Review #

LILYS... BETTER CAN'T MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER
(CHÉ/PRIMARY/ELEKTRA)

1996 is a prime year for classic pop albums and Lilys are here to add to the blissful melodic gluttony. Like the Olivia Tremor Control, this is an American band with an unflinching nod toward the historic UK pop of the Who, Kinks and Beatles. The album's immediate accessibility is almost frightening, teetering on the edge of the candy floss syndrome, with its abundance of fluffy and bright borrowed hooks. Luckily the album's execution is flawlessly immaculate with stunning vocal harmonies, walking guitar licks, clever arrangements and sing along songs that get stuck in your head like caramel corn in your teeth. On some of the more inventive tracks like "The Tennis System (and its Stars)" and the groovalicious "Daz En El Hogar," Lilys successfully delve into a Barrett-esque psychedelia currently practiced by Welsh band, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Another band that Lilys bring to mind is the Rutles, who incidentally also have a new/old release of cleverly resurrected riffs coming out soon. But let there be no mistake, the Lilys are even better than the Rutles. As we all know the Rutles were bigger than God, putting Lilys in pretty good company. -Ian Danzig

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