Tilly & The Wall - Tapping To A Different Beat
...when people ask I say 'Folk-Pop Rock 'n' Roll with a tap dancer' àit always brings a smile to their faces
| 13 Oct 2006
Festivals always provide a moment of awe-inspiring euphoria. One so separated from the trappings of incessant rain and glutinous mud it could be attributed to the work of a more divine being. And on the final day of Indian Summer, Tilly & The Wall's stunning set is that moment. Wafting waves of spine-tingling melody across the site, their shimmering performance instantly disperses any menacing clouds to reveal heavenly rays of sunshine.
Catching up with The Skinny backstage, guitarist Derek Pressnall is visibly humbled by the rapturous reception of the crowd: "Today was incredible. The sun coming out was amazing and the audience made us feel completely at home," he enthuses. "Right now it's a lot of fun because people are coming to see us for the first time and it's fascinating to get a glimpse of their reactions. It's exciting and real and there's something reassuringly human about it all."
Originating from Omaha, Tilly & The Wall took their title from Leo Lionni's inspirational children's novel. With their romantic notions of childhood, it's perhaps unsurprising that 2004's debut album was called 'Wild Like Children'. Haunting and cherubic, it's a lost classic that entwines acoustic folk lullabies with modern pop sensibilities. Produced in a friend's basement, its astonishing lo-fi sound is made more incredible by the realisation that tap-dancer Jamie Williams is its only percussionist.
So why lay their aspirations at the feet of one member? "Jamie originally played guitar in the band and at the time we were writing songs but didn't have a drummer,' says Derek. "[Jamie] tap-danced before for Park Ave and offered to try it out. As soon as we heard her on one of the tracks we knew it would work." And how right they were. Jamie's rhythmic toe-tapping is central to the band's aesthetically alluring live shows, instantly separating them from any of their contemporaries.
Although receptive to the dangers of gimmickry, Derek astutely realises how intrinsic this novel form of percussion is to the band's success. "The [media] attention has never annoyed me," he says openly. "Once we started playing to crowds we realised just how much fun our shows became. Watching someone tap is much more interesting than a normal performance."
New record 'Bottoms of Barrels' sees the band progress from the dreamy nostalgia of 'Wild Like Children' to a more enriching, voluptuous sound. Incorporating roaming bass lines and pneumatic drum-machines, the group has matured with a more cynical edge to its once angelic exterior. "'Bottoms Of Barrels' is a natural reaction to what we'd experienced on the road," explains Derek. "Fidelity-wise it's a lot more textured as we had a proper studio to help achieve the sound we wanted."
But how does Derek describe this sound? "It's hard to label yourself," he proclaims. "But when people ask I say 'Folk-Pop Rock 'n' Roll with a tap dancer' – it always brings a smile to their faces." And after such a sparkling performance, you get the feeling today's grinning crowd couldn't agree more.
Catching up with The Skinny backstage, guitarist Derek Pressnall is visibly humbled by the rapturous reception of the crowd: "Today was incredible. The sun coming out was amazing and the audience made us feel completely at home," he enthuses. "Right now it's a lot of fun because people are coming to see us for the first time and it's fascinating to get a glimpse of their reactions. It's exciting and real and there's something reassuringly human about it all."
Originating from Omaha, Tilly & The Wall took their title from Leo Lionni's inspirational children's novel. With their romantic notions of childhood, it's perhaps unsurprising that 2004's debut album was called 'Wild Like Children'. Haunting and cherubic, it's a lost classic that entwines acoustic folk lullabies with modern pop sensibilities. Produced in a friend's basement, its astonishing lo-fi sound is made more incredible by the realisation that tap-dancer Jamie Williams is its only percussionist.
So why lay their aspirations at the feet of one member? "Jamie originally played guitar in the band and at the time we were writing songs but didn't have a drummer,' says Derek. "[Jamie] tap-danced before for Park Ave and offered to try it out. As soon as we heard her on one of the tracks we knew it would work." And how right they were. Jamie's rhythmic toe-tapping is central to the band's aesthetically alluring live shows, instantly separating them from any of their contemporaries.
Although receptive to the dangers of gimmickry, Derek astutely realises how intrinsic this novel form of percussion is to the band's success. "The [media] attention has never annoyed me," he says openly. "Once we started playing to crowds we realised just how much fun our shows became. Watching someone tap is much more interesting than a normal performance."
New record 'Bottoms of Barrels' sees the band progress from the dreamy nostalgia of 'Wild Like Children' to a more enriching, voluptuous sound. Incorporating roaming bass lines and pneumatic drum-machines, the group has matured with a more cynical edge to its once angelic exterior. "'Bottoms Of Barrels' is a natural reaction to what we'd experienced on the road," explains Derek. "Fidelity-wise it's a lot more textured as we had a proper studio to help achieve the sound we wanted."
But how does Derek describe this sound? "It's hard to label yourself," he proclaims. "But when people ask I say 'Folk-Pop Rock 'n' Roll with a tap dancer' – it always brings a smile to their faces." And after such a sparkling performance, you get the feeling today's grinning crowd couldn't agree more.
Bottoms of Barrels' is released through V2 on October 2.
http://www.tillyandthewall.com/