Recordings
Album Reviews
(Released on A Line Records/Cargo 10th September 2012)
UBER ROCK
Regulars on the London underground rock/goth scene it seems, Lilygun
are gaining a reputation on the live circuit and have a growing and
loyal following. The brainchild of singer/songwriter Anna-Christina,
they have suffered several line up changes and various problems on
the journey to the release of this, their debut album, a follow up
to the 'Peace Of Mind' EP released in 2010. Co-produced by Anna and
drummer Belle Star, Bass duties are handled by Aaron John and Glunk
Rock fans may be interested to note that Rachel Stamp's David Ryder
Prangley lovingly strokes the bass strings on this album as well.
Things begin well with the opening metallic strains of 'Sunlight Dream',
walls of distortion, a screeching guitar note here and there, nice
background vocals and the unmistakable tones of Anna-Christina from
the off. Siouxsie & The Banshees spring to mind immediately, and the
sweet, driving bass and subtle gothic undertones layered here for
all to discover make a promising mix. Anna's classical/theatre roots
rear their head throughout, and with a short but sweet guitar solo
it's a fine song and a great opener. It's clear that Lilygun are one
of those bands that create atmospheric music, so it's interesting
to note that next track 'Peace Of Mind' reminds me of early '90s crusties
Back To The Planet, driving indie beats replace gothic atmospherics
here, and maybe Lilygun are not one trick ponies after all.
The atmospheric 'Moonlight' rides along on effect ridden guitars and
keeps the goth vibes flowing; now this is a great sounding tune, pure
laid back, gothic and full of depth. It does take the listener places
for sure. Nice vocal harmonies here, rich and warm subtle guitars
gently caress their way through the melody, it builds beautifully
to a natural conclusion and it feels like a good trip has been taken.
The more rock orientated 'Excuses' riffs it up a touch and 'Conversations'
is an interesting track with its weird almost tribal vocal eccentricities
in the verse and its more metallic riffage make for a more diverse
track that keeps the interest levels set at high. Closer 'Diamonds'
is an atmospheric groove, again in a Siouxsie vein it flows nicely
with great layered vocal harmonies and is a fitting end to an album
that sure has its moments.
Overall it's a fairly laid back album, hints of Goth royalty like
The Cure and Siouxsie & The Banshees are prevalent throughout. Effect
ridden guitars litter the album like bats in a belfry, heaps of delay,
chorus and the addition of classical styled vocals give a pure gothic
feel for sure. Well written and played, it deals in atmospheric gothic
tuneage, there are hints of aggression but the distortion is kept
minimal. The name 'Lilygun' suggests a contrast between beauty and
darkness, or light and shade. Lilygun make a promising start with
their debut album, we always like a bit of Goth here at Uber Rock
so let's hope they can raise the bar and show us what Lilygun are
really capable of. [Ben Hughes
2012]
EGL MAGAZINE
This month, London rock band Lilygun released their debut self-titled
album. Having won the hearts of their home town through live appearances,
radio play and magazine reviews, including Time Out and Devolution
Magazine, their debut album follows a string of singles and their
EP 'Peace of Mind'. Lilygun was formed by vocalist, guitarist and
songwriter Anna-Christina, whose mix of a classical music and theatrical
background creates a unique blend of aggressive, edgy rock. Drummer
Belle Star joined the band in 2008, and in 2011 guitarist James Ford
completed the current line-up and work on the album began. In late
2005, just before the launch of the band, Anna-Christina suffered
a brain haemorrhage which left her fighting for her life and subsequently
put her whole future on hold. She says "People told me I wouldn't
be able to continue my career as a musician but I was determined to
prove them wrong", and after an amazing recovery and years of hard
work to get her life back on track, Lilygun finally became the entity
she had hoped for.
While the band's name began as just two words put together, it has
grown with the band, taking on meaning and becoming a representation
of the contradictions within the band and their music - beauty and
darkness, aggression and fragility. The album's first song, 'Sunlight
Dream', demonstrates this with its classic rock opening fading into
something far more melodic, modern and edgy. Anna-Christina's voice
is both unique and unexpected, pulling a gentle melody over an instrumental
that draws from a mix of classical music, modern punk and 80s stadium
rock. It's difficult to put your finger on exactly what Lilygun is,
with gentle ballads like 'My Ways' and 'Moonlight' cropping up in
between heavier rock and punk anthems. They certainly live up to Anna-Christina's
desire to create "a band free from rules, fashion trends and the common
trappings of most rock bands. Something different." While to some
the album may seem a little incohesive, this gathering together of
the different facets of Lilygun is their charm, their selling point.
It's about changing the rules halfway through, not just song by song,
but within the tracks themselves. Lilygun is a band that like to pull
the rug out from under their listeners' feet. The album only hints
at the intensity this band could create live; it's a tease, a promise
of better things, an album that will leave you on the hunt for tickets
to see them play live. Lilygun know how to lead their listeners, drawing
them intimately close before hitting them hard with a punk riff or
two. Lilygun's debut album is an insight into just what they can do,
varied and exciting, it clearly sets them up as one to watch. [Keller
2012]
ROCK REVIEWS 24/7
Their melodic, hard rock sound often comes across as dark but for
the most part Lilygun are producing fairly decent quality rock music
with some surprises across the way. The heavy hitting Sunlight Dream
starts things off before the groove tinged Peace of Mind weaves it’s
way in and out of itself; twisting and turning as it creates a powerful
yet harmonic melody. Anna-Christina’s vocals are haunting at times
but it’s used at an advantage – especially on the almost operatic
My Ways, which is spine chilling. Excuses packs a punch while Conversations
brings back some of the groove tinged bass riffs that Lilygun proved
they were so good at. However, Lilygun have really saved the best
until last – previously released Scum still sounds awesome and
while Diamonds may not have as much power behind it as it’s
predecessor, it sees the record out on a high note. Lilygun have made
a mixed bag of a record – there’s no in-between here.
[Michael Heming 2012]
RUSH ON ROCK
Escaping the genre trap with consummate ease, Lilygun’s self-titled
debut deals in freedom of expression and a feast of guitar-driven
emotion dredged from the depths of London’s underground live music
scene. On opener Sunlight Dreams singer Anna-Christina sounds uncannily
like Geddy Lee on the latest Rush album and there’s no escaping the
prog-tinged power of this band’s best work. But the folksy, brooding
acoustica of My Ways drops things down a notch or two – allowing Lilygun
virgins their first real opportunity to judge the voice of Anna-Christina
in full bloom. On the whole, it’s a beautiful sound. Impossible to
pigeon-hole and yet easy to admire, Lilygun could be the shot in the
arm British rock is searching for. [8/10
Gun-Ho]
ROOMTHIRTEEN.COM
Gunning for Glory - To those that have previously crossed paths with
Lilygun, this debut album has been eagerly anticipated - if not long
overdue. To all those who have not yet come across Lilygun, it will
be a very pleasant introduction. The self titled album has taken its
time to come to life but as the old saying going, good things come
to those that wait and Lilygun fits perfectly in that bracket. There
have been many debut albums that bring you that "wow" factor and Lilygun
is right up there with the best. With only 8 tracks on the album you
may be forgiven to question are you getting value for money but when
you find out that the shortest track lasts for 4 minutes you suddenly
realise you are getting more music than most 12 track albums. Although
at 7 quid it would be very hard to complain about the price either
way. And that is the nearest I can get to for a negative comment for
the entire album. Lilygun have always been about creating their own
sound, doing their own thing and it works. The songs are atmospheric,
played brilliantly but above all sung to perfection by front woman
Anna-Christina. Each song beautifully tells a story with genuine heartfelt
and intelligent lyrics. Moonlight and My Ways being perfect example
of the atmospheric feel while opener Sunlight Dream and Excuses showcase
the rockier side. One good thing about debut albums is that you can
put any of your back catalogue on it, no matter how old. That is the
case with Diamonds, which we first reviewed as a single way back in
2008 and, along with the sinister Conversations, we are more than
delighted to see them make an appearance here. They have matured nicely
with age too fitting in with new tracks. Finally, Lilygun are getting
the attention and recognition from the music industry for all their
qualities and hard work. About bloody time too. [13/13
Neil Richardson 2012]
LOUD-STUFF
It seems like an age ago that we first featured Lilygun, but looking
back on it we were blown away by the bands ability to combine a technical
approach with a mass appeal sound, resulting in something which will
appeal to fans of all sorts of music. As a result of this sound, the
band recently signed a deal with Cargo Records, meaning they’re now
on the first rung of the ladder, heading towards getting the attention
which they deserve. They were kind enough to whack me over a copy
of their new album before I went away, so I took some serious time
checking it out, listening to it over and over again, and really trying
to break it apart in my mind. Whilst simple sounding at first, there’s
a serious edge to things – but allow me to explain!
Sunlight Dream gets things going, immediately setting the tone with
a rocky, blues like riff underpinned by a solid drumline and soaring
lead guitar, the whole mix forming something which immediately grabs
your attention and pulls you in. As the soft and melodic vocals are
ushered in the mix continues to develop, forming into an almost Alice
In Chains like sound, combining different levels of vocals with different
backing elements, the tone roving between hard hitting and melodic
intricacies. Couple these intricacies with a real sense of catchiness
and power and what you’ve got is a sound which is going to appeal
to the masses, a sound which is going to impact hard on those that
hear it and a sound which is going to propel these guys into the limelight.
Peace Of Mind follows much the same conventions, this time opening
in a far more restrained manner to allow the different elements of
the band to each have their own say in the mix, it’s a mix which allows
you to hear everything and fully take it in. Catchy once again, this
track marks a serious highpoint on the album, and a track which I
wouldn’t be surprised to see coming out as a single.
My Ways slows everything down for a moment, pulling back from the
powerful approach initially and simply offering up an acoustic guitar
line accompanied by the soft and soothing vocal lines of Anna Christina.
This contrast pushes this track to a whole new level, once again demonstrating
the bands understanding of the more technical side of their sound,
as well as how to organise the tracks on an album in order to gain
maximum impact from them. Personally, this is one of my favourite
tracks from the album, the track progressing from soft through to
hard hitting and offering up a guitar solo of epic proportions, the
whole mix forming a track which again, I wouldn’t be surprised to
see as a single, it’s an incredibly accomplished piece of work and
one which the band should be damn pleased with. Following on with
Moonlight (see below), the album continues its melodic and powerful
journey, moving on to Excuses to once again show of their more raucous
side. Hard hitting from the word go, this track is a transportation
back to the earlier moments of the album where the more rock orientated
side of the band was on display. Still managing to combine their hard
hitting approach with a real sense of melody, the dark and melodic
approach of the track roves between grunge like guitar moments and
more refined, laid back elements simply focusing on the soft and almost
haunting vocal lines.
Following on with Conversations, the theme of technical ability continues,
this time offering up an off piste guitar and drum combination combined
with an almost spat vocal line. The chilled out approach combined
with the technical side of the band once again stands this track out,
almost showcasing the abilities within the band and showing that they’re
not afraid to do their own thing, take their own path and explore
their own means of creating music. Catchy once again, this is the
sort of track which is going to realise its full potential on the
live scene, crafting a sound which is going to satisfy the appetites
of eager fans and convert new ones to the band. Once again contrasting
things with the introduction of Scum, the sound reverts to a more
laid back approach once again, accentuating the sound of the vocals
with a soft and melodic guitar line. Despite this soft approach, there’s
also a real sense of darkness flowing through the opening moments
of this track, almost as if to show there’s a lot of anger built up
in the introduction. As the track breaks and the chorus kicks in then
the true power of the track is realised, once again offering us a
catchy chorus underpinned by a real sense of a message, almost as
if the band have used this track to say something they wanted to get
across, and they’ve done it damned well.
Closing the album with Diamonds it’s almost as if the lovely people
in Lilygun saved another high point for the final moments, closing
as it began with a track which will stand out and connect with old
and new fans alike. Soft as it opens, there’s a real sense that this
is going to be a hard hitting track as it grows around you, the guitar
urging you to listen harder whilst the mix builds up around it. The
result, a track which is dark, haunting, melodic, powerful and once
again, incredibly well accomplished. It’s hard to pick fault with
a track this good, and as the album comes to a close there’s only
one thought left – why isn’t there more to listen to?! What’s most
striking about the album from Lilygun is how they’ve combined a real
sense of catchiness with their technical approach to things, combining
their signature sound with an almost mainstream like quality, something
which will stand them out as more than a simple rock band. This ability,
and the resulting sound is what makes this such a stand out album,
and one which I have a feeling is going to do remarkably well once
it’s in the public domain from the 10th of September. If you only
ever listen to one album we review, then make it this one – believe
me when I say it’s worth your while!
[Dave Nicholls 2012]
NANOBOT ROCK REVIEWS
Allow me to preface this with a warning – there will likely be some
gushing. You see, few bands in recent memory have grabbed my attention
like London rockers Lilygun. As a rule, I make a habit of listening
to an album the whole way through, making a few mental notes as I
go, before putting pen to paper in writing a proper review. With this
recording, perhaps more than any other, I had to wipe the slate clean
with each song. Three songs in, I simply stopped trying to define
or categorize this band and instead just let it be heard. There is
so much depth to this record, school children should make wishes and
throw coins at it. It’s dark and cerebral, it’s moody and pensive,
it’s operatic and it rocks balls. Musically, there is an evident solid
chemistry with gorgeous bass lines by Aaron John and David Ryder Prangley
and drummer Belle Star laying down the foundation for massive orchestral
highs and magnificently simple lows. Add to this a deliciously balanced
mix of guitar sounds, ranging from haunting background growls to full
bore wall-o’-sound solos that make me want to strap on leather and
Doc Martin’s and destroy something (I’m more tame these days, so I
just ripped the tag off of a mattress… but it STAYED ripped…).
Tracks like “Peace of Mind” and “Excuses” are great examples of what
makes Lilygun so… well, so Lilygun. Both so groove laden they verge
on playful at times, each have such great and distinct ‘hook’ on the
chorus you’ll have it in your head for hours. “Peace of Mind,” in
particular, features a guitar solo from James Ford that – I promise
you – you’ll rewind to listen to at least a few times. Further adding
to the mix, the lyrics on “Excuses” I found to be a full-bore permission
slip to speak my mind and give the world my own brand of hell. Among
my favorite tracks is “Conversations.” Gritty, and almost 3 dimensional
in the layering of sound, this has guitars that sound like they are
right next to you one moment and across an auditorium the next phrase.
Screeching like a banshee and growling like a caged tiger, this is
the song I’ll be putting on every road tripping mix I make for the
next five years, minimum. Oh, but wait – Then there is the tour-de-force
that IS Anna-Christina. With song writing chops that, for me, rival
those of the great Tori Amos, she is certain to be a force to be reckoned
with. The heart and soul of Lilygun, her vocals help push these songs
to places the music can’t quite reach. At times, she sings sweet and
lilting like a gospel choir, and moments later, I expect her to be
kicking my door in and barking orders. I liken her, with great admiration,
to the amazing Cassandra Ford (The Vincent Black Shadow). This is
not to mention the fact that she is one of the most gorgeous bad-ass
rocker women I’ve ever seen (side note: Anna-Christina; A.C. If I
may – On the odd chance you are into slightly pudgy music reviewer
types in their early thirties with more useless musical knowledge
than will ever be practical and who live halfway across the world…
look me up! *gives wink and gun*)
The closing song on this record is “Diamonds” – which is so fittingly
melodic and almost anthem-like it could be placed nowhere else on
the disc. Such a great album the whole way through, I can’t imagine
a better way to wind it down. If I ever get the chance to see them
live, you better believe I will. Where Lilygun goes from here is anyone’s
guess, but I believe they can write their own ticket with offerings
of this quality. It deserves to be heard, so do yourself a favor and
crank this one…loud.
[Kevin 2012]
MUSIC RIOT
It’s hard to believe that this is the debut Lilygun album because
it’s so self-assured. It stands up to repeated listening, and even
rewards it. The band has released 2 singles so far this year and both
feature on this first album, but more about both of those later. This
is a set of songs written by the band’s dynamic and charismatic singer,
Anna-Christina, demonstrating such variety that it’s difficult to
pin the sound down to 1 genre; there are elements of punk, metal,
riot grrrl, Goth and even hints of early English folk. We’ve had it
on constant repeat here at Riot Towers for a couple of weeks now and
it still sounds great.
I love it when an album blows you away from the first notes of the
first song and the Lilygun debut does exactly that. “Sunlight Dream”
(an “Inception” reference, perhaps) blasts in with drums, big grungy
guitar chords and howling lead guitar slipping into nice clean, strummed
chords underpinned by drums and a rhythmic bass figure before a multi-tracked
vocal refrain leads up to the first verse; and that’s just the intro.
This is an album that rewards you for listening to the tracks in the
right order. The songs are all strong enough to stand alone, but hearing
them in sequence creates a clear narrative flow.
The first pair of songs introduces us to the powerless outsider with
“Peace of Mind” building from a tribal drum pattern through a couple
of verses to a blazing chorus and a typically blistering guitar solo.
“My Ways” moves the narrative on to insight into the loner’s situation
before “Moonlight” starts to reveal a glimmer of a positive outcome.
“Excuses” is the first sign of a reaction to the loner’s situation
and a clear message about taking responsibility for our actions. “Conversations”
takes a step backwards into negative emotions before the 2 songs which
bring the album and the narrative to a positive conclusion.
“Scum” was the first song from the album to be released this year
and it’s a huge anthem, playing to the group’s strengths with quiet
verses interspersed with a huge chorus which is built around a massive
descending guitar run and the song’s big message :”There’s no need
to be a victim of negativity”. The final song “Diamonds” brings the
journey to its end with the beginning of a relationship and another
very clear lyrical message: “Don’t let your past decide who you are”.
It’s all very well telling a good story but the music has to enhance
the story as well and this is where Lilygun have absolutely aced it.
You won’t find a one-dimensional or one-idea song here; they all fizz
with musical ideas and great playing. The arrangements squeeze every
last drop out of a fairly traditional line-up of 2 guitars, bass and
drums (with the odd touch of strings and multi-tracked vocals) and
create a huge dynamic range across the album. I know it’s unfair to
single out any particular contribution but James Ford’s guitar work
is really powerful and took me back to the early days of Skunk Anansie
and the brilliant Ace. This is a great first album from an original
and inventive band and I haven’t heard anything else this year to
surpass this in terms of raw power and dynamic range; they’ve been
on the horizon for a while now and this should be the breakthrough.
This is a great album. Buy the CD and listen to all the tracks in
the right order; I can’t wait to see them live.
[Allan McKay 2012]
RAVENHEART MUSIC
I have known about this London based quartet for a wee while now,
and I have been updated over the past months by their front girl Anna-Christina
regards single releases etc. And I tell you what, Anna-Christina is
not just a pretty face fronting a rock band, she also writes the music,
co produces it (with drummer Belle Star - ex Lahannya) and plays guitar.
This band is going places, no doubt about it and I strongly suggest
that radio stations and festival organisers start checking them out
now! The band deliver 8 tracks of Rock music that brims with attitude
and melody. Just check out the chorus on the awesome 'Peace of Mind'
- great song. 'My Way' has a kinda Snow Patrol feel to it, while the
track and second single 'Moonlight' is a slow to mid paced number,
with a quiet verse building up to a crescendo in the chorus (most
of the tracks here adopt this style), and is another great tune. Actually,
this is one of my faves in-fact together with 'Conversations' and
first single 'Scum'. To be honest though, I like everything that is
on this album - enough said. To summarise, Lilygun is a guitar based
Rock Band with an awesome vocalist that is deserving of one's attention.
And I must add that Anna-Christina is also a very courageous lass,
when she triumphed over tragedy after her life was almost cut short,
when suffering from a Subarachnoid Brain Haemorrhage at the end of
2005. This record is well recommended from the Ravenheart team here
at the towers in Kidderminster when it gets released on 27th August,
but firstly, why not visit their Facebook here.
[Dave 2012]
GLOBAL METAL APOCALYPSE
Billed to be the next big rock act coming from the streets of London,
this is Lilygun with their sensational debut album 'Lilygun'. Playing
straight-edge rock with enough attitude to rock anyone's socks, the
female-fronted quartet explode with the sounds of Alice In Chains,
The Cure and Smashing Pumpkins in tow, there is no reason to why this
band should not make and break the barriers and perhaps land themselves
on national radio. With this valiant effort, we could very see them
becoming a potential household name at festivals like Download, it's
just a matter of time and you will never waste any time in checking
this lot out, this is going to be big.
[(9.5) Rhys Stevenson 2012]
Moonlight Single Reviews
(Released on Zeff Music 30th April 2012)
LOUD-STUFF
Drawing influence from the likes of life, love, hate, politics, religion
and alcohol, this promises to be a band you can’t afford to miss!
They chucked us their track Moonlight, to see what we thought of things.
There’s something haunting about the opening of Moonlight, matching
the title of the track in the initial sound as the soft vocals sooth
over you, the backing music grows and the feeling of depth increases.
Sounding like a hybrid of modern and old school rock, the depth which
these guys have achieved is quite frankly astonishing, crafting a
sound which is both soothing and powerful, mighty and somehow intricate
– it’s a mix which is going to pull you in from the off. Throwing
in elements to keep the track alive from synth to distorted guitar
lines, it’s a constant barrage of different approaches throughout
this track, all working together to form the over all sound and not
allowing you a moment to question why – not that you need to. Honestly,
I fail to come up with anything that I would change about this track,
it’s perfect as far as I can make out……it’s just one of those tracks
that immediately stands out as one which you know you’re going to
like. I remember being about 13 years old, cycling home in the dark
and listening to Guns N Roses Estranged. There’s a moment on that
track where the guitars take on an atmospheric tone and everything
seems to calm and fade around you, almost enveloping you in serenity
and making you feel that all that matters is you, the music, and what
you can see – that’s what this track does. Lilygun have managed to
craft a sound which combines rock and ambience, hard and soft, good
and evil almost – and made it work. If there’s one band you go on
to check out this week then make it these guys, as I can promise you’ll
go back to them time and time again.
[Dave Nicholls 2012]
MUSIC RIOT
OK, I’ll start with the facts. “Moonlight” is the second single from
the upcoming debut Lilygun album and it’s out this week. The band,
fronted by singer/songwriter/guitarist Anna-Christina, has been building
up a loyal following on the London live circuit and it sounds like
they’re ready to reach a wider audience. It’s not easy to categorise
Lilygun; there are a lot of diverse elements in the mix and they don’t
really fit easily into any scene, so I’ll just try to tell you a bit
about the song. “Moonlight” opens with clinically clean guitar arpeggios
followed by equally shiny single overlaid guitar notes, then a breathy,
ethereal vocal. From here onwards, the verse builds steadily towards
a chorus underpinned by the dirtiest, most distorted guitar sound
this side of Swedish death metal; and then back to the clean sound
again for the next verse. It would be easy to fall into goth-by-numbers
territory with this formula; the difference here is that it’s a great
song and a very powerful vocal performance from Anna-Christina. The
song goes through another couple of cycles (echoing the cycles of
the moon?) before winding down with a smattering of picked guitar
notes reverberating into the distance. As a single, “Moonlight” works;
it’s dynamic and melodic and when it’s over you want to hear it again.
As a taster for the album, again, it works perfectly. After hearing
this, I can’t wait to hear the album and the live shows are looking
like a pretty good bet as well. And if you don’t want to take my word
for it, you can watch and listen for yourself here “Moonlight” and
find out more about the band here Lilygun. Enjoy.
[Allan McKay 2012]
PENNYBLACKMUSIC
Lilygun almost didn’t happen. Their singer and guitarist Anna-Christina
had a brain haemorrhage at the tail end of 2005, and was lucky to
survive. At one point she was told she would be unable to make music
again. Thankfully Anna-Christina, however, made a full recovery, and
first formed Lilygun as far back as 2007. Since then the London-based
hard rock band has had several false starts, releasing two singles
and an EP, but being hampered by personnel problems and changes. While
the position of bass player remains a revolving door, Lilygun’s line-up
has now stabilised to include Belle, who has held the position of
drummer and percussionist since 2008, and lead guitarist James Ford
who joined the group last year. The group’s first single in their
new line-up, ‘Scum’, which came out in January, showed off a band
of astonishing vitality. ‘Scum’, in which the operatic-voiced Anna-Christina
cajoled a ground down friend not to give up on himself (“There is
no need to be a victim of negativity”), adopted the “quiet/loud” sound
beloved of so many noisy guitar bands. The loud parts, all grinding
guitars and thunderous vocals, proved that here was a band that could
rock hard with the best of them. It was, however, the quieter parts
that were in many ways more interesting. They revealed that here also
was a group of real subtlety, featuring strong interplay between Anna-Christina
and Ford, and closing with a gorgeous long fade-out in which their
guitars softly, seductively spiralled around each other. With an album
promised for later that year, ‘Moonlight’, the line-up’s second single,
builds on that subtlety. At over five minutes long, a minute longer
than ‘Scum’, it is slower to build up towards a crescendo. “Don’t
pretend that you don’t see the difference/Don’t pretend that you don’t
notice,” Anna-Christina drawls dreamily, maybe looking back at the
Lilygun of then and the Lilygun of now, Meanwhile we get more of those
stunning guitar effects, alluringly echoing and shimmering ever upwards.
Lilygun have with this second single in this line-up released one
of the most beautiful-sounding singles of the year. [John
Clarkson 2012]
BEAROCKR.IN
Having released their second single called 'Moonlight', the band is
working on releasing their debut EP later this year itself! Listening
to the song, it begins with a soothing plucking intro backed by some
really pleasant vocals that sets your mood right in the 'midnight'
mode where you put on your headphones and raise the volume by a leap
to get immersed in the track completely. The song then progresses
to a hard, heavy-distorted tone that somewhere reminded me of Lacuna
Coil too for a while. Anna's vocals in the chorus are fabulous and
well synchronised with the rhythm and percussions, though I'm a bit
not used to a very heavy distortion, but James did a good job with
it. The last part of the track got the perfect ending with some nice,
enchanting guitar harmonics that I was expecting as well. Summing
up, the track is sure true to its title, 'Moonlight', with commendable
vocals, and a good, consistent rhythm, and the atmosphere they are
able to create via their music, which was the best part for me indeed!
Just wait until they get their album out later this year guys, I'm
personally curious enough to see what more Lilygun has in store for
us! [BeArockr.in 2012]
ROCK REVIEWS 24/7
Following the release of their last single, Scum, Lilygun are back
with their brand new single called Moonlight. Just like Scum, Moonlight
packs big choruses with a melodic background to acquire a fantastic
sound. Vocalist Anna-Christina’s voice is almost operatic and she
is pitch perfect – while Moonlight may not have the same bark as Scum,
it certainly does the job in packing a bit of a punch. While Scum
dominates Moonlight, both tracks are merely just a taster of Lilygun’s
forthcoming debut record which will be released sometime this year
and will surely make for an interesting listen. For fans of Melissa
auf der Maur. [Michael Heming 2012]
RAVENHEART
The single 'Moonlight' is an amazing song with enormous cross over
potential that screams mainstream radio airplay. A great slow to mid
paced rock song - good stuff! For anybody that likes their rock very
commercial and accessible, this could be right up your alleyway. I
am eager to hear more! [Dave 2012]
Scum Single Reviews
(Released on Zeff Music 30th January 2012)
MUDKISS
Though leaning heavily on familiar hard rock precepts, Lilygun infuses
it with their own gentle subtlety, atmospheric intros, breaks and
minimalistic but inveigling instrumental touches which inject highly
appealing individuality, lifting this from pastiche, inviting further
exploration. [Chumki 2012]
ALTERNATIVE VISION
it has some good instrumental work with Belle’s drumming standing
out the most whilst the vocals from Anne-Christina are strong and
nice sounding. [Trigger 2012]
ROOMTHIRTEEN.COM
Not So Scummy. We first come across Lilygun back in 2008 and thought
at the time that, although maybe a little rough around the edges,
they had something about them that made us sit up and listen. Fast
forward 4 years and this London band have matured; their sound is
more polished thanks to a lot of hard work and they now seem ready
to break the chains holding them back and take on the world. Scum
is the first single to be released from their debut album due out
later this year and from this example it is going to be one fine album.
Anna-Christina's vocals combine beautifully between the haunting eerie
verses and the powerful rockier chorus. The guitars play their part
too in adding to that haunting feel before finally being let lose.
The outro keeps the same vibe as the verses and is a bit longer than
expected but full credit to Lilygun for doing it that way, it would
have been so easy to follow the over used formula of ending it quicker
or on a high but they have stuck to their guns and made it work from
start to finish. [Neil Richardson
2012]
ROCK REVIEWS 24/7
London rockers Lilygun are releasing their brand new single “Scum”
later this month. But before they unleash it into the big wide world,
Rock Reviews 24/7 has had a listen and can confirm: it’s great! Yep,
Scum is a fine piece of music indeed. A stand out lyric is Don’t let
the scum kill you, don’t let ‘em get you down. Why? Well, for those
who live in London where Lilygun hail from, you’ll realise it’s full
of scum. Probably not what songwriter Anna-Christina meant, but it
still works nonetheless. But on a much more global scale as well as
a local one! So if you want your rock music with sincerity and passion,
then look no further than Scum. Taking inspiration from grunge bands
but with a whole new twist, Lilygun are doing things their way and
the scum aren’t getting them down! [Michael
Heming 2012]
RAVENHEART MUSIC
The single 'Scum' may suggest some hardcore/punk track however, but
that cannot be further from the truth. This is actually a very good
and rather commercial slow to mid paced rock track, that picks up
the pace in the chorus before slowing it down in the verse. If this
style of music is what Anna-Christina has adopted, then she and her
band could well be going places and deserve too aswell. 'Scum' gets
released end of January and will be worth checking out. [Dave
Smith 2012]
EP Reviews (Released
2010)
UBER ROCK
Recorded at Britannia Row Studios, there is an element of the "psych"
in here that said studio made famous through Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'.
However, this EP produces a much more grunge-dominated sound. [Craggy
2010]
Read
the full review here
SOUNDSPHERE MAGAZINE
Anna-Christina, the main singer, guitarist and principal song writer,
has a revolving door of musicians to help her create her blend of
post goth and rock. A notable player in the current ensemble, is the
legendary session drummer Robin Guy who has worked with bands like
Rachel Stamp, Antiproduct and Faith No More. After some high profile
support slots at some of the top underground venues, they have released
this EP comprised of three songs: 'Conversations', 'My Ways' and 'Peace
Of Mind' (two of which have already been released as singles). The
individual components that make up each song are solid and tight.
[Rez Collingwood 2010]
Conversations Single
Reviews (Released 2009)
SUBBA CULTURE
I really like the verses on this single, with vocals from the Shirley
Manson school of singing and some fine rhythmic riffing, the choruses
are pretty powerful too – with hints of rock, goth & funk
packing a meaty punch sonically… [Feb
2010]
DEVOLUTION MAGAZINE
Lilygun's sound retains a kind of dreary and sombre elements with
grunge-like guitars and down tempo beats. The whole track reeks of
a kind of self-made sound that is tremendously organic and this lends
itself well to the form of this bands music. The sound is deeply alternative
and sombre and because of this it has a Goth feel to it, but the grunge
influences of the likes of Smashing Pumpkins are probably a more fitting
assessment. [Sarah Angell Jan 2010]
Read the full review here
ROOMTHIRTEEN
Lilygun release their second single ‘Conversations’ following
up the highly impressive debut ‘Diamonds’ with yet more
imaginative, intelligent rocking music. The variation of styles on
the latest release just makes it a joy to listen to and at just under
five minutes long, you are still begging for more.
[Neil Richardson Sept 2009]
Read
the full review here
Diamonds Single Reviews (Released 2008)
CHURCH OF GIRL
The new track is a masterpiece and on first listen, plays out like
a rock opera short feature. They have developed a sound that will
appeal to a wide variety of listeners (Tool - PJ Harvey). We love
Lilygun's glamorous grunge-metal style and can't wait for more from
these amazing and edgy artists.
[Mary Ann Naylor 2008]
Read
the full review here
ROOMTHIRTEEN
Anna-Christina shows of her vocal prowess through out the song from
the slow starting then building up to the heavier chorus. Intelligent,
thoughtful lyrics do help to make this become a nice song to listen
to you when you are in the need for a bit of mood swinging indie takes
on grunge metal music. Sounds like Lilygun could easily make a name
for themselves and not just in the capital. [Neil
Richardson June 2008]
Read
the full review here
ROCK MIDGETS.COM
While originality is admittedly hard to come by these days, unsigned
London outfit Lilygun have no such problems. 'Diamonds' is five minutes
of densely layered heavy rock that succeeds in breaking free from
the pack without lapsing into indulgent territory. [Mitch
Bain June 2008]
XTASTER
With the rock scene a little bare at the moment, and the two extremes
of alternative indie and metal seeming to dominate the live scene,
its rare to find some good old rock, particularly female fronted.
But here we are; from London emerges pure alternative rock band Lilygun
with debut single “Diamonds” - a haunting and atmospheric
track with tinny drums and subtle guitar building suspense on the
intro. The sound builds, complemented by some cool lyrics “Don’t
let your past decide who you are to be” ending in a final dramatic
crescendo of a chorus with a striking reeling ethnic guitar riff and
a satisfyingly weighty distorted guitar bit.
[Sarah Rayner July 2008]
STICK NEWS INTERNATIONAL
Indie meets Grunge complete with powerful vocals makes Diamonds sparkle.
[ 2008]
SUBBA CULTURE
Grunge-melancholy with some nice harmonies, perfect for those who
paint their bedrooms black! [Chris
Merriman 2008]
...
...
...
...
...