LILYS - Classic / Dud + Search / Destroy

Some of the through-composition on The 3-Way is ridiculously impressive; I think it let itself get written off as a pastiche record, but it had that great pastiche-record quality where having heavy inspiration lets you make something a million times more complex and ornate and ambitious than a lot of the stuff you're drawing on.

There's a song on Eccsame called "The Hermit Crab," which I listened to once on a listening station in 1996 or so. I didn't buy the record, but the song stuck with me enough that I spent years afterward trying to re-write it myself, a bit, from bad memory: I'd try and write a song something like this great song whose details I couldn't begin to remember. I dug the song up, recently, and it was a bit weird to listen to: every other hook, riff, or melody has some distorted misremembered cousin in songs I've written since then. (Even one three-word snippet of lyrics!) I suppose a decent amount of the original wound up embedded deep in my head, and kept coming out without my realizing it.

There's an unreleased song that can be downloaded from the lilys' myspace page called "The right thing to do." It's odd, and not a greatest hit or anything. After downloading it, I notice that it's already labeled as track #10, and now I wonder just how many other unreleased tracks there are. Hmmmm.

I can see Ned's complaints about their more-MBV sounding stuff. They aren't all that great at it

they were about as good at it as anyone else; consider the sliver of money they recorded that first album on and, sonically, how close it is to Loveless (and consider when it was recorded as well), that's impressive. Songwriting wise it doesn't match up but everything else is close enough in my book.

I still think Eccsame the Photon Band is better though

i am hoping the mythical pas/cal album will end up in the place where i wish the lilys had ended up after 'the 3-way'. the first song from the pas/cal album is very lilys, well from that time period.

what up bitches i still dig this can anybody recommend other 60s type ish with real memorable hooks that i can go live inside whenever i get tired of how fuckin b.s. rap in 09 is

lol this song always reminds me how i eff w/ these dudes

i heartily recommend outrageous cherry

I guess I never paid enough attention to their "indie rock" album Brief History of Amazing Letdowns. Suddenly it sounds awfully good.

Someone was playing "Ginger" at a bakery that I went to the other day, and jesus it's great! I saw a movie not long ago (Keeping Up With The Steins) that has "Any Place I've Lived" over the closing credits. Took me a while to realize who it was. Their stealth album?

Whoa I didn't realize somebody was talking about them so recently (relatively) on here. I found that album used in April or May and I love it. Its their most consistent of their early period (which I guess is easier since its their briefest) but yeah it hasn't aged one bit as far as I'm concerned.

i am otm all over this thread

Loves them Lilys.

'Better..' is a desert island record.

Why they never made it on that stupid Neu tribute disc is beyond me.

People who like really big sounding songs should do themselves a favor and listen to "Eskimo" off of the Tone Bender EP.

been listening to the 3-way a lot recently and loving it.

I tried that one, but I can't get behind it. Its not bad, but I just feel cheated by them cause its so opposite of the sound they had that I love. This problem would have been 90% solved if they just decided to go by a different band name when they went all Kinks-y.

Eccsame the Photon Band is pure nostalgia for me.
It may not be their most unique or consistent record, but it always pleases me.

Is Day Of The Monkey on that one? I love that song.

Its so great, but whenever I try to play it for (most) people I know, they seem bored. As an album, not for pop fans.

Day of the Monkey is on that one and it was the song I was listening to when I wrote the post.

To my ears it's inconsistent in sound and almost a little too low-key in places but I really love that album. It gets better with repeated listening.

Oh it also totally soundtracked my first sexual experience so that probably has something to do with my fondness for it.

Also I disagree with you Trip on the uniqueness. Definitely their most unique.

Yeah, I guess that makes sense, too.
Such a schizo band.

so weird that the 3-Way gets so much hate. sure its pastiche, but that is some of the best-written pastiche ever. the arrangements are just INSANE, packed with so much detail, tons of bizarre changes and chords all held together by a seemingly endless supply of memorable hooks. I don't think its their best and I like all their incarnations, just felt this album needed defending.

yeah I completely agree

also I saw this dude live a few months ago and it was quite possibly the worst show I've seen in a while

i think the 3 way is my favorite. haven't been able to get into eccsame, but i just heard it for the first time in the last year or so, and i was into better and 3 way when they came out.

I don't hate the 3-Way, but I love the early stuff sooo much that 3-Way is a betrayal, regardless of its quality on its own.

band doesn't owe you anything FYI

Haha I know, I didn't mean it that way. I really just can't get enough of their earlier sound. Again I don't dislike the later stuff.

funnily enough the only songs that worked live for me were one off of amazing letdowns

ones

anyone have mp3s of the Which Studies The Past? 7" they'd like to share?

also interested in the better-era b-sides, touch the water and more than that is deserved

the 2nd of 'better' with the blue cover has those 2 b-sides on it, i'm sure that's probably hanging round the blogs somewhere

i did have the 'studies' mp3s but they were such a poor rip i deleted them, sorry... i need to rip my own copy but that will probably happen shortly after the loveless reissue comes out

2nd issue of 'better'

might be able to help you out, mizzy. let me take a peak when i get home. you have both versions of "better" too?

I've been listening to 'Better' for years and it vexes me that I still don't know exactly why there are two versions, I even asked Kurt once.

isn't it plus orchestration or something? i don't think i've ever heard the second version of better. is it worth it iyo?

There's different tracks, additional instruments and production. You should check out both.

It's more the why than the what that has piqued me all these years.

oh ok, thanks

well there's that second version of precollection w/different production and extra songs...confusing

also what was his response when you asked him about it?

Ah well, it was in a very noisy club, I was DJ'ing/trying to concentrate and I was kinda drunk and he's so frigging tall and I was a bit overwhelmed really, so I can't really remember.

Okay, I have located my 4 CD copies of Lilys' Better Can't Make Your Life Better:
1) US edition #1 on Primary/Elektra (tracks #10-11 = The Sammael Sea/Returns Every Morning)
2) JP edition #1 on east/west Japan with bonus: Welfare Murder Plot/Baby's A Dealer (aka Who Studies The Past? subpop single of the month)
3) UK edition #2 on Che (remixed with strings, bassoon, bass harmonica, etc.), tracks #10-12 = Touch The Water*/Returns Every Morning/More Than That Is Deserved
*Apples In Stereo cover
4) JP edition #2 again on east/west Japan with bonus tracks which look like it is the Services For The Soon To Be Departed EP tacked on.

2) JP edition #1 on east/west Japan with bonus: Welfare Murder Plot/Baby's A Dealer (aka Who Studies The Past? subpop single of the month)

welp there's one for the wishlist

cover arts:
1-2 have the pink/blue hand diamonds on peachy/yellow background
3-4 have the red/yellow hands on ocean blue back ground

Would love to hear those tracks on the first two.

y'all want #2 then? I can U/L the full CD and then just the last 2 songs.

pls pls

yes would like to hear those! had no idea this record was so complicated.

me too, thanks!

TY!