Liars

Unfortunately, the overwhelming glut of new releases tends to overshadow the finer offerings by more obscure, experimental musicians. But Liars, the Berlin-via-New-York-based noise outfit, has proven itself a formidable sub-genre force in the international scene. On the evidence of the album’s cymbal-crashing opener, “Plaster Casts of Everything,” and its closer, “Protection,” and, actually, everything in between, the Liars’ latest sounds like an essential collectible. Whether it’s misguided genius or simply dumb luck, this energetic trio has stumbled upon a sound that lies somewhere between raucous punk and introspective rock. They’re just now finishing up a tour with fellow New Yorkers Interpol, and one can only wonder how the pairing has worked. Not that the Liars would even give a damn.