Photo by Kristy Benjamin
Following the release of their 2019 EP, I Can Fool Anyone In This Town, Californian four-piece Liily became an undeniable force amid their local scene, adding their name to the LA Hall of Fame next to regular front-runners in the crowd who frequent The Smell. With a hit single (“Toro”) and a number of countrywide legs under their belts, they slowly got more and more listeners hooked on the unique sound they’d established early on, one characterized by vocalist Dylan Nash’s ability to ease from brooding undertones into sharp-edged yelps, guitarist Sam De La Torre and bassist Charlie Anastasis’ electric synergy, and drummer Maxx Morando’s skill beyond his years.
In spite of their already well-established sonic template, however, Liily have spent the past few years — and particularly, their time in isolation over lockdown — in a state of creative overload, working hard to bring their long-awaited debut LP to life, with motivations to create something unlike anything they’ve ever released before. Holistically, their process of gradually adding new sounds, skills, and ideas to their growing stockpile of odds-and-ends has finally resulted in the conception of said debut full length, TV or Not TV (due October 22nd via Flush Records/The Orchard), with its first single “I Am Who I Think You Think I Am” bursting onto the scene today.
Without leaving a moment to spare “I Am Who I Think You Think I Am” propels forward with a pulsing, fuzzy bassline as thick as molasses, which weaves in and out of Nash’s smooth but raw and utterly eerie vocals, delivered in a subdued villain-esque manner. Vaguely channelling the many post-punk-leaning tracks coming from overseas, built off sheer instrumental aggression and guitar-smashing breakdowns, this single clearly has its fair share of intensity, too, but it exists in a league of its own all the same. Its combination of marching drums, distorted riffery, and buzzing feedback make Liily’s notoriety back home all the more deserved.
Above all, though, what has consistently drawn listeners to Liily is their truly attention-pulling charisma, their unapologetic grit, and their creative spirit, qualities that prevail still today. Take the music video that accompanies this new single (directed by De La Torre), for example — in it, the band construct their own version of a suburban monster movie, in which certain chaos unfolds when a strange, alien-like being emerges from inside the protagonist. As evidenced here, one thing Liily knows how to do is get the gears in their listeners’ heads turning, and if a video could provoke smoke to pour out of one’s ears, this one certainly would.
While TV or Not TV is described as a slight step away from the laurels a Liily of three-ish years ago rested on, its emblematic of a Liily that has endured change, but in the healthiest of ways. Via “I Am Who I Think You Think I Am,” the very first inkling of the change that lies ahead comes into view, and instead of provoking feelings of disappointment or foreboding, it leaves a lingering sense of intrigue. Through moments of clear-cut creative control and masterful production, it’s all-around evident that the group have taken the time to hone their craft over the last few years, but have also still stayed true to their unique aesthetic, remaining unafraid to fly off the handle at a moment’s notice. It’s no doubt that what they’ve been working on is going to strengthen the case in favor of their Hall of Fame position, and I’m beyond excited to hear more, lest I be murdered by one of De La Torre’s claymation creatures first.
