Billy Liar may not exactly be a household name to punk fans here in the U.S. (yet), but this Scottish musician has a slew of well know admirers who can’t help but sing his praises. Rancid’s Tim Armstrong went on the record saying “Billy Liar is one of my favorite songwriters. Powerful and honest.” And Frank Turner even makes a cameo on his latest LP Crisis Actor, singing alongside Liar on “Negroni,” a stellar under three-minute track with buzzsaw guitars and brilliant vocals that tumble out unrushed for a startling effect.
Lyrically, relying on smart political takes that mix the personal with larger societal observations, you can’t help by pick up the influence of some of the genre’s outspoken greats like Billy Bragg and Joe Strummer. The album, a follow up to 2019’s Some Legacy, is easily Liar’s best offering to date.
From the feedback that opens “Oblivion,” the first song that start off the record through to the exhaled breath and acoustic guitar that kick off “Troubled Mind” closing this collection on the mellowest and easily most compelling track here showing the vulnerability in his voice, the record is an impressive step forward for one of the most urgent voices in the U.K. punk rock scene.
