Micro-Review: Lillies and Remains "Wreckage" (Single)

The new single from the great new gothy/post-punk band Lillies and Remains is up on iTunes (as is their first E.P.)

"Wreckage" is the first single from the band since their very first release, the superb Moralist S.S. E.P. Much of that debut is full of very dark, yet rather energetic goth/indy-rock ala Bauhaus (their namesake) and other early, angular acts. "Wreckage," the first look at what the band might be gravitating toward on the next album, is much softer and tame by comparison. It still has that slightly muffled and brooding atmosphere, rife with reverb and delay, but the melody is very pretty and gentle, as opposed to the more confrontational tone on Moralist S.S. It's very much like Bloc Party's softer ballads, with its heavily delayed and clean guitars and thick chorus of sighing vocal harmonies. It's not lethargic by any means and still retains the band's danceable groove, but all of the rough corners have been rounded off.

It's obviously too early in the game to say that the rest of the next album from Lillies and Remains will fall in line with the softer tone set by "Wreckage." It could simply be that they are putting their more palatable foot forward before revealing the ax behind their back. Let us hope that is the case.

You can listen to the song on their MySpace page, and buy it for $.99 on iTunes, which I highly recommend.