EP Review: A Brilliant Lie - Threads:Weaver

Although I never got into them, it seems I owe Paramore a debt of gratitude. While they have escaped my focus, they did set in motion an entire scene of bands that continues to this day, many of which I have become quite fond of. That is a style of music I have found myself gravitating towards, especially as other strains of rock have had the color wash away like cheap grease-paint in a rain storm. And so that leads A Brilliant Lie into my sights, the latest band playing upbeat, alternative rock/pop-punk with a feminine touch on the vocals.

The EP kicks off with "The Tarot", the single chosen to showcase the band. The verses are the kind of pulsing chords that give a bounce to the rhythm, and then the chorus slows things down so the band has the time to make everything sound huge. It works, and the song makes a strong impact, in part because it deviates from the usual format of bands their style trade in. There's a bit more room to breathe, which is interesting for a lead-off statement.

"Unwoven" follows, and plays with the loud/soft dynamic. The verses focus on the tom drums, while the guitars pluck mostly clean notes in the background. But then the chorus comes, and the band swells into action with a propulsive energy that plays very well off the first track. "A Burial" is more somber, where the slightly down-beat attitude meshes with the natural verve their music has, which once again works well. It showcases there's more to the band than repeating three-minute pop songs, which are great, but plague the genre in the form of bands that only do one thing again and again.

There's more anger seeping through "I Was Never Her", while "Tiny Secrets" tones down their pop inclinations for a more rocking tone. Both songs continue to deliver what A Brilliant Lie does best; hooks that shimmer, and music that rocks hard enough to prove their worth. Then there's Tara Lightfoot, whose voice ties everything together with power, tone, and just a hint of Riot Grrl attitude.

The only downside to A Brilliant Lie is that they are far from alone. Even this month, there is Yours Truly delivering a very similar sound, with a slightly different bent to it. A Brilliant Lie has to fight through a lot of competition to get to our ears. Once you hear them, there's a lot to like here. I've been listening to a lot of bands of their ilk, and A Brilliant Lie compares well with them. I've been extremely fond of Yours Truly, and The Nearly Deads, and now A Brilliant Lie gets added to their list. With "Threads:Weaver", A Brilliant Lie has almost proven one part of their name. And let's just say I don't think they're lying.