Lily Holbrook
Also has recorded under her first name
Country of origin:
U.S
Type of music generally:
Ethereal pop
Status:
Most recent release, The Girl Who Stayed Lost in the Woods (2019)
See also:
Lily Holbrook's site
Comparisons:
I have discerned varying kinds of overlap with Aimee Mann, Milla, Kate Bush and Happy Rhodes. (mapravat@prairienet.org)
Covers/own material:
Own and co-written, occasional covers
General comments:
If you are looking for something to tide you over until the next Susan Court album, try Lily's running from the sky.... (gordoja@optonline.net)See album comments below, Running From The Sky being her only album to date. (mapravat@prairienet.org)
Comments about live performance:
Lily played acoustic guitar; a chap played electric guitar and mandolin; another chap played keyboard and computer, producing atmosphere as well as melody. Songs included 'Make them wonder', 'Running into walls', 'Welcome to the slaughter-house', Led Zeppelin's 'Going to California' but none of the fairy tale songs from Running from the sky I think. I particularly enjoyed the moments when her voice, the guitars and piano all soared together into a perfect dark pop chorus. (7/08, k_hester_k@yahoo.co.nz)
Recommended first album:
Running From The Sky is the only one we've heard
Recordings:
- Running From The Sky (2000)
- Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt (2005)
- Wicked Ways (2008)
- The Girl Who Stayed Lost in the Woods (2019)
Running From The Sky
Release info:
2000—self-released
Availability:
See Lily Holbrook's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Lily Holbrook—vocals, guitar
Guest artists:
Bill Roberts—guitar, keyboards
David Santucci—violins
Melanie Dyball—cellos
"Psychologist" Gertrude—wolf howl
Jay Gullinello—trumpets
Bridget Mullen—miscellaneous sound effects
Scott Keneally-djembe, didjeridu
"Psychic" Wilma—dulcimer
Produced by:
Lily and Bill
Comments:
The superficial appearance of this album's packaging has the unfortunate side effect of making Holbrook appear less serious than she is. The back cover has a photo of the artist (who somewhat resembles Drew Barrymore) in a midriff-baring top—though the recent reinventions of Liz Phair and Jewel, coming on the heels of the initial invention of the likes of Britney Spears, may have oversensitized me to such things. And the booklet prominently displays cartoon drawings of her as a mermaid and as an astronaut, no doubt inspired by tracks titled "Mermaids" and "Spaceship." But once you get beyond these visual red herrings, you'll be pleased to find a lot of substance and originality on the disc.
The songs generally come across to me as dealing with problems in general and relationship problems in particular; the tension between fantasy and reality seems a recurrent theme. Both the music and lyrics are very well done. In addition to guitar and piano, the instrumentation includes such diverse instruments as string quartets and digeridu. Holbrook's voice may be a bit on the girlish side, but it holds its own with those of artists like Kate Bush, Happy Rhodes in her higher registers, Jane Siberry and Jane Wiedlin. I also detect shared qualities with the voices of Aimee Mann and Milla. The lyrics to a couple of songs include references to people's "veins," which has aroused my curiosity as to whether drug problems on the part of people in her life have been among the inspirations for her material.
In a way, I almost hope that Holbrook remains a niche artist in the long run. It would be a shame to have the forces of commercialism tamper with her artistic vision. (mapravat@prairienet.org)
Wicked Ways
Release info:
2008—Alive Experience—ALXP60277
Availability:
See Lily Holbrook's site
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Lily Holbrook—vocals, guitar
Guest artists:
Patrick Carmichael—drums, percussion (1, 3, 5, 6)
Nir-Z—drums, percussion (4, 8)
Ramy Antoun—drums, percussion (2, 7, 9)
Anthony "Rocky" Gallo—drums, percussion (1, 3, 5); guest vocals (4
Yoed Nir—cell (4, 8)
Dave Eggar—cello (1, 5, 6)
Rachel Golub—violin (1, 5, 6)
Whitney LaGrange—viola (1, 5, 6)
Eddie Venegas—violin (1, 5, 6)
Mai Bloomfield—cello (7)
E-sky Gazit—keyboards, piano (3-10); bass (4, 8)
Oriente Lopze—keyboards, piano (1)
Eric Lynn—keyboards, piano (2)
Patrick McCarthy—bass (1, 3, 5)
Joe Karnes—bass (2, 7, 9)
Thad Debrock—guitar (1, 3, 5, 6)
Kyle Tzinske—guitar (2, 7, 9)
Robin Moxy—guitar (2, 9)
Jimmy Farkas—guitar (1)
Patrick Emlich—guitar (4)
Edie—guest vocals (8)
Carlos Salazar—guest vocals (4)
Produced by:
Lily Holbrook & Anthony "Rocky" Gallo (1, 3, 5, 6, 7) ; Lilly Holbrook & E-shy Gazit (4, 8, 10); Lily Holbrook, Mark Johnson, Robin Moxy & Kyle Tzrinske (2, 9)
Comments:
Lily Holbrook's third album is a very ecto record; somehow she evokes Tori Amos and Kate Bush without being too much in thrall to them. She clearly has her own voice and her songs are stunning. "Welcome to the Slaughterhouse" is dark and lovely. It's one of Holbrook's best songs here. "Smoke Screen" sees her do one of her most moving songs with a silky vocal reminiscent of Jewel. There's an odd cover of Pet Shop Boys "It's a sin" that works very well. The title song is sensitively rendered and has a moving tune. Holbook's vocals are utterly gorgeous here. Her album's pretty much perfect. (stjarnell@yahoo.com)
Thanks to Mitch Pravatiner and Anna Maria Stjärnell for work on this entry.
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