Blue Blades, a New Video From Lily & Madeleine
February 25th, 2015 , by John Beeler
“Blue Blades” is one of our favorite songs from Lily & Madeleine’s Fumes. A dystopian jazz-ish piece that sounds like it marched off the set of Blade Runner, “Blue Blades” features the low growl of Lily until sister Madeleine chimes in on harmony half-way through the song. But the harmony doesn’t raise our spirits much; we’re too busy being hopeless about everything:
Bluebird’s body lies and no one’s mourning
Nothing in his eyes, his feathers blowing
The cold air stings and with it comes a warning
The wind rips through the night and kills the morning
The newly released music video, shot by director Laurel Cohen, captures the song’s loss and mystery and resignation. Why is Lily in the middle of the arctic (actually, it’s the shore of Lake Michigan)? Is it all a dream (maybe!)? What is that boat horn in the background at beginning (a tugboat?) Is it even possible to sing underwater (it is)? And where did Lily get that incredible coat (we don’t know)?
If we were to guess, this is the ending of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, only with women, instead of men, making it to a frozen wasteland (instead of a beach). We’re ok with that.
Thanks to NPR for premiering this gorgeous video.
Lily & Madeleine are on tour now.
New Music Video From Lily & Madeleine
November 19th, 2014 , by John Beeler
Fumes, the new record from Lily & Madeleine, is out now. A review in The Daily Mail reads, “Fumes is bewitching but never too glossy and the harmonies are sublime.”
On Tuesday, Teen Vogue premiered the music video to “Can’t Admit It.” In the video, a couple faces the reality that things might (or might not) be over for them. Lily & Madeleine sing backdrop at a swanky club. Luke Tate and Jason Drake directed the video.
The limited edition pop-bottle-clear vinyl of Fumes is still available. Lily & Madeleine are on tour in Europe now, and touring in the US with Over The Rhine in December. See those tourdates here.
Out Now: Fumes, the New Album from Lily & Madeleine
October 28th, 2014 , by John Beeler
Fumes, Lily & Madeleine’s second full-length, is out now.
The U.K.’s The Independent proclaims, “Never mind Difficult Second Album Syndrome . . . Fumes, an even better follow up.”
Here’s a sample of what Katie Presley wrote for NPR:
The foundation of Fumes, and of Lily & Madeleine’s career overall, is clearly two intrinsically connected women sharing stories and bearing witness to each other . . . Though both are still teenagers in possession of sweet, juvenescent voices, their lyrics are sharp and wielded skillfully. “The Wolf Is Free” and “Rabbit” possess Top 40-friendly instrumentation, but the former is undercut with deliciously creeping menace, while the latter features a biting perspective on breakups and perhaps the album’s most powerful moment: the line “Oh my god,” delivered without harmony and highlighted with echo.
You can hear the album here on NPR.
Buy it here; limited edition coke-bottle-clear vinyl is still available.
Rabbit, Run For It: Make the Next Lily & Madeleine Video
October 7th, 2014 , by John Beeler
With their second LP, Fumes, scheduled for release just a year after their self-titled debut, singer-songwriting team Lily & Madeleine are turning out to be as prolific as they are precocious. Fumes follows up on the promise of that first full-length by showing the sisters moving even further beyond the nostalgic, acoustic pop sound of their early recordings with the poised rock sound of songs like their new single, “Rabbit,” whose debut this week is being celebrated with a special premiere at Elle, a new Noisetrade download, and a special fanmade video contest.
As heard at the Soundcloud stream premiered exclusively at Elle, “Rabbit” brings the Jurkiewicz sisters’ commanding voices and cool, dry wit to the part of the wronged lover in a relationship gone south. Like “The Wolf is Free,” the first track released from Fumes, it exudes both a honeyed charm and an undercurrent of menace.
At least, that might be one interpretation—but Lily & Madeleine want to see yours. At lilmadrabbit.com, the pair are offering a chance to submit fan videos, with a shot at winning one of two prize packages: as chosen by the fans, the best video wins a signed poster and a limited edition copy of Fumes on colored vinyl; as chosen by the sisters themselves, the best video is not only selected to be the new official clip for “Rabbit” but also wins a $500, a colored limited edition Fumes LP, a black-vinyl copy of the the self-titled debut LP, a Lily & Madeleine t-shirt, and a signed poster. Having once been aspiring YouTube stars themselves, Lily & Madeleine are not necessarily interested in discovering the most experienced filmmaker in the world, so much as they are in seeing a distinctive vision for their track from fans of every age.
To make it easier to enter, Noisetrade has made “Rabbit” available today in a special download, by itself or in a special compilation of singles. A new sort of song from Lily & Madeleine, “Rabbit” demonstrates just how much Lily & Madeleine have grown as musicians since they first began recording, realizing their acute songwriting instincts through a new range of studio strategies—subtle coups of arrangement and production that underscore the equally elegant fillips of their wry lyrics and close harmony. “Rabbit,” the latest snapshot from the year-in-the-life that is Fumes, portends great things from this album… and the next, and the next.
Lily & Madeleine on Tonight’s Parenthood
September 25th, 2014 , by John Beeler
Lily & Madeleine’s “Sounds Like Somewhere” will be on tonight’s premiere of the final season of Parenthood. Will it air during Amber’s pregnancy test? When Sandy drives into town? And what does it mean that this season will be about the “cycle of life?”
Watch it tonight on NBC 10pm EST.
Annnouncing Fumes, a New LP From Lily & Madeleine
August 4th, 2014 , by John Beeler
Lily & Madeleine’s goal is to release an album-a-year for three years — a rare feat when the trend among singer-songwriters is to space albums by half-decades. So far, they’re on track: Fumes, the duo’s second LP, will be released October 28, 2014, 366 days after last year’s Lily & Madeleine.The sophomore album is a leap forward for the duo, a mature sentiment of two gifted young artists who have launched from their hometown onto the world stage with speed and grace.
When Indianapolis sisters Lily and Madeleine Jurkiewicz first started making music together, it didn’t cross their minds that they could make a living at it. Although they now find themselves in an acclaimed full-fledged career, what got them here has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with the spirit.
“The music will always be first,” says Lily. Indeed, Lily & Madeleine’s artistic souls are obvious to anyone who has heard their recordings. From the beginning, the sisters’ calling card has been the breathtaking and intuitive union of their voices.
NPR’s All Songs Considered debuted “The Wolf is Free,” our first listen from the fall-bound album. It’s a wispy, ethereal, haunting song, a perfect summer track for that moment when the day turns to dark and the shadows start to loom among the trees. NPR Music’s Stephen Thompson, who’s heard the full record, praises, “This record has a little more of a kick to it…it’s fuller and more produced and more fleshed out…this whole record is zippier. I am excited about it.” Hear it on NPR here, or above.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you!
December 23rd, 2013 , by John Beeler
Merry Christmas and happy holidays, from our family to you and yours! Whatever you might celebrating this season, and however you might be celebrating it, we hope you’ll enjoy some seasonal tunes our friends have put together for you.
Half-handed Cloud, Liz Janes, Danielson, and a heavenly host of other terrific artists have covered movements from the first part of Handel’s Messiah—that’s the Christmas part—to Familyre’s Messiah – Part 1, a charity compilation on Sounds Familyre Records. It only costs $4 to download the whole album here or send it as an instant gift, and all proceeds go to the Red Cross to benefit victims of Typhoon Haiyan.
Another project featuring Half-handed Cloud’s John Ringhofer, The Season’s Glreekins, is also offering their very rare, self-titled 1998 tape as a present to you. Only 150 copies of the original issue were ever dubbed by the Glreekins, a seasonal band from Cattanooga, but the Glreekins are giving it away again here on bandcamp to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
My Brightest Diamond just released a cover of Bob Dylan and Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love,” which you can hear here.
And finally, as a way to say thanks to you for a great year, we’ve put together a free sampler compilation, with some great cover art by animator Tom DesLongchamp. Download it on Noisetrade here.
So get someplace warm, and treat your ears to a little Christmas cheer. Here’s wishing you peace, joy and beautiful music this holiday season.
Debut from Lily & Madeleine is Out Now
October 29th, 2013 , by John Beeler
Lily & Madeleine have arrived. Just months after the release of their debut EP, the singing sisters have released a self-titled LP of all new songs.
The full-length format gives the sisters a broader canvas for musical expression, with Madeleine lending her ethereal vocals a soupçon of soul, and Lily’s wry contralto sounding earthier than ever. Lily & Madeleine reunites Madeleine and Lily Jurkiewicz with much of the creative team from their first disc, The Weight of the Globe, including producer Paul Mahern and songwriting partner Kenny Childers, but this time, the young women headed into the studio armed with the experience of making that recording, and with it a fuller sense of artistic self-determination. The resulting album is the sound of two already preternaturally assured young singer/songwriters coming even further into their own.
Our store still has about 30 remaining limited edition white vinyl, and of course the CD and the black vinyl, which you can purchase here. It’s also available on iTunes here.
New Acoustic Videos from Lily & Madeleine
October 22nd, 2013 , by John Beeler
For those listeners who literally cannot wait for Lily & Madeleine’s self-titled debut LP to drop on Oct. 29th, there’s good news. The blogosphere is counting down to the release of Lily & Madeleine with the release of one new acoustic video every day this week, starting with “I’ve Got Freedom” at CMT Edge. Fans of the elegant duo can keep up with each new video as it’s released by following Lily & Madeleine on Twitter, @LilandMad.
“Sounds Like Somewhere” is over at My Old Kentucky Blog.
The third video, for “Goodbye to Anyone,” has posted at Death & Taxes.
The fourth, “Come to Me,” is up at the Indianapolis Star.
“Spirited Away,” the fifth video, has posted over at USA Today.
Or, for a solid dose of the singing sisters, curious listeners can visit the website of New York Times, which for one week only is streaming the full album at their online Press Play feature. Visitors to the Times can preview the LP in its entirety or listen track by track to hear how Madeleine and Lily Jurkewiecz have managed to follow up on the promise of their breakout EP, The Weight of the Globe, released earlier this year.
“Come to Me,” a New Video from Lily & Madeleine
October 11th, 2013 , by John Beeler
In Lily & Madeleine’s newest video, which debuts the song “Come to Me,” L&M traveled south from Indianapolis to Nashville, Tennessee to work with 1504 Pictures. Filmed in the streets and living rooms of suburbs and in nearby forests, the video evokes scenes from Donnie Darko and E.T. Plus: what’s in the box? And what’s with that pebble?
Lily & Madeleine releases October 29th, 2013 and you can preorder it here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Wm5pV30tc[/youtube]