2008 Woodie Awards
Tilly and the Wall surround music with O-shaped frames
Ashley Inguanta
Issue date: 6/26/08 Section: Variety
When Tilly and the Wall announced their new album, they said it did not have a title. But by the album's release date of June 17, they said it could be called O after the large O-shaped frame on its cover. On each album, this frame surrounds different pieces of fan-made artwork, displaying everything from a bird shooting lightning bolts while it sings, to the band standing on a floor made of stars.
For those who are not familiar with Tilly and the Wall, the band is from Omaha, Neb., and released their debut album, Wild Like Children, in 2004 on Conor Oberst's label, Team Love. Tilly's upbeat, dance-inspiring, neon-blasting music is the creation of Jamie Pressnall, who creates percussion sounds by tap-dancing, Kianna Alarid and Neely Jenkins with vocals, Nick White with the keyboard, and Derek Pressnall with vocals and the guitar.
Musically, the new album represents this O-shape - each song opens into a frame, surrounding a new piece of instrumental and vocal artwork for listeners to absorb. From the psychic and supernatural to the everyday and natural world, Tilly's tonal creations are just as diverse as the album's visual artwork. Yet the band does not separate the spiritual from the natural - in songs like "Chandelier Lake," ghosts and nature inhabit the same world.
This album's O-shaped framework is evident from its first song, "Tall Tall Grass," which was written during the band's first EP, but was never ready to be put on an album until now. "It's like the story of our band, emotionally and lyrically," Derek said in a spin.com interview.
In "Tall Tall Grass," Kianna and Neely's dual vocals release words containing O vowel sounds, which frame simple, yet impactful lyrics; they sing, "When there wasn't anywhere for me to go, I stumbled into deep love with your rock and roll." Piano and acoustic guitar help shape this song's overall feel - looking back and remembering, which pains and "glows" the world at the same time - a bittersweet landscape.
For those who are not familiar with Tilly and the Wall, the band is from Omaha, Neb., and released their debut album, Wild Like Children, in 2004 on Conor Oberst's label, Team Love. Tilly's upbeat, dance-inspiring, neon-blasting music is the creation of Jamie Pressnall, who creates percussion sounds by tap-dancing, Kianna Alarid and Neely Jenkins with vocals, Nick White with the keyboard, and Derek Pressnall with vocals and the guitar.
Musically, the new album represents this O-shape - each song opens into a frame, surrounding a new piece of instrumental and vocal artwork for listeners to absorb. From the psychic and supernatural to the everyday and natural world, Tilly's tonal creations are just as diverse as the album's visual artwork. Yet the band does not separate the spiritual from the natural - in songs like "Chandelier Lake," ghosts and nature inhabit the same world.
This album's O-shaped framework is evident from its first song, "Tall Tall Grass," which was written during the band's first EP, but was never ready to be put on an album until now. "It's like the story of our band, emotionally and lyrically," Derek said in a spin.com interview.
In "Tall Tall Grass," Kianna and Neely's dual vocals release words containing O vowel sounds, which frame simple, yet impactful lyrics; they sing, "When there wasn't anywhere for me to go, I stumbled into deep love with your rock and roll." Piano and acoustic guitar help shape this song's overall feel - looking back and remembering, which pains and "glows" the world at the same time - a bittersweet landscape.