Tilly and the Wall sprang out of Omaha in 2001 - a Midwestern band of like-minded friends with pockets full of melodies, and a lot of pockets. The serendipitous result of five Omaha residents with a penchant for the same classic '60s pop, boy/girl harmonies and Americana folk records, Tilly and the Wall celebrates the petulant, determined, feisty nature of youth. They rejoice in tales of dreams followed, mistakes made, and hearts broken.
Tilly and the Wall released their debut album, Wild Like Children, in June 2004 on Conor Oberst's label, Team Love. Neely and Jamie were once in a band with Conor before he became known worldwide as Bright Eyes. Derek and Nick moved to Omaha from Atlanta, Georgia. Upon meeting, it was as if long-lost friends had found each other: without a doubt, the Tillys were born. Once the songs were written, Conor agreed to helm the production duties, and hence, Wild Like Children was unleashed on the world. As one of the first albums released on Team Love, Tilly and the Wall set a precedent for the label's identity: original, smart, exciting and, above all, easy to sing along to. The record consisted of 11 perfectly formed songs bursting with enthusiastic hyperactivity, while emanating a bitter sweet melancholy of long lost summers and misguided first loves. In front of a backdrop of sunshine, rain and snow, Tilly and the Wall sang songs about loving and kissing, dancing and drinking, staying and leaving, driving and talking, sleeping and dreaming, all set to the tap-tap-tapping of Jamie's toes. The press from sea to shining sea fell in love instantly.
And so, the Tillys went to meet their adoring fans, playing shows throughout America with the likes of Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley, The Go! Team, Pedro the Lion, Of Montreal and more. When not on the road, the band began working on the follow-up to Wild Like Children, simply titled Bottoms of Barrels. Recorded over three weeks in October and November 2005, the album was recorded by AJ Mogis, brother and mixed by studio co-hort to Bright Eyes' Mike Mogis. Bottoms of Barrels sees the Tillys taking their signature sound to the next level. The choruses are more rousing, the tapping more intense, the instrumentation fuller, each sound painting broad brush strokes across your speakers. Longtime friend Nate Walcott contributes a bit of trumpet, while other friends have added drums, accordion and cello. A couple of tracks even feature the vocal styling of University of Nebraska's own choir Trip the Light Fantastic, bolstering Neely and Kianna's dulcet harmonies. Bottoms of Barrels fully demonstrated the importance of Tilly’s “we” perspective – with a gang full of voices, the band made strong declarations about love, freedom and their own place in the world. The album took the band on travels they had only dreamt about, resulting in extensive tours throughout Europe, Australia, Japan and even Iceland. They also played their first-ever sets at major music festivals, including the Reading/Leeds Festival, Coachella and Japan’s Summer Sonic. By the middle of 2007, they returned home to Omaha to begin work on their next long-playing record, having amassed legions of fans, as well as frequent flyer miles, across the entire globe.
Their 2008 record, which has no title but is represented by the shape o (the cut-out shape framing the handmade cover artwork for the record), was produced by acclaimed producer Mike Mogis through the harsh Nebraska winter of 2007. o sees Tilly and the Wall redefining their sound, taking bigger, bolder steps towards experimentation while maintaining the elements that have always made them who they are. o draws on everything from nature to magic, from sex to astrology, with a larger focus on percussion, rhythm, harmonies and kaleidoscopic melodies, yet ultimately still sounds like our five musical friends from Omaha.
Their album Heavy Mood was released in 2012. They broke up soon after that. Vocalist Kianna Alarid joined the Kansas City band Yes You Are. A retrospective album I Want to F*ck It Up (Tilly and the Wall 2002-2013) is planned for 2020 on the Team Love label.
A Perfect Fit
Tilly and the Wall Lyrics
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A light you make so brightly false
And I watch as blood spills down your arm
And makes it's way to me
So here I stand puddle under me
I'm trying to believe you're nothing like you seem
I just don't know
Saying, "I don't remember"
And I knew right then it wasn't you just some weak imposter
Oh how could you my lovely friend get caught in their current?
No, No I don't believe no, no I won't believe, you will remember
I would hold your hand if you came to me
I would do anything to see you walk free
I just don't know
With these perfect tree branches
Oh there's bound to be a lynching
With a crowd one-sided screaming
Yeah, the sound gets overwhelming
And they want you to believe them
Yeah, they'd love to see you hanging
I know the noose is tempting and seems like a perfect fit
Don't go through with it
I just don't know
The first set of lyrics in Tilly and the Wall's song "A Perfect Fit" talks about the singer's observation of someone they care about going through a difficult time. This person is described as having a heart attack and stumbling into a false light that they create themselves. The singer notices blood spilling from their loved one's arm and makes its way to them, creating a profound impact. The singer is standing in a puddle, trying to believe that their loved one is not what they seem, but they're unsure. The second set of lyrics has the listener transported to a kitchen sink where the loved one talks to the singer, but they don't remember what they're talking about. The singer then realizes this person is not who they seem to be, but an imposter who got caught in a current that they couldn't control. The singer thinks it's a shame and pleads with their loved one to remember. They tell their loved one that they will hold their hand and do anything to see them walk free.
The third set of lyrics in "A Perfect Fit" is an interesting and thought-provoking part of the song as it describes a lynch mob mentality. The singer describes perfect tree branches that are about to be used for a lynching. A crowd is one-sided and screaming, and the sound gets overwhelming. Everybody wants the loved one to believe them, and the singer knows that they would love to see their loved one hanging. The noose becomes tempting, but the singer urges their loved one not to go through with it because it's not a perfect fit.
Line by Line Meaning
One heart attack and you stumble lost into
Your sudden collapse and confusion are overwhelming.
A light you make so brightly false
You're deceiving yourself and others, pretending to be something you're not.
And I watch as blood spills down your arm
I see the harm you're doing to yourself and it's affecting me too.
And makes it's way to me
Your pain is becoming my burden to bear.
So here I stand puddle under me
I'm standing in a pool of blood, struggling to comprehend what's happening.
I'm trying to believe you're nothing like you seem
I want to believe you're not intentionally hurting yourself or hiding your true self.
I just don't know
But I'm uncertain and unsure of what to do or think.
By the kitchen sink you talked to me
We had a conversation about your struggles, but I don't know what to make of it.
Saying, "I don't remember"
You're claiming not to recall things that have happened, which is concerning to me.
And I knew right then it wasn't you just some weak imposter
I realized that the person I thought I knew and cared about is not the same, they're someone else entirely.
Oh how could you my lovely friend get caught in their current?
I can't understand how my dear friend got swept up in something that's causing them so much pain and confusion.
No, No I don't believe no, no I won't believe, you will remember
I refuse to believe that you won't be able to recall the things that have led you to this point.
I would hold your hand if you came to me
I would be there to support you if you reached out for help and guidance.
I would do anything to see you walk free
I want to see you liberated from the pain and confusion that have been holding you back.
With these perfect tree branches
Referring to the setting, which is tranquil and in stark contrast to the turmoil and distress in the situation.
Oh there's bound to be a lynching
The surrounding environment is hostile, and there's a sense of impending danger.
With a crowd one-sided screaming
The people around us are biased and not seeing the whole picture.
Yeah, the sound gets overwhelming
The noise and chaos surrounding us are becoming unbearable.
And they want you to believe them
The onlookers are trying to make us believe what they're saying, probably to justify their lynching.
Yeah, they'd love to see you hanging
These people are eager to see us suffer and be punished for something we may not entirely deserve.
I know the noose is tempting and seems like a perfect fit
The idea of succumbing to the pressure and punishment is alluring, but it won't solve anything.
Don't go through with it
We must resist the temptation to give up or give in to the crowd's pressure, and instead try to find a way out.
I just don't know
The situation is confusing and uncertain, but we can't give up trying to find a solution.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Derek Pressnall, Jamie L Williams, Kianna Alarid, Neely Jenkins, Nicholas White
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind