Lily Kelso - “Sirens”

We last heard from Lily Kelso when she sent us “The Car,” but the Laguna Beach, CA-based singer-songwriter has once again earned our praise with her latest single, “Sirens.”

The edge here is definitely a bit more jagged than her previous offering, landing well within the realm of indie rock. “Sirens” opens up with some quick notes from an effected guitar before bursting to life, complete with a beat that rides the floor tom and some bass so fuzzy that you can feel its wool. The guitar work is very tasteful as it provides some chords, ringing out like an organ and ever-so-slightly akin to that of The Strokes. But ever since we first heard from Kelso, her voice is the reason we will always press the play button.

While she may be highly skilled at guitar, keys, bass, mandolin, and ukulele, her vocal performance will be what puts her on the map. She has a gift for choosing melodies, hitting all the right notes, then layering in some harmonies on top of it all. We are big fans of Sharon Van Etten and Maggie Rogers and we get really excited for the future of music when we can hear that kind of talent coming from a new artist. And you will find that level of emotion in Kelso’s work, every time.

There’s a reason Kelso is currently attending Berklee College of Music: she knows how to write a song that includes dramatic dynamic shifts and does not adhere to a simple verse/ chorus/ verse style of composition. “Sirens” is quite the glorious ride, with twists and turns aplenty, from start to finish. We would not be surprised if she blew up over night, but we are certainly proud to feature her before she does.

-TM