One of my favorite U.S. city has to be Knoxville TN. So when I found out about this band called The Black Lillies, which members refer to themselves as Knoxville natives, there was no hesitation that I had to make sure to listen to their latest album - which was out in late march- titled "Runaway Freeway Blues". Upon gathering some information about them turns out that they preformed multiple times at the Grand Ole Opry, which pretty much says everything. But before you take your card out, and buy their album there is one more information I can't hold back, and will seal the deal: they are independent, that means they do whatever the hell they want whether it's music or the way they dress or where they go.
“I think it’s an amazing thing we can have fan support and stay independent and be able to offer up an experience to our fans and not just, ‘here’s our music and just come to a show’,but ‘let me give you some art, let me give you something that you’re going to be able to connect with.’ Because that’s what we’re trying to do every day with our music, is connect with them. We have family all across the United States because of that" The wise word of the vocalist of the band Trisha Gene Brady.
And here's what Jamie Cook also from the band has to say about being independent “I mean, you go on kind of go on what you hear about it, but everybody’s experiences are different with different labels. You can’t just say, ‘Well, this is that, and this is this’. I’m kind of glad we do retain a little bit of independence, just in the way we conduct ourselves, in what we have to wear, how we look, or a certain direction in the music. It’s true we don’t have the support of that, but we also don’t have the constraints of it, too".
The band was founded by Cruz Contreras back in 2009. After his previous band fell apart Cruz drove a stone truck in East Tennessee. How much more American does it get? This perfectly fits the music genre they play, is called Americana. The album is great all in all - if it wouldn't be it wouldn't be up in here - I love any musician who plays their own music. I like the fact when somebody writes a song then they also play it,-that way it doesn't lose its identity it's played as it meant to be played, they are aware of the emotions behind it, they don't need to interpret it just re enact it - and with the Lillies this is exactly what you get. It has some slow songs and some really great upbeat tunes, like "Smokestack lady" which is one of my favorite songs from the album. The other one is "Ruby" with it's multiple tempo changes, you just won't have an idea what will happen next but not an "improvisative jazz" more like a "wow I didn't see that coming" way. The album also stretches into multiple genres blugrass has to be on of them, but we can easily discover bluesy R&S ish and even gospelly elements, which just makes the album more interesting fun engaging, and you will play thru those 11 songs so fast that you wish there would be more. It's a stunning album, I'm glad I heard it, I wish the band nothing but the best I hope they will be able to keep their musical independency and keep doing what they are doing. I hope to catch one of their shows pretty soon - which probably won't be too difficult since they spend most of their time touring -. And for my final words let me quote Cruz Contreras.
"If you create something that not based on hype, and in our case we all love making music and being professional musicians, so if you start a band and I think if you just play honest music I think it's a good way to make a career and make fans that will stick with you thru the whole run."
Here is a link where you can download and listen to their fantastic album for a recommended $10. I would remind everybody that the only money this band gets is from album and ticket sales. So that extra money will be well spent, and no I do not get any commission for it. Even if would I'd give it to them.
http://theblacklillies.bandcamp.com/album/runaway-freeway-blues
Pictures and quotes courtesy of : http://www.theblacklillies.com/
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