Lie-ing around

Liars Academy

Tomorrow, 7 p.m.

Mr. Roboto Project, $7

Liars Academy

Tomorrow, 7 p.m.

Mr. Roboto Project, $7

www.therobotoproject.org

Indie rock is quite like a box of Cracker Jacks: there?s plenty of corn, but only a few prizes. You have a wide selection of bands to choose from and more are always waiting on the shelves. Sometimes it?s hard to tell one from another. Liars Academy doesn?t have pretty packaging or a catchy slogan. They?ll just have to go the hard way; laying it out on stage and hoping they grab some spotlight.

There?s a certain amount of redundancy in rock and roll. The guitar, bass, and drums routine might not always give you the most original sound, but it does keep it simple. Simplicity exists in mass quantities on Liars Academy?s No News Is Good News. Besides the slight pockets of punk yells, the Academy pretty much just sticks to the lesson plan.

Sometimes a no-frills approach is best, even if it isn?t too unique. For the rock puritans who crave music without the sideshow, Liars Academy answers the call. If you need a little more gin in your juice, though, it seem as if you?re just getting the same ol? wheel that few succeed in reinventing.

Liars Academy tends to walk in the middle of the road, but if there?s anything good about the middle, it?s that it?s usually a high-traffic area. While the sounds of the Academy might not turn you on, they certainly won?t offend you. Their songs are built for Adult Contemporary play and you don?t have to turn them down when your parents come in the room.

Soft, light and poppy, Liars Academy would fit right in on Pure Moods: Rock Edition. They don?t rock the boat, they don?t make waves; they just drop anchor and stay afloat. All Liars Academy can claim to be is a rock band. The problem is: so can everybody else.

?David J. McCarthy, staff writer