Lilys are an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

indie rock band formed in Washington, D.C in 1988. The only constant member is Kurt Heasley, with the line-up changing regularly. Several of the band's tracks have been used in television advertisements, including the band's biggest hit, "A Nanny In Manhattan", which reached No. 16 in the UK after being used in a Levi's advertisement directed by Roman Coppola.Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 836-837

Heasley collaborations and productions

Heasley has collaborated with other acts such as Nobody, appearing on the band's 2005 single "Fancy", a cover of the Kinks song,Mosurak, Doug (2005)
Still Single, Vol. 3
, ''Dusted'', 2005, retrieved 24 December 2009 and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, singing "Tschuss" on their 2003 album ''

And This Is Our Music ''...And This Is Our Music'' is the ninth studio album by The Brian Jonestown Massacre, released on October 7, 2003, on Tee Pee Records. It was re-released on A Records, packaged alongside the "If Love Is the Drug, Then I Want to O.D" single, and ...

''. He also contributed "effects" to Poole's "Snowcicle" on the band's ''Alaska Days'' album, and performed on Apples In Stereo's 1995 album ''Fun Trick Noisemaker'', and Neko Case's 2009 album ''

Middle Cyclone ''Middle Cyclone'' is the fifth studio album of American alternative country singer-songwriter Neko Case, released on March 3, 2009, on the ANTI- record label. Her first solo effort in three years, Case stated that "it took a very long time to m ...

''. He co-wrote the Twitch Hazel contributions to their 1997 split double-7-inch EP ''Kramer's Beach''. He has also produced recordings by other artists including The Asteroid#4 (''Apple Street: A Classic Tale Of Love And Hate'', ''King Richard's Collectibles''),

The Ladybug Transistor The Ladybug Transistor is a Brooklyn-based indie pop group associated with The Elephant Six Collective. History Started in 1995 by Gary Olson, Edward Powers and Javier Villegas, The Ladybug Transistor released '' Marlborough Farms'' the sa ...

, and Mazarin and co-engineered

Echo Orbiter Echo Orbiter is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, based indie rock band founded by brothers Justin Emerle and Colin Emerle, described by ''Philadelphia Weekly'' as being "Widely considered two of the most inventive songwriters on the Philadelphia ...

's ''Laughing All The While''.

Musical style

The band's music has shifted style several times in its history. The early recordings, including debut album ''In The Presence of Nothing'', were strongly influenced by My Bloody Valentine. They then moved through dream pop before settling on a new style that has been described as mod revival and a particularly strong influence from The Kinks, and other 1960s bands such as The Monkees and The Zombies leading to the 1996 album ''

Better Can't Make Your Life Better ''Better Can't Make Your Life Better'' is the 4th studio album by the American indie rock band, Lilys, released in 1996. Recording The album was recorded for the British label Ché and picked up by Elektra Records subsidiary Primary for release ...

'',Howard, Brian (2003)
A Man Up
", '' Philadelphia City Paper'', 22–28 May 2003, retrieved 23 December 2009Lewis, Catherine P. (2006)
Lilys ''Everything Wrong Is Imaginary''
, '' Washington Post'', February 3, 2006, retrieved 23 December 2009 Later releases included elements of

psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

and a return to their earlier shoegazing sound. The band have gained a reputation for sounding very similar to other artists and bands over the years, with Michael Sandlin of Pitchfork Media going as far as saying "You might say Lilys frontman Kurt Heasley is a world-class thief",Sandlin, Michael (1999)
Lilys ''The 3-Way''
", Pitchfork Media, April 20, 1999, retrieved 24 December 2009 but as one journalist put it "I know we're supposed to hate bands that sound too much like other bands, but the difference with the Lilys is that they do it so blatantly and so shamelessly that it's somehow rendered okay."Chang, Vickie (2006)
Sounds Just Like Awesome: 90s rockers the Lilys ripped off pretty much every band ever
, ''

OC Weekly ''OC Weekly'' was a free alternative weekly paper distributed in Orange County and Long Beach, California. OC Weekly was founded in September 1995 by Will Swaim, who acted as editor and publisher until 2007. The paper was distributed at coffee ...

'', July 6, 2006, retrieved 24 December 2009

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

described the band's sound as "amplified watercolors".Murray, Noel (1999)
Rock Steady: Three bands stay true to rock 'n' roll, with mixed results
, ''

Nashville Scene ''Nashville Scene'' is an alternative newsweekly in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1989, became a part of Village Voice Media in 1999, and later joined the ranks of sixteen other publications after a merger of Village Voice Media with ...

'', May 20, 1999, retrieved 23 December 2009

Discography

Albums

*''

In the Presence of Nothing ''In the Presence of Nothing'' is the debut studio album by American indie rock band Lilys, co-released in 1992 by Slumberland Records and SpinART. The album was written and recorded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The album's title is a dig at V ...

'' (1992), Slumberland *''

A Brief History of Amazing Letdowns ''A Brief History of Amazing Letdowns'' is a 1994 mini-album by the American indie rock band, Lilys, released on the SpinART label on 10-inch vinyl and CD.Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 836-7 The lead t ...

'' (1994) (10" mini album),

SpinART SpinART Records was a New York City-based independent record label that released recordings by The Apples in Stereo, Clem Snide, Black Francis, Frank Black, and Michael Penn. The label was started by Joel Morowitz and Jeff Price in 1991. SpinART ...

*''

Eccsame the Photon Band ''Eccsame the Photon Band'' is the second full-length 1994 album by the American indie rock band, Lilys, originally released on the spinART label. The album saw the band move towards dream pop. The notoriously nomadic Kurt Heasley refers to thi ...

'' (1994), SpinART, reissued in (2015),

Frontier Records Frontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Sun Valley, Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways. History Frontier Records first ...

*''

'' (1996), Che/Primary *''

The 3 Way ''The 3 Way'' is a 1999 album by the American indie rock band, Lilys. The album continued Lilys leader Kurt Heasley's 1960s rock influence, with Pitchfork Media's Michael Sandlin stating "Heasley's ransacking encompasses almost the entire styli ...

'' (1999),

Sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" a ...

*'' Zero Population Growth: Bliss Out Volume 15'' (1999), Darla *''

Precollection ''Precollection'' is a 2003 album by Lilys released by Manifesto Records. The album was recorded over two years by the band's only constant member Kurt Heasley with a new line-up of the band, which included producer Mike Musmanno on keyboards. The ...

'' (2003),

Manifesto A manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. A manifesto usually accepts a previously published opinion or public consensus or promotes a ...

, reissued in Europe with 3 bonus tracks as ''The Lilys'' (2004), Rainbow Quartz *''

Everything Wrong Is Imaginary ''Everything Wrong Is Imaginary'' is a 2006 album by Lilys, released on the Manifesto label. Background The album was written during a traumatic period in Lilys frontman Kurt Heasley's life; His partner disappeared after a psychotic episode and r ...

'' (2006), Manifesto

Singles/EPs

* "February Fourteenth/Threw A Day" (1991), Slumberland * "Tone Bender" (1993) * ''Tone Bender EP'' (1994), Summershine - first 2 singles re-released as EP * "Returns Every Morning" (1996), Ché * "A Nanny in Manhattan" (1996), Ché * ''Which Studies the Past?'' EP (1996),

Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...

* ''Services (For the Soon to Be Departed)'' EP (1997), Primary * "A Nanny in Manhattan" (1998), Ché ( UK No. 16) * ''Lilys/Aspera Ad Astra Split'' (2000), Tiger Style, split EP with

Aspera Ad Astra Aspera (initially Aspera Ad Astra) were an American indie rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. History Aspera formed in 1996 under the name Aspera ad Astra in Philadelphia, and released a 7" split with Haelah before issuing their deb ...

* ''Selected'' EP (2000), File 13 * ''Well Traveled Is Protest'' Lilys/Big Troubles Split 7" (2012), Speakertree Records

Compilation appearances

*"Any Several Sundays" appears on ''...One Last Kiss'' (CD) (1992), spinART Records *"Claire Hates Me" appears on ''Neapolitan Metropolitan'' (3 x 7-inch EP box set) (1992),

Simple Machines A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. In general, they can be defined as the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage (also called leverage) to multiply force. Usually the term refer ...

*"Excelsior Plainslide" appears on ''Ten Cent Fix - A Jiffy Boy Records Compilation'' (1993), Jiffy Boy Records *"Strange Feelin'" appears on ''Sing A Song For You: Tribute To Tim Buckley'' (2000), Manifesto *"Dreams Never End" appears on "Slumberland Records - The First 20 Years" (2009), Slumberland Records

References

External links

* {{Authority control Indie rock musical groups from Washington, D.C. Musical groups established in 1988 Rocket Girl artists Frontier Records artists Sire Records artists Elektra Records artists SpinART Records artists Low Transit Industries artists Darla Records artists