Liily Lose Linear, Musical Lines on “Odds Are It’s Blue”

There’s fear and indecision that comes with relinquishing all forms of control over one’s life, then allowing things to transpire the way they’re meant to, says singer Dylan Nash of “Odds Are It’s Blue.”

Videos by American Songwriter

“Odds Are It’s Blue” strobes a light into the more electronic elements of the Los Angeles quartet’s upcoming full-length debut, following their 2019 EP I Can Fool Anybody in This Town, and their latest single “I Am Who I Think You Think I Am.” For Liily, made up of singer Dylan Nash, guitarist Sam De La Torre—who also serves as the band’s visual artist—bassist Charlie Anastasis, and drummer Maxx Morando, “Odds Are It’s Blue” was also a chance to tap into their influences, the song heavily inspired by Aphex Twins and more “non-linear, volatile” beats.

“In general when it comes to the overall sound of this record we went for intensity over structure a lot of the time being that we love Fugazi, Daughters,” shares Nash. “For this album I was vocally inspired by Ian MacKaye (Fugazi and Minor Threat) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (At the Drive-in, The Mars Volta).”

Two years was long enough to shift the direction of the new album from the EP, which was recorded when the band members were 18 and 19 and didn’t really know what they were doing, admits Nash. “Getting to actually go and write for our first full length record in present time with our present influences,” says Nash, “helped us feel a lot more confident in putting out music that we truly believe in.”

Cutting and grinding through My bad head is dead / It lies limp, eyes open / I have no reason to be here with you now… I need those eyes that’ll make me smile / I need the pieces of a story to tell / Until then I don’t have a reason to stay, “Odds Are It’s Blue,” produced by Joe Chicarelli and mixed by Alan Moulder, reveals the alternate persona and multi-dimensional (musical) world of Liily.

“Joe really helped us with trying to not overcomplicate things as we tend to do most frequently,” says Nash. “In general it was really nice working with him as he did well with keeping us balanced when it came to incorporating our influences. He’s made this album of many different themes seem like one cohesive unit.”

Inspired by De La Torre’s vision of bodies in front of a green screen slathering on green paint, the video takes on a murkier tone and opens with a disclaimer, a warning that the flashes of light could cause possible seizures for anyone with photosensitive epilepsy.

“Being that this song is pretty dark tonally Sam definitely leaned more towards the creepier side of things with the black and white flashing effects and the data moshing which is that visual tool that makes everything look pixilated,” says Nash. “A lot of these videos that he directed it seems like he’s trying something new each time which is very encouraging as we are a band that constantly wants to grow artistically. When all of the elements are mimicking that growth, it makes things a lot more exciting.”

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