Lillydale: The Art Of Becoming Ones Own Shadow

Following up on the release of their impressive EP, Lillydale have returned with an album that is precious, sparse, gorgeous and damn near any other adjective that is positive. An Americana Snow Patrol might be too narrow a comparison, but a song like “Wind Chimes” comes to life instantly and grows into the joyous, life-affirming noise. They return to this later on with “Lightning Lanterns”, which is a tad more plodding but just as stellar. Meanwhile, things are toned down slightly for the tight and lovely “Broken Stereos”. While things are altered for the dance-rock of “Pollywog” with mixed results, “Here We Go (Again)” proves they can also change gears without much hassle, a la a roots-y version of Luna. The only song where things don’t quite gel immediately is the moody “Glassed Candies” that then breaks out into some retro Brit rock contraption. The album’s sleeper pick could be “Promise Insincere”, which has a certain Arcade Fire vibe going on.