by Patrick Pilch (@pratprilch)
Lily "No Bad Songs" Konigsberg goes four for four on her latest; another whip-smart parcel delivered with patience, precision and growth. Teased intermittently on the Brooklyn-based musican’s socials, It’s Just Like All the Clouds is an open book, another four chapters in the songwriter’s admirably genuine approach. This time around, Lily Konigsberg taps frequent and fruitful collaborators Paco Cathcart (The Cradle), Nina Ryser (Palberta), Matt Norman (Lily and Horn Horse) and Andre Schiavelli, ideal creative partners for the artist’s most polished release yet.
No stinkers on this one, all hits. Lily Konigsberg is, without a doubt, one of the best living pop songwriters. She could write songs for pop stars and then later become one - here's to hoping we're living in that timeline. For now, it’s safe to say Konigsberg’s ample output is absolutely worth keeping up with. Between multiple collaborative projects and increasingly excellent solo material, the songwriter’s eccentric style and influence have proven boundless over the past half decade. Konigsberg’s latest is the tightest batch of ‘Lily songs’ so far and, if you’re still reading, you should put it on.
It's Just Like All the Clouds is like a most serene afternoon stroll - one so tranquil it can only feel cut short. The EP lasts for only a few moments and those moments are revelations. Konigsberg’s waste-not arrangements pack brilliant melody and nuance behind her always potent lyrical introspection. Each song contains an intentional act of self awareness and forgiveness; four contemplative steps toward equilibrium. "When I find it hard to relax," she begins on opener "At Best," "I fix myself/and then I'm ok/and then I punch my brother." Konigsberg picks at unease over a palm-muted guitar and cymbal-less verse, later finishing with a reassuring self check: “I’m alive, I’m alive/By myself, I survive/And you know it.”
This EP is just further testimony to Lily Konigsberg’s ability as a songwriter. “I Said” is perfect. The title track is a gentle, fuckless breeze. Could have sworn I heard "Summertime In the City" on FM radio. It’s Just Like All the Clouds is top of the pops content, and I cannot wait for the next one.