Not much info on these guys, but going by this, the debut offering from LINER, that'll surely change soon. Because if I’m not mistaken, there could very well be a couple of Top Ten singles included in this batch of songs.
Liner are your traditional 4 piece Rock outfit. They don’t bring anything new as such to the table, but what they lack in individuality, they make up in well-crafted, soulful enthusiasm. In short: they rock.
The band show their versatility on this 5 track e.p., and in lead singer, Alex Callaghan, they have their main weapon. His raw natural vocals are well suited for the full rock-out tracks (Greed, Under The Lights), but it’s in the softer anthemic sound of ‘Strung Out Boy’ that he really stands out.
‘Greed’, the opening track, is a delight. Funky bass, scorching guitars, crashing drums and a killer hook. This is pop/rock at it’s best. Think Rage Against The Chilli Peppers and you’re almost there.
‘Under The Lights’ is a first cousin to Weezer’s ‘Hash Pipe’. Again Callaghan excels here, but it’s the creative talents of guitarist Ben Kennedy and drummer James Fyfe that make this track one of the highlights. ‘One Kiss’ is the only really weak point here, an insipid little love song who’s only real redeeming feature is the lovely little ‘Frusciante’ guitar solo.
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Still, that said, Liner then go on to deliver their masterpiece. ‘Strung Out Boy’ has an enchanting, rhythmic quality that slowly builds into a song of real maturity. This is what I imagine U2 would sound like if they were fronted by Paul McCartney. It’s a weird combination I know, but by God it works.
On closer ‘Long Time Over’, a Black Crowes-style ballad showing the band do have the talent for the soft rock crossover, Callaghan croons “ I don’t wanna talk about this and that, this and that”. That may well be true, but I predict in the very near future everybody will be talking about Liner.
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