ANDREW COHEN
LILY VAKILI
From her basement in her Montclair home (see video below), singer-songwriter Lily Vakili sings “April Fools,” a beautiful unreleased song that she says she usually “shares with friends in intimate settings.” This is not high energy Lily, rocking loudly with her talented band. This is Lily in a stunning solo performance where she brings us close to her with her sultry, compelling voice and reminds us that love will give us shelter from the coronavirus storm that has disrupted and destroyed lives.
The unadorned backdrop of her unfinished basement helps us focus — with no theatrical distractions — on only her, surrounded by her son and her dog Juno. We are given a visual understanding of how she remains connected while relatively isolated due to present fears of contagion. The song “connects with what’s going on because it’s about love and the importance of holding on even if the way things end isn’t always pretty,” she says.
Vakili has released two solo albums, Lake City Blues — No Exit (produced by Bruce Hanson) and Meadowlands (produced by James Mastro). In 2018, she created the Lily Vakili Band with Ben St. Jack (lead guitar), Cecile Williams (vocals), Joel Dorow (harmonica), Gordon Kuba (drums) and Jim Tyndall (bass) and released Oh Alright, produced by Ray Ketchem of the Montclair studio, Magic Door Recording.
“More music is coming down the line with our second band album due out later this year and a couple more singles released in between,” says Vakili. David Amlen of Sound on Sound Studios, also in Montclair, will produce this album. In October, she dropped a single and video, “She Wants What,” from the album, and she plans to release a second single soon.
“Let’s take care of each other,” she says at the end of her video. Check on someone vulnerable, someone who needs attention or assistance.
To support Vakili, visit lilyvakili.com or lilyvakili.bandcamp.com.
NJArts.net’s Songs to See Us Through series is designed to spotlight songs relevant to the coronavirus crisis and encourage readers to support the artists who made them (and won’t be able to generate income via concerts at this time). Click here for links to all songs in the series.
We encourage artists to email us submissions (newly recorded, if possible) at njartsdaily@gmail.com. Please include links to sites such as Patreon and Venmo. Readers can also make suggestions via that email address.
We need your help!
CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET
Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the state’s arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.
2 comments
Always loved this one. Thanks for singing it Lily.