You might think that Killing the Lily (http://www.killingthelily.com) is actually a band. Certainly, KTL's eponymous five-track debut EP sounds like a group at work, a well-polished modern-rock outfit that is slick and commercial enough to be on a major label. However, it's actually a single person, Joseph M. Belliconish, who wrote, produced, and performed everything on it. Who needs bandmates anymore?
Killing the Lily balance the line between alternative rock and mainstream pop. The music has the polished guitars and melodic singing of the Calling and Train but the lyrics are more downbeat, closer to the anguish of early '90s grunge. Breaking up is certainly hard to do, and "Crawling Back" is a bitter pill to swallow. Its heavy beat and lovelorn emotions place it in the category of the Police's "Every Breath You Take" as obsession takes center stage in a depressed man's mind and broken heart. "Kill the Lily" has a more pointed edge in terms of its guitar work, flirting with the loud/soft dynamics of Nirvana but not as aggressive.
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It's Belliconish's guitar work that is most notable on this EP. The chunky riffs on "Don't Give Up on Me" give the song much of its emotional weight. The theme of being dumped is expressed throughout the whole record, reaching its wounded climax with "Just Leave Me Alone," a powerful cut with shimmering guitars and a Tonic-like melodic quality.
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