Having been enamored with “Common Mistake,” the bleak but bouncing debut single from LA-based The Bad Years, the duo of Sami Akbari and Aaron Mort do not disappoint on Beautiful Liar, their debut EP to be released on 12 May.
Finding a happy medium between the indie-pop of Akbari’s former guise sami.the.great and the guitar-heavy Stone Foxes of which Mort was a founding member, Beautiful Liar‘s four songs use guitar liberally, creating atmosphere around the EP’s romantic discord and discourse as on the hooky title track and the wavering “Pieces.” Used to destroy the gauzy peace of the Carpenters-esque “Giving Up,” Mort’s guitar pairs with flurrying synths on the skipping closer “After Me.”
By toying with sound, The Bad Years bypass any sense of atonement, delivering a rare pop combination of style and substance.
Stream Beautiful Liar in its entirety below and pre-order the EP via Bandcamp.
