Green to Think is fundamentally a one-man band, consisting of singer/songwriter Steven Piperno and a few friends who pitch in occasionally. A homemade album half in the mildly depressive vein of bedsit indie rockers of the
Elliott Smith variety and half in a more upbeat mood somewhat akin to
the Shins or
Modest Mouse,
Liar Like Me rarely transcends those comparisons. On the other hand, it doesn't embarrass them, either. Piperno's everyman vocal quality is a reminder of the album's low-key circumstances, but he's a surprisingly adept songwriter with a particular knack for surging choruses and smartly deployed key changes. The lyrics are on the somber side without falling into the emo trap of petulant whininess; indeed, this is an album that's impressively mature about its emotions while maintaining a good old-fashioned indie rock kick.