booming beats that are relatively pleasant, particularly in the very beginning. It almost sounds like something a new offshoot of "Law and Order" could use in place of their trademark "dun dun" sound. The rest of the track falls into the same trap as the others, combining more and more unnecessary instrumentals, high-pitched humming and below average singing.

Keeping things simple may not be the solution to improving this album, but perhaps keeping things more organized would have helped. Also, if the music does not sound good, then it boggles the mind why it was even gone ahead with. If it is experimental, they could have at least strived for some coherence. On the contrary, certain tracks are literally painful to the ears. The album suffers from such amateur vocals and irritating arrangements that it is a wonder that someone did not mention this to them as they were producing it.

Liars are like the person in your class who likes to think he or she has amazing insights into the topics being discussed when in reality he or she knows absolutely nothing about them. Everyone in the class laughs behind this person's back, but the professor still feels the need to congratulate the person for the comments that he or she has made. Like the professor who encourages the class moron, certain critics have called Drum's Not Dead a "masterpiece." Liars!

Rating: 1 out of 5