From America... The Daylilies. The Daylilies

Red on Red Records from Boston has a host of alternatively, garage rocking signees. With The Daylilies the label comes with something completely different. Expect a wallowing in nostalgia, without sounding out of date for a second.

With its album The Daylilies span decades of music without, somehow, if not to say miraculously, sounding outdated for a single second. Musically things may seem familiar. That voice makes a real difference. Laura England Klain could have sung in any band from fairly recent decades. The Bangles, Goat Girl, Garbage, Warpaint, you name it and she would have fitted in. The band behind her give her the off-pop sound her voice deserves to make it shine.

The Daylilies are from Boston and consists of veterans of the local scene. Each member has a few bands behind him/her, all totally unknown to me. Where were Malibou Lou and Justine Covoult when I was younger and cared just this tad more about music than I do today? It is thanks to these two people that I know local Boston bands as if I lived there.

With From America ... The Daylilies Red on Red has released another fine record in 2022, it can be mightily proud of. The band does everything right on the album. No, this is not a new 'Plastic Letters', to name one example. It is near impossible to have an impact on someone who is considerably older than a teenager. That said, there are songs on From America ..., songs that are played without having to overdo things, and, let's face it, sung so much better.

Promo photo: Violet Sharuka

Take opener 'Coriander'. Now who writes an ode to a herb? At the same time I notice this to be the slow version of 'Contact In Red Square'. The slow pop really works and envelopes itself around me. The, synth?, solo gives the song a weird little extra, making me pay even more attention. 'Coriander' combines decades in one song, there's even some Earth & Fire in there, for Dutch 70s pop/symphonic rock aficionados. This is the sort of surprises you'll find all over From America ... The Daylilies will take you from pure pop through the twists and back.

The musicians in The Daylilies are at that point in their musical career where they know how to write a good song and have the awareness that being yourself is enough to come across. This music is made by musicians who are very much aware that they are good. This shows a whole album long, while at the same time assuring that the band's singer can shine. Time for you start finding out for yourself.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order From America ... The Daylilies here:

https://redonreddaylilies.bandcamp.com/album/from-america-the-daylilies