The Beautiful Liar (album)

Last updated
The Beautiful Liar
The Beautiful Liar X Ambassadors Cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 24, 2021 (2021-09-24)
Length36:03
Label
Producer
X Ambassadors chronology
Belong
(2020)
The Beautiful Liar
(2021)
Townie
(2024)
Singles from The Beautiful Liar
  1. "My Own Monster"
    Released: June 11, 2021
  2. "Okay"
    Released: July 30, 2021
  3. "Adrenaline"
    Released: August 13, 2021
  4. "Beautiful Liar"
    Released: September 24, 2021

The Beautiful Liar is the third studio album by American rock band X Ambassadors. It was released on September 24, 2021 by Kidinakorner and Interscope Records. The album follows X Ambassadors' second album, Orion (2019) and the band's EP Belong (2020). It is concept album, playing similarly to a radio drama.

Contents

Background

Their multi-collaborative series (Eg) and Belong EP were material largely recorded weeks before the lockdowns as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. All three band members wrote and composed the album's tracks virtually, starting with what they had before the lockdown and expanding upon it. [1]

It expresses themes of insanity, powerlessness, self-doubt, and anxiety. [2] Lead singer Sam and keyboardist Casey Harris say the album was influenced by the radio shows they would listen to as children instead of TV because of Casey's blindness. Sam said "I wanted to make an album that felt as unhinged as I did, and as the whole world felt around me. So Adam [Levin], Casey and I carved ourselves a space where we could all be as ugly, weird, funny, and f'd up as we wanted to be." [3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Melodic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]

The Beautiful Liar received generally positive reviews from critics. Matt Collar of AllMusic gave the album a 4 out of 5 stars and wrote that "The Beautiful Liar is a quirky, oddly intriguing experience, whose conceptual elements interrupt the corporate pop flow of the album". He praised the songs "My Own Monster", "Love Is Death", and "Reincarnated". [4] Johan Wippsson from Melodic called the album "a strong comeback from one of the best and most exciting bands in the pop genre right now", calling tracks "Somebody Who Knows You" and "Okay" favorites. [5]

Track listing

All tracks are written and produced by Sam Harris, Casey Harris, and Adam Levin. Additional writers and producers are included below

The Beautiful Liar track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Chapter One: The Sleeping Giant"  0:43
2."Beautiful Liar" Ricky Reed
  • Reed
  • Andrew Wells
4:09
3."My Own Monster"
  • Jamie Lidell
  • Wells
  • Alan Wilkis
Wells3:05
4."Adrenaline"Wells
  • Jared Scharff
  • Jon Yeston
2:45
5."Bullshit"
  • Daniel Steele
  • Wells
 2:13
6."Chapter Two: Enter the Shadow"  1:13
7."Conversations With My Friends"Wells 0:56
8."I Can See The Light..."
  • Fabio Aguilar
  • Jorge Miguel Cardoso Augusto
  • Feliciano Ponce Ecar
  • Al Hug
  • Harissis Tsakmaklis
  • Luzian Tuetsch
  • Aguilar
  • Ecar
  • Hug
0:35
9."Palo Santo"
  • Niklas Andre Koellner
  • Mathias Daniel Liyew
  • Philip Andre Mueller
  • Ambezza
  • Outofair
2:43
10."Theater Of War"  1:08
11."A Brief Word From Our Sponsors--"  0:32
12."Love Is Death"
Mercereau3:33
13."Somebody Who Knows You"
  • Scharff
  • Wells
Scharff3:44
14."Okay"
 4:45
15."Reincarnated"Wells 2:33
16."Author's Note"  1:19
Total length:36:03

Podcast

The Beautiful Liar
Presentation
StarringRory Anne Dahl
Emily Hampshire
Sam Nelson Harris
Genre
LanguageEnglish
Length30-40 minutes
Production
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes9
Publication
Original releaseNovember 3, 2021

A nine-episode companion podcast to the album was released on November 3, 2021 on Amazon Music, releasing on all other services November 17, 2021. [6] It is produced and published by QCode Media. It is a superhero origin story, following a blind teenager named Clementine who suddenly loses her father and has to juggle moving to a new school with her new secret friend, Shadow. It stars Rory Anne Dahl as Clementine and Emily Hampshire as the shadow. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Page Avenue</i> 2003 studio album by Story of the Year

Page Avenue is the debut studio album by American rock band Story of the Year. Goldfinger frontman John Feldmann, who served as a talent scout for Maverick Records, began working on demos with the band, and eventually for their debut album. Sessions took place at Feldmann's home studio, Foxy Studios in Marina del Rey, California; the group tracked three songs before guitarist Greg Haupt left in November 2002. Guitarist Philip Sneed was drafted in and sessions recommenced in early 2003. The album's release through Maverick Records was pushed back several times to September 16, 2003.

<i>Never Take Friendship Personal</i> 2005 studio album by Anberlin

Never Take Friendship Personal is the second studio album by alternative rock band Anberlin, released on February 1, 2005 on Tooth & Nail Records. Its singles were "A Day Late" and "Paperthin Hymn" and music videos have been made of each. "(The Symphony of) Blasé" is sometimes referred to as "Amsterdam". The album's name is inspired by when the band chose to remove guitarist Joey Bruce.

<i>Vena Sera</i> 2007 studio album by Chevelle

Vena Sera is the fourth studio album by American rock band Chevelle, released on April 3, 2007, through Epic Records. Many of the tracks on this album were based on material from unreleased songs the band had previously recorded. The term "Vena Sera" is ungrammatical Latin for "vein liquids".

<i>Lies for the Liars</i> 2007 studio album by The Used

Lies for the Liars is the third studio album by American rock band the Used. It was released on May 22, 2007, and was certified gold by the RIAA on February 28, 2019.

<i>Artwork</i> (album) 2009 studio album by The Used

Artwork is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Used, released through Reprise in the United States and the United Kingdom on August 31, 2009.

<i>Hello Fascination</i> 2009 studio album by Breathe Carolina

Hello Fascination is the second studio album by electronic rock duo Breathe Carolina. It was released on August 18, 2009, through Fearless Records. It was produced by Mike Green and Matt Squire.

<i>Cant Keep a Secret</i> 2009 studio album by Faber Drive

Can't Keep a Secret is the second album by Canadian pop punk band Faber Drive. The first single released from this album was "G-Get Up and Dance". It reached number six on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. Its second single, "Give Him Up", was released on November 30, 2009, and peaked at number 26 on the Canadian Hot 100. Its third single, "You and I Tonight", peaked at number 49. A fourth single, "The Payoff", failed to chart.

<i>With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear</i> 2010 studio album by Sleeping with Sirens

With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear is the debut studio album by American rock band Sleeping with Sirens. It was released on March 23, 2010, through Rise Records. The album debuted at number 7 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart, and at number 36 on Top Independent Albums. It received praise in particular for singer Kellin Quinn's vocals. This is also the only release by the band to feature guitarists Nick Trombino and Brandon McMaster, who have since been replaced by Jesse Lawson and Jack Fowler respectively.

<i>Black & White</i> (The Maine album) 2010 studio album by The Maine

Black & White is the second album by The Maine and was released on July 12, 2010. The album features singles "Inside of You" and "Growing Up". It debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 with 22,634 copies sold in its first week.

<i>Vulnerable</i> (The Used album) 2012 studio album by The Used

Vulnerable is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Used. It was released on March 26, 2012, via Hopeless Records. The album was produced by John Feldmann, who also produced the band's first three studio albums, The Used (2002), In Love and Death (2004), and Lies for the Liars (2007), and their Maybe Memories (2003) compilation album.

<i>In Currents</i> 2012 studio album by the Early November

In Currents is the third studio album by the Early November. It is their first release on Rise Records.

<i>Vital</i> (Anberlin album) 2012 studio album by Anberlin

Vital is the sixth studio album by American alternative rock band Anberlin which was released on October 16, 2012. In interviews, vocalist Stephen Christian has stated the album has a youthful, energetic energy and features new influences for the band. Upon release, the album was met with favorable reviews from critics and fans alike. The album was re-released in 2013 as Devotion, adding the deluxe tracks from various retailers, new remixes, and a full live album.

<i>Heart Attack</i> (Man Overboard album) 2013 studio album by Man Overboard

Heart Attack is the third studio album by American rock band Man Overboard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X Ambassadors</span> American rock band

X Ambassadors are an American pop rock band from Ithaca, New York, that consists of lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris, and drummer Adam Levin. Russ Flynn is a touring member who plays guitar and bass. Their most notable songs include "Jungle", "Renegades", and "Unsteady". The band's debut full-length album, VHS, was released on June 30, 2015. Their second album, Orion, came out on June 14, 2019. Their third album, The Beautiful Liar, was issued on September 24, 2021. Their fourth album, Townie, came out on April 5, 2024.

<i>Love Songs Drug Songs</i> 2013 EP by X Ambassadors

Love Songs Drug Songs is the third and major-label debut EP by American rock band X Ambassadors, released on May 7, 2013. It spawned one single: "Unconsolable".

<i>VHS</i> (album) 2015 studio album by X Ambassadors

VHS is the debut studio album by American rock band X Ambassadors, released on June 30, 2015 by KIDinaKORNER and Interscope Records. The album has spawned three singles, "Renegades", "Unsteady", and "Low Life". A special edition titled VHS 2.0 was released on June 10, 2016 with five additional tracks and the interludes removed. It is the only album to feature Noah Feldshuh before he took an indefinite hiatus in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannonball (Skylar Grey song)</span> 2015 single by Skylar Grey featuring X Ambassadors

Cannonball is a single released by American singer and songwriter, Skylar Grey. The song was written by Grey, Sam Harris, Noah Feldshuh, Casey Harris, Adam Levin and Alex da Kid, produced by the latter, and features the band X Ambassadors. "Cannonball" is on FIFA 16 soundtrack, and was announced by The Independent. It received official digital release on September 25, 2015 "Cannonball" will support the US collaborative tour between Grey and X Ambassadors. The song sold around 25,000 digital copies in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X Ambassadors discography</span>

American rock band X Ambassadors has released four studio albums, five extended plays and 39 singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boom (X Ambassadors song)</span> 2019 song by X Ambassadors

"Boom" is a song by American rock band X Ambassadors. It was released as the lead single from their second studio album, Orion, on January 25, 2019.

"Hold You Down" is a song by American rock band X Ambassadors. It was released as the third single from their second studio album, Orion, on May 31, 2019.

References

  1. "X Ambassadors Keyboardist Casey Harris On New Album 'The Beautiful Liar,' Creating Music In The New Norm & Making Music Tech Accessible For All". www.grammy.com. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  2. "X-Ambassadors lose their minds as they strive to reclaim success on 'The Beautiful Liar'". The Cavalier Daily - University of Virginia's Student Newspaper. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  3. Paul, Larisha (2021-09-24). "X Ambassadors Release New Studio Album 'The Beautiful Liar,' Drop 'Beautiful Liar' Music Video". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  4. 1 2 Collar, Matt. "X Ambassadors – The Beautiful Liar Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic . Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 Wippsson, Johan (6 March 2022). "X Ambassadors – The Beautiful Liar | Reviews". Melodic . Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  6. THE BEAUTIFUL LIAR - Official Podcast Trailer , retrieved 2023-09-02
  7. Wiseman, Andreas (2021-09-21). "'Schitt's Creek' Star Emily Hampshire & Sam Nelson Harris Of Band X Ambassadors Team On Superhero Podcast". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-09-02.