BY SAMANTHA HISSONG

Back in January, I had the immense pleasure of getting slapped in the freakin' face by the utter breath of fresh that is Liily. This buzzing alt/rock band, comprising four 20ish-year-olds, took over L.A.'s beloved Echo for a month-long residency that drew seriously packed crowds.


And they're worth the hype, churning out sharp, confident and fun-as-hell bangers that appear impressively polished, thanks to top-notch production, while being delivered with punk-rock grit on just-released EP, I Can Fool Anybody in This Town (Flush Records). Maybe I'm the one being fooled, but I sure do pray that's not the case. These guys, repped by Present Artist Management, spark hope in what's left of my fractured heart for the future of instrument-wielders and evaders of pop homogenization everywhere. Sure, they still have room to grow, but that just makes the moment even more exciting. I look forward to seeing (and hearing) what's next for these for these inciters of sparkling frenzy. It's just the beginning, and I choose to keep the faith.

If you're looking for an excellent excuse to carelessly flail about, go check 'em out on their current tour, which includes a stop at L.A.'s Roxy as soon as tomorrow. And they'll be making the SXSW rounds next week, so you really don't have a single valid excuse to avoid diving into some cooler-than-you vibes that simultaneously promote exhilaration and glorify the moody. I mean, really, what else could you ask for?