The Stargazer Lilies
Occabot


4.0
excellent

Review

by Dewinged STAFF
November 18th, 2019 | 23 replies


Release Date: 2019 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Take a look at yourself in this melting mirror.

Occabot is the fourth album of The Stargazer Lilies, a heavy shoegaze and psychedelic pop ensemble formed in Portland from the ashes of a band called Soundpool by husband and wife John Ceperino and Kim Field, along with drummer Tammy Hirata. Six years away from their debut in 2013 with We are the Dreamers, the sound of the Lilies haven't essentially changed, floating in that ever-reliable magic carpet of ethereal and distorted melodies led by the delightful vocal dubs of Kim Field, while gliding over a furious sea of saturated guitars and infinite echoes. If anything, the Lilies' latest release improves the formula, culminating a long quest in search of a defining sound that now belongs to the band, even if that means drawing heavily from the holy grail of the genre, that album that some of you would have already guessed, is called Loveless.

Occabot feels like looking at a beautiful portrait while it melts. One can easily visualize the painting running down the canvas as it drips to the floor yet forming another piece of abstract art on the ground almost by accident. These casually formed layers of melody and noise are a carefully curated exercise of substance, a sound that is not easily achieved. And the Lilies have made their homework, giving the knots that extra turn and letting the songs slide into a slightly different sonic spectrum, resulting in something that is both familiar and satisfying.

"Magenta Sunrise" opens the album majestically. Field sings shrouded in distortion and echo, backed by a distant organ until the drums kick in with a psychedelic rock beat. In a few minutes, the Lilies already have made their case. If you have ever waked up in a hospital bed in the arms of morphine after being sucker punched in a drunk disco brawl, you are already well equipped for Occabot.

David Lynch comes to mind when "Monsters of Your Thought" follows up. It's a sort of deformed ballad where melodies struggle to chain with each other, constantly coming in and out of pitch, while the tune peaks at a very inspired Floydian guitar solo courtesy of John Cep. "Foreverless" strangely sounds like Mötley Crüe with an overdose riding down Sunset Strip and crashing into Slowdive's touring van. The hoarse guitar riff marries Field's vocals beautifully, while Hirata's simple but effective drumming supports the sonic storm as it cruises with extremely dense tempo.

The B side of Occabot is a bit less eventful albeit solid, mostly commanded by the six minutes of "Dizzying Heights" and the closing drone wonder of "Icarus Sun". While Occabot manages to ignite the flame that The Stargazer Lilies had in their first two albums, and that arguably went dim with the release of Lost 2 years ago, it is safe to say that the band is back to a comfortable spot in the shoegaze map. Aware of their influence, they simply amplify it, making you feel like you are sinking in a bed of electrified feathers, which in the end, it is all that one longs for in this, the land of noise and dreams.



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user ratings (11)
3.4
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 18th 2019


32191 Comments


I can't seem to edit my reviews for some unholy reason but oh well, forgot to add that this is produced by Thomas Fec, alias Tobacco, from Black Moth Super Rainbow, hence the anagram for the album's title.

Solid shoegaze release, and a quick write up to help me get back into the routine. Feedback always welcome.

Album's out on rad cult, so go get it, cause it's good: https://racu36.bandcamp.com/album/occabot

nightbringer
November 18th 2019


2763 Comments


I will be sure to check this out.

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 18th 2019


32191 Comments


Nice dude, hope you like it.

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 18th 2019


32191 Comments


No mood for shoegaze in autumn right, Sput? :/

insomniac15
Staff Reviewer
November 20th 2019


6256 Comments


Haven't heard about these guys so far, but the review (and the album cover) made me check them out. They sound really cool

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 20th 2019


32191 Comments


Cheers insomniac, they mix psychedelic with shoegaze really nicely. Glad you checked them!

Trifolium
November 20th 2019


40050 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Omg haha, is this a collaboration between



https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/64897/Stella-Luna-Stargazer/

and

https://www.sputnikmusic.com/bands/Lilys/2814/



Sounds great, going on my list!

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 20th 2019


32191 Comments


You can't go wrong with any of them! Hope u like it Trif!

insomniac15
Staff Reviewer
November 20th 2019


6256 Comments


Monsters of Your Thought, Living Piece of Art and Dizzying Heights are really good.

chilledpunkrock
November 20th 2019


113 Comments


The three tracks on the bandcamp page right now like Beach House's best stuff mixed with many extremely strong psychedelics. Waiting for it to come out to give thoughts on the entire thing but what I'm hearing now is fantastic.

Aberf
November 20th 2019


3991 Comments


I'm reporting dewinged for not notifying me about this

Sunnyvale
Staff Reviewer
November 20th 2019


6201 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

This sounds awesome, I'll check it

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 21st 2019


32191 Comments


@Chilled it came out on spotify, etc on Nov. 1st, but I guess they only have those 3 tracks available on bandcamp (which kinda sucks...)

@Aberf Wait! The crow I sent should have arrived last week!

@Sunny Hope you dig!

Trifolium
November 21st 2019


40050 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

The sound is so nicely saturated here, love it. Very psychedelic for sure.

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 21st 2019


32191 Comments


In love with the opener just now.

Sunnyvale
Staff Reviewer
November 21st 2019


6201 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I like this a lot

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 22nd 2019


32191 Comments


Yep, definitely a sleeper that gains a slot in my AOTY list.

Trifolium
November 22nd 2019


40050 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I already feel a 3.5 is too low for this.

dbizzles
November 22nd 2019


15264 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Alright, alright.... I'll jam it this weekend.

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
November 23rd 2019


32191 Comments


Great weekend drunk jam.

I speak from experience.



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