Water Liars is a recent addition to Dayton, Ohio’s Misra Records (of Shearwater fame). Phantom Limb, their first ever release, is what you might hear the Sunday morning after a long bender: the sun is out and the good times are over. Members Justin Kinkel-Schuster and Andrew Bryant offer up a subtle kind of sadness, fusing garage rock with far-away folk. The mood of Phantom Limb is reminiscent of Pygmy Lush’s Mount Hope, a sleepy, grown-up melancholy with a hint of aggression.
Phantom Limb was put together over the course of three days and each of the tracks sustains an effortlessness that is irresistible. The album is a variety platter of Water Liars’ particular brand of down tempo hurt. For instance, the song “$100” opens hard and heavy, veering seamlessly into a boozy folk rock tune. The harmonies are unassuming and undeniable, working a nice contrast with the grimy guitar hook, and Kinkel-Schuster’s voice is pure and troubled. The track “Woah Back” is a drunken shuffle, a proud member of the “sorry scoundrel” school of songwriting. Strategic harmony (the high/low male vocal combo is really excellent) and a wonderfully shitty whining drone stumble along at a drowsy, solemn pace that’ll make you want to stay in bed all day.
I have always felt that the best sad songs strike a balance between hope and hopelessness and Water Liars hit that mark with Phantom Limb. Fans of slovenly summer day drinking (alone) and feeling sad on your birthday will love this album. I bought the LP.