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‘Run’ is the first track of ‘Evolve’ and it is accompanied by the first music video release for the album. “Running with the shadows, caught up in a game.” are the opening lyrics sung by Virginia Lillye in an almost whispered scream, on top of fast-paced electric guitar and drums. The first track gives me a feeling of haste and rushing, the repeating lyrics, “A circus. A game. This future in flames. The sky is falling, you better run.” Keeps to this ‘running out of time’ theme. ‘Run’ is not typical rock and roll, it is somewhere between hard rock, screamo and punk, and it is sick to hear a woman fronting a band with such strength and power in her voice.

“Run is dedicated to a dear friend and fan of the band, Luke “Woody” James Woodland who passed away in 2014” states vocalist Virginia Lillye. “He was conscious about environmental issues and the importance of significant numbers that ran in sequence. One of his attempts to make people aware of the environment would be to paint himself blue, spay his hair green and become “Captain Planet”. He would then begin running around Sydney, Australia starting from a suburb beginning with a letter of the alphabet then ending in another suburb beginning with the same letter. This was his favourite song, and whenever we played it live, he would be the first to break out into a wild dance. We were fortunate to have his younger brother Will, play the lead role in our video, and honoured that he portrayed his brother Woody who was such a colourful and passionate character.”

The second track is ‘In The End’, this song leans more toward your classic rock anthem but with parts of the verses sung by Lillye at a faster-pace than the melody. I am interested to hear if the scat-like singing continues throughout ‘Evolve’ but I like the contrast it creates in track two between the verses and the chorus which is slowed to the tempo of the melody.

“I can’t understand the things you say and all the things you do! I can make it complicated if you really want me to.” 

‘Chained’ is the third track of the new Lillye album ‘Evolve’ and it feels very different to the first two tracks. The vocals are more spoken word than singing, which gives this song a raw and vulnerable atmosphere, the feeling of longing for someone you love or unrequited love. ‘Chained’ feels like a confessional to an old lover and during the whispered bridge when you hear Virginia Lillye’s voice break it feels as if the emotions are pouring out of her vocal chords.

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You get a chance to hear a softer side of Virginia Lillye’s voice through moments in ‘Brittle Glass’. This track is about letting go of an old unhealthy relationship and moving on to be a stronger version of yourself, a message I am sure many need to hear. ‘Brittle Glass’ lets the vocals shine through the melody with Lillye’s vocals giving me a Joan Jet vibe with that raspy, rock tone layered on top of the heavy electric guitar. Pure rock ‘n’ roll magic.

A similar sound and theme carry through to track eight where it shifts to a more upbeat mood with ‘Take On Me’. The song opens with only drums, and the beat feels more like an 80s disco from the movie Grease than a rock ballad. But when heavy electric guitar pours over the drumbeat and the Lillye lead vocals enter I get brought back to the punk/rock feel from track one, ‘Run’. It is a good format that they have chosen the songs to circle back to the sound they started with. It feels like the track listing is intentional to create an overall message that to me is something like,

“I am in a lot of fucking pain after someone I loved hurt me, but I am going to scream until I feel better!”

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‘Grass Is Greener’ paints the picture of the protagonist coming out of the darkness of a break-up and realising the other person has lost as much as they have. No one wins in a break-up and the grass is NOT always greener on the other person’s side of the fence.

“Game over I surrender.”, is definitely the message of the second last track of the album. “Slipping through the wire. Breaking through the shadow.”, these lyrics are aligned with the rest of ‘Evolve’ but the vocals tempo compared the beginning few tracks has slowed a lot. ‘Surrender’ feels like a song about collapsing into your bed after a hard day, the album is coming to an end and I can feel the overall mood of the tracks are calmer.

Last, but not least, ‘Through My Soul’ is the final track on the forthcoming Lillye album ‘Evolve’.  This is probably my favourite track of the album because the lyrics are super empowering, and it seems to combine all the great things on the album. You hear the raspy, screamo-like tones during moments, and then Lillye brings it right down to slowly and softly singing – her control and versatility is something to be admired as a vocalist. And right at the end of ‘Through My Soul’ almost has a hymn choir feel with Lillye’s vocals looped over itself a few times singing the same three notes as the song fades out.

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All-in-all Lillye has created a freaking epic hard rock album and their lead Virginia Lillye is a Joan Jett rock vocalist in the making! Watch their space!

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‘Evolve’
track listing:

1. Run
2. In the End
3. Chained
4. Brittle Glass
5. Better Days
6. Fire
7. It Is What It Was
8. Take on Me
9. Grass Is Greener
10. Surrender
11. Through My Soul

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AMNPLIFY – DB