Tilly and the Wall are an indie rock group which formed in Omaha, Nebraska,… Read Full Bio ↴Tilly and the Wall are an indie rock group which formed in Omaha, Nebraska, United States in 2001. The band consists of Derek Pressnall (vocals, guitar), his wife Jamie Pressnall (tap dancer), Neely Jenkins (vocals, bass), Kianna Alarid (vocals, recorder, bass) and Nick White (keyboards). The band has gained notoriety for having a tap dancer provide percussion instead of a drummer (although drums and drum machines are occasionally used on some of their recordings, and Pressnall is usually complemented by Alarid and Jenkins stomping on the floor). To date they have recorded four albums: Wild Like Children, Bottoms of Barrels, o and Heavy Mood. Their name originated from a children's book called Tillie and the Wall, written by Leo Lionni.

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.

Defenders
Tilly and the Wall Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'Defenders' by these artists:

Bones of Minerva This is the story about how a human mind Can turn…
Domine We are the Royal Guard of Steel We are The Loyal…
DragonForce Life's uncertain, a rat-race of pain Endlessly searching for…
Dragonforce_(p) Life's uncertain, a rat-race of pain Endlessly searching fo…
Dragony Heed the call Defenders of the faith With your hearts on fir…
Songs: Ohia It's unlikely sorrow Will soon pass us by Cause our…

We have lyrics for these tracks by Tilly and the Wall:

- I Always Knew I've lived my life Inside daydreams, lies Imaginary friend…

03 Bad Education Oh, pretty boy You found it hard to really find out…
06 Sing Songs Along We'll wake up your mothers, we'll start a commotion We'll ta…
08) a perfect fit One heart attack and you stumble lost into A light…
09 I Always Knew I've lived my life Inside daydreams, lies Imaginary friends …
09 the freest man There's a boy I know he has a heart of…
10 coughing colors She homed with thieves Kicked up dirty leaves She was a mani…
7 Shake It Out The sun has passed from overhead Let the night come in,…
A Perfect Fit One heart attack and you stumble lost into A light…
All Kinds Of Guns My baby don't hold me back He don't ever try nothin'…
Alligator Skin Oh, I just don't get it, can't seem to make…
Bad Education Oh, pretty boy You found it hard to really find out…
Beat Control Let the beat control you. Let the beat control you. Let the…
Bessa Morning came and I tried not to notice, It was time…
Black Blue When we hear that song, we will dance When we're with…
Blood Flower I buried my blood years ago to encourage the vine I…
Brave Brave the day, no world change I called you on the…
Cacophony Oh come on please, split from the sky Oh this river,…
Chandelier Lake There's a yellow tree that no one sees Where the water…
Coughing Colors She homed with thieves Kicked up dirty leaves She was a ma…
Do You Dream at All When you crawl into bed You pull the covers a bit…
Dust Me Off Sometimes I don't feel all right Keeps me shaking up all…
Echo My Love Buried in the sun where he'll hurt no one My love Buried…
Falling Without Knowing The feeling was psychic, passing through, electric My palm …
Fell Down Th You fell down the stairs into my arms And swiftly ran…
felldownthestairs You fell down the stairs into my arms And swiftly ran…
Forget the Feeling I'm waiting to form a line To be honest in what…
Freest Man There's a boy I know he has a heart of…
Heartbeats Slow, keep it, slow down Keep it so I won't stay…
Heavy Mood I’ve got the powe…
Hidden Track Some names have been changed To protect the identities Of …
I Allways Knew I've lived my life Inside daydreams, lies Imaginary friends …
I Believe In You i can't remember how you looked the day you left it's been…
I Can't Believe You I can't remember How the you looked the day you left It's…
I Found You I, I went down walking The sky was bright Red flowers bloo…
Ice Storm Big Gust Well I swear that you came in the form of…
Ice Storm Big Gust And Yo Well, I swear that you came in the form of…
In Bed All Day The light from the street Fills my room it's amazing to…
In Two Gasses Of Wine I can feel them come back around The slow migration of…
Knights of the Living Dead Well the high school kids are all fucked up Touching each…
Let It "Get into the groove boy you've got to prove your…
Living Dead Well the high school kids are all fucked up Touching each…
Lost Girl, I know the hall looks dark And the storm seems…
Lost Girls Girl, I know the hall looks dark And the storm seems…
Love Riot Love riot Let's do it right We won't be quiet Let's do it…
Love Song Well, you walked into the room just like the sun And…
Ngihts of the Living Dead Well the high school kids are all fucked up Touching each…
Nights Well the high school kids are all fucked up Touching each…
Patience Babe Young woman, her mother's only child Artificial love bloome…
Perfect Fit One heart attack and you stumble lost into A light…
Picture of Houses I took pictures of houses with the light on behind…
Poor Man's Ice Cream The scent of flowers in the crowded street A lonely bell…
Pot Kettle Black I bet you think we didn?t know Didn?t even see the…
Rainbow in the Dark One, two, three, four! I was kidnapped real young by the…
Reckless Oh reckless, a boy wonder, so quiet, nose broken Oh,…
Sad For Days I've been for sad for days About the way I said…
Sad Sad Song Put your heart back under your sleeve Don't know what you…
Save Me Now You wanna walk away You wanna walk away far I wanna…
Shake It Out The sun has passed from overhead Let the night come in,…
Shake Shake You board an airplane Take your seat and watch as All the…
Sing Sing Along We'll wake up your mothers, we'll start a commotion We'll ta…
Static Expressions It's enough, by myself, I can't even hold it all…
Tall Tall Grass When I was young I used to sleep up in…
The Freest Man There's a boy I know he has a heart of…
The Ice Storm Well, I swear that you came in the form of…
The Ice Storm Big Gust and Y Well I swear that you came in the form of…
The Ice Storm, Big Gust, and You Well, I swear that you came in the form of…
Thicker Than Thieves You and me got something they can't touch You and me…
Too Excited You wanna call the shots You wanna talk the talk You wanna…
Urgency A chorus of car alarms, shoes on the powerlines Young kids…
You & I Misbehaving Oh Darci, Darci don't look so sad Don't let the daytime…
You And Oh Darci, Darci don't look so sad Don't let the daytime…
You and I Misbehaving Oh Darci, Darci don't look so sad Don't let the daytime…
You And I Missbehaving Oh Darci, Darci don't look so sad Don't let the daytime…
Youth イージーな理由一切許す若輩レスキュー隊も呼んでおいただからプリーズキスミープリーズキスミー Alnight…

Beat Control Let the beat control you Let the beat control you Let the…

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