In 2013, an Indiana sister duo, Lily & Madeleine (Jurkiewicz) released an independent 5-track EP, The Weight Of The Globe via Asthmatic Kitty (owned by Sufjan Stevens). The songs were well-received and heralded the new Folk/Rock of the girls. Not long after, they released their first full-length set, Lily & Madeleine. Over the next three years, they released a follow-up (Fumes) in 2014, and a New West Records debut with Keep It Together (2016). With two full years under their belts. Lily & Madeleine emerge again with their fourth album, Canterbury Girls.
Canterbury Girls reveal a more mature collection of compositions that stay on the fence between Pop-oriented tunes and the style they’ve perfected over the years in their other four releases. The songs themselves are increasingly becoming more than simple harmony arrangements with more and more complex musical arrangements. Part of me misses the straightforward songs found on The Weight of the Globe, and their full length debut. (If you haven’t heard either of these yet, the most simplest path to connection is by starting with The Weight of the Globe, then gravitating to Lily & Madeleine.)
Canterbury Girls provides a charming collection of ten new songs. All of them are representative of a growing song-writing savvy the girls have learned over the few short years that they’ve been recording and performing. Of them, a strong attempt at ’60s-styled Pop enthusiasm is heard with “I Can’t Help The Way I Feel”. A country-infused guitar set, “Analog Love” is catchy and enduring. The closer song, “Go” is one of the tracks indicative of their earlier work with piano-based simplicity unencumbered by a wash of instruments. But, the girls open with their best bet, a hybrid folk style blended with a Pop sensitivity on “Self Care”. With “Circles”, the girls do memorably haunting.
Canterbury Girls is a set designed to interest a wide range of listeners. And it does so with its grab bag of excellent songs. As with everything Lily & Madeleine does, it’s their vocal harmonies that stand out followed by the expert song-craft recognizable since their timeless debut EP. It’s been a joy to follow their music as they release it since day one.
With Canterbury Girls, you won’t go away disappointed. You might develop favorite periods by listening to all of their albums – one after the other – but you will never be disappointed.