Lily Garland – Time to Fly EP Review
Lily Garland is an artist from the south of England who we have featured a couple of times on Belles and Gals, most recently when we played her latest video “Tonight” (unlike the EP version this was an acoustic recording) – a song which I said “is just gorgeous, really showing off Lily’s excellent expressive and emotional vocals and as a first glimpse of the new EP, I feel sure we all have a lot to look forward to!”
This version of “Tonight” makes for a great start to the five track “Time to Fly” EP – a perfect song about seizing the moment in love. I love the latter part of the song particularly, when firstly you hear Lily singing in isolation and then the instruments come in for a nice build-up to the end. “My Song” comes next and sees a change of pace, this uplifting lively number one that you’ll be singing along to, with an added attitude that can’t help but put a smile on your face. This is the song on the EP that will get people on their feet – by the end of the second song you already know that Lily Garland has a great versatility.
“Love Never Gone” is next up. The pace slows down again and the opening to the song has an almost ambient feel before Lily’s voice comes in. Within a few seconds you’ll know you’re listening to something special – the vocals on this song just brilliant and just like any great country song, it tells a story that just grabs you throughout (I won’t give any ‘spoilers’ here, as you need to listen to this yourself). This song alone is worth buying the EP for – this is just fantastic.
“Time to Fly” is an uplifting, energetic number and this is the one that will have the crowd clapping in unison when she plays it live (which makes me all the more disappointed that I can’t make it to Lily’s launch gig this weekend). The final track on the EP is a bonus one featuring Portsmouth’s Marley Blandford on lead vocals. “It’s all Different but it all Feels the same” has a real gentle instrumental start before Marley’s impressive vocals come in. As a bonus track it rounds off the EP nicely with something a little different, Marley Blandford in some ways sounding like a young Peter Gabriel.
Overall, “Time to Fly” is a fantastic EP. You’ve got great vocals all the way through and a real nice mix of up-tempo and slower numbers, while slap bang in the middle of the EP you’ve got one of the best songs you’ll hear this year. The UK country scene is growing stronger by the day – it’s little wonder when you hear music this good. This is a must buy.
Lily Garland: Website, Twitter, Facebook
