An Eclectic Renaissance

Change has always been a key characteristic of Lily’s music even when chief Lily (and only permanent member) Kurt Heasley started the project back in those murky Grunge days of 1991. Those who kept up with this Philadelphia native’s musical moods have watched him genre-hop, successfully and unsuccessfully. After an extended hiatus, a new Lilys line-up has helped Heasley create his best album in years: the laid-back and assorted Everything Wrong is Imaginary. Oddly enough, it took the help of Michael Musmanno, an acclaimed Hip Hop producer with credits that include Outkast, to usher in the next Lilys Renaissance.

The opening track “Black Carpet Magic” finds Heasley combining Krautrock rhythms with spacey synths, phased-out guitars, and airy vocals. “A Diana’s Diana” is quite a departure from past endeavors with its hypnotic Euro-Disco beats and heavy funk groove. “Knocked On the Fortune Tellers Door” and “Where the Night Goes” see Heasley returning to the world of late 80’s and early 90’s Shoegaze Rock. The former is a slow, and drifting tune that would not have been out of place on Lily’s own 1995 masterpiece Eccsame the Photon Band. The latter is dark and textural, playing in stark contrast with the best Heasley song in years, “The Night Sun Over San Juan.” Sounding like a culmination of all past musical expeditions, the track is a breezy, whimsical tune with intoxicating hook.

On past Lily’s albums, Kurt Heasley has tackled past genres whole-heartedly, with a focused musical direction. However, this time, within Musmanno’s playful production, he has revitalized his Lily’s project with an eclectic album that never tries too hard to hit its mark.