Music Library: Liars, Libertines, Lifter Puller, Lightnin' Hopkins, LiLiPUT/Kleenex

Liars - They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top (2001), Atheists Reconsider (split EP with Oneida, 2002), Fins To Make Us More Fish-Like (EP, 2002), Peel Sessions (EP, 2002), They Were Wrong So We Drowned (2004), Drum's Not Dead (2006), and Liars (2007).  The early Liars brought the disco-punk with a vengeance, although their damaged art tendencies made them far more interesting than the Raptures of the world. The split with Oneida seems like it would be extraordinary but neither band is at their best. Fins and the Peel Sessions are both pretty great, but they're the last of the dance-punk sound.  So We Drowned is a concept album about witches that has a muddy, murky, brilliant sound and Drum's Not Dead brings that sound to fruition.  The self-titled album is a return to more straight-ahead rock (parts of it even sound like the Jesus and Mary Chain).  Fantastic band.

The Libertines - "Can't Stand Me Now."  Only-ok sleaze rock song.  Don't know the rest of their stuff, but this is neither offensive nor anything to get too excited about.

Lifter Puller - "Mission Viejo" and Fiestas + Fiascos (2000).  Singer Craig Finn and bassist Tad Kubler formed the hard rockin' Hold Steady afterwards, and in retrospect, Lifter Puller sounds like a band that would turn into the Hold Steady.  Good stuff, even if not up to the heights of the band to come.

Lightnin' Hopkins - The Complete Aladdin Recordings (1947-1948) and Lightnin' and the Blues (1960). Great Texas bluesman.  Really great Texas bluesman.

LiLiPUT - Kleenex/LiLiPUT: The Complete Discography (1978-1983).  Without LiLiPUT there is no Sleater-Kinney. This is the one of the great angular post-punk art bands, with four, sometimes three, Swiss ladies bringing crazy-creative and fun music.