LIZZIE AND THE MAKERS is composed of a rather unlikely looking bunch of rockstars. The median age trends a little older than one might initially suspect of an up-and-coming band, but their rise could hardly be disputed. Their November shows at Rockwood Music Hall and Hometown Barbecue featured guest guitarist Reeves Gabrel, of David Bowie fame, who will be touring with The Cure in early 2019. They also just received their official invitation to play at South by Southwest, a major music festival in Austin, Texas and a bona fide certification of arrival on the indie music scene.
These exciting developments follow the release of their latest EP, MEANWHILE… – a short collection of mostly lighthearted sounds, punctuated with lyrics often verging on solemn. For those appreciating the complex musical layers of multi-instrument bands like Arcade Fire or Ezra Furman, Lizzie and the Makers delivers some classic rock ballads that are as much fun to listen to live as they are on a morning commute.
Front woman Lizzie Edwards’ classical training is evident from the beginning of the album, as soon as her crisp pronunciation cuts through the music. Edwards’ voice is capable of impressive range and the lyrics ring unmistakably loud and clear.
The band works in perfect harmony and nowhere is this more clear than on the track “Melancholy Hill.” “I’m fine, I’m just fine…I’m fine on the inside, but I’ll be alright” Lizzie sings. The range of Lizzie’s vocals expertly communicates the contradiction apparent in the lyrics. The opening guitar riff illustrates the powerful effect of synesthesia – here is the sound of melancholy, the feeling of disappointing someone. Guitar solos communicate the album’s passionate feeling just as well as the complexity of Lizzie’s voice
Before getting too dark, “Blue Moon,” the following track, offers a more optimistic point of view. The track gives the listener an anthemic response to the problems of the day, with Lizzie singing “We’re gonna take back this country” and “too late to turn back, we must go on till dawn.” Adding to the quirky, fun of this track is the lengthy saxophone solo, at once speaking to the track’s blues-y feel and its defiant stand against hopelessness. It may be night, but “the moon is rising, rising up to the sky” and there is something to hope for yet.
Lizzie and the Makers will be playing Friday, December 1st, at Freddy’s in South Prospect Park; if you can’t make it there, they’ll also be playing at LIC Bar in Long Island City on December 12th. For those unable to make it to the live shows, Lizzie and the Makers are available for streaming or purchase on Spotify and Itunes, with major band developments regularly announced on their website http://www.lizzieandthemakers.
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