Gillian

Brooklyn-based quintet Gillian’s new single “Colorize” demands attention with a combination of hypnotic, country-twanging guitar (similar to that of Alabama Shakes) and powerful, edgy vocals. Frontwoman Kym Hawkins brings to mind a mix of Gwen Stefani and Karen O with her ruthless energy, singing about apprehensive maturity (“And meanwhile I’m not sold / On this notion that we have to get old”) while perfectly capturing the feeling of youthful rebellious fun. The five-minute rush of a jam takes a surprising turn at the three-minute mark, with a spiraling breakdown that builds into a triumphant and anthemic conclusion. - SPIN

We’ve all been there: You write a hit song, everyone loves it, and then another artist comes along and slaps a copyright infringement lawsuit on your ass. OK, maybe we haven’t all been there. But Pharrell Williams certainly has. Last year, a jury found the singer and producer guilty of plagiarizing Marvin Gaye with “Blurred Lines” in a case that carries troubling implications for artists big and small. Indie pop five-piece Gillian took note and used Pharrell’s plagiarism case as the inspiration for their latest single, “Sue My Mood”.

“We wrote this song about the outcome of the ‘Blurred Lines’ lawsuit against Pharrell,” explains singer/guitarist Geoff Bennington. “The ruling sets a precedent that you can be sued for copying the ‘mood’ of a song. That puts a lot of musicians in a strange place. It’s impossible not to let the great artists of the past influence you in meaningful ways.” Lead singer Kym Hawkins agrees. “You can take legal action now over stealing another artist’s mood, aura, or feeling?” she asks skeptically. “Where does it end?”

Well, for now, it ends with a remarkably catchy song — probably the most danceable tune ever written about copyright infringement. Much of this has to do with Hawkins’ vocal delivery, which imbues a somewhat heady idea with a surprising amount of emotion. The rest of the band follows suit with understated, palm-muted guitar lines and just enough swagger to make their stance clear.

“Sue My Mood” comes with an equally colorful video directed by Justin Lee Stanley, who was initially attracted to the song for its sonic qualities. “It’s colorful and kinetic with a lyrical catchiness that I knew would provide a landscape for great visuals,” he explains. The video features plenty of live shots of the band playing, as if to demonstrate that they’re real people and not just the possible defendants in a future lawsuit. Check out the video above.

Gillian are gearing up to release their new EP, Strange Candy, later this summer. The band also debuted punny lead single “Eau to Be” via Consequence of Sound back in February. - Consequence of Sound

New York City indie pop five-piece Gillian sound like a bunch of losers on their new single, “Eau to Be”. According to singer Kym Hawkins, this is by design. “This song is a celebration of defeat,” Hawkins explains, citing lyrics such as “Ooh, to be deprived! /Steal my stole, and batter up my bike.” The band wrote “Eau to Be” while on tour last year, inspired by the “chip-tunesy blip sound” that vocalist/guitarist Geoff Bennington was getting out of his new Organizer pedal. Of course, he wanted it to sound like an organ, but things don’t always work out as planned. “And that’s what this one’s all about,” says Hawkins, “just making do with what you have and how sometimes you’re better off with those GD lemons. It doesn’t always happen, but this time around I think we made lemon drops.”

Gillian has made more than lemon drops, crafting a tight, bouncy pop song that still leaves plenty of room for sonic experimentation. It absolutely demands your full attention, never quite slowing down from start to finish.

“Eau to Be” is our first taste of Gillian’s upcoming Strange Candy EP, due out later this Spring. Listen in to the song below. - Consequence of Sound

Just to clarify, Gillian isn’t a girl, Gillian is a band. And a really fucking fun band at that. Four dudes and a girl making rambunctious singalong indie-pop fit for any millennial who loves the sound of their own voice in the shower.

They’re working with the same grit that saved The Get Up Kids and Against Me! from being lumped into the same category as their shinier contemporaries, but their hooks are even bigger, if that was even possible- think Grouplove or Smallpools.

Anyway, the new EP from Gillian will hit iTunes on Monday and we’re here to give you a sneak preview of “Freak Flag” and “Before We Go.” Hurry guys, there’s still time to get into ‘em before Urban Outfitters’ music director gets ahold of this and we have to hide from their ubiquity. - Death and Taxes

Ahhh summertime: top down, the wind in your hair, and your dime-piece girlfriend/boyfriend languidly lounging in the passenger's seat munching on Sun Chips. The final piece of the puzzle is a soundtrack, and Brooklyn band Gillian will be releasing their EP, Colorize, just in time.

The 5-song collection oozes care-free, warm-weather vibes and playful indie-pop sensibility. The 'colorful' contrast between vocalist Kym Hawkins' cool-girl sweetness and her male counterpart's coarse belting makes for awesomely unique harmonies and a ton of variety. The title track is a highlight, complete with tasty guitar riffs and catchy, saccharine synth flavors, but the whole EP is nicely executed. - Baeble

New York up-and-comers, Gillian, released their brilliant debut two-song EP on November 12th. 'Freak Flag' features delightfully raucous indie rock, complete with sing-along hooks, explosive guitar work, and a pounding rhythm section.

"We've been playing for about eight or nine months," says co-lead singer Kym Hawkins, an East Tennessee transplant who met Geoff Bennington, the band's other vocalist and guitar player, while apprenticing as a luthier in New York. Rounding out the groups line up is Paul Demyanovich on guitar and keys, Brian Yuracheck on drums, and Alex Federow on bass.

Bennington and Demyanovich grew up in New Jersey, and they've known each other since the fourth grade. Along with Yuracheck, the guys made a name for themselves playing in NY bands.

"Geoff decided to finally start his own project," says Hawkins. Then rest is history. Hawkins innocent-with-a-dash-of-sass coo is a perfect foil to Bennington's raw caterwaul. Demyanovich's over-driven guitar backs their vocals with plenty of energy and flare.

'Freak Flag' was recorded at Smacktone Studios with Matt Maroulakos. Grady Woodruff (Moon Taxi, Sons of Lions) produced. "We're going back to the studio, probably in January," Hawkins says. "We're going to spend the rest of this year writing. We have about 10 songs that we've started."

"We've talked about doing a tour, but right now we want to start playing more in Brooklyn," says Hawkins. 'Freak Flag' is available now at the group's bandcamp page, and is on iTunes and Spotify on Monday. - The 405

Following in the footsteps of the two most prominent... let's call them "Beauty and the Beast" rock bands of all times (The B52's and Bjork's early band The Sugarcubes), NYC/NJ's Gillian features the constrasting double vocals of Kym Hawkins' pretty alto and Geoff Bennington's manic tenor. These two characters inhabit a rather schizofrenic sonic environment where pop melodies emerge unexpectedly from a rather chaotic and heavy musical background. The best example of this is single "Spirit Night' from their 2014 EP "The Eyes in My Head,' a kaleidoscopic track that blends all sorts of influences: we hear Americana leaning guitars, a garage rock rhythm section, melodies reminiscent of the '80s sophistipop wave, and vocals at times reminiscent of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The band landed a June residency at Arlene's Grocery - the next two dates are on the 17th and 24th of the month. - The Deli

As Brooklyn-based indie rock five-piece Gillian get ready for the release of their latest EP, ‘Colorize,’ in early April, Diffuser is very excited to premiere the official music video for ‘Freak Flag’ — check it out above.
‘Freak Flag’ is first and foremost an instantly catchy song; featuring beautiful dynamics throughout, the track is one that most listeners will likely find some encouragement in, if not flat out inspiration.
Guitarist Geoff Bennington tells us, “‘Freak Flag’ is a celebration of uninhibited individuality and creative expression — the feeling of being truly lost in a moment and reacting only to the moment in a passionate and unbridled way.” As for the video, he says it “explores the theme as it follows a house-sitter who throws on some headphones and dances around the house like no one is watching — an act I certainly hope everyone who sees it is guilty of.”
Kym Hawkins, the house-sitter in ‘Freak Flag’ and Gillian’s frontwoman, admits the music video was a lot of fun to create. “It was a very organic set-up which checked out since none of us are actors,” she tells us. “Just lots of hanging out for the guys and some loose choreography for me. I definitely got a bit tipsy on champagne during the retakes.”
At the helm of the video was director Andrew Moorehead. He wanted to make something very simple while using the sound of ‘Freak Flag’ as a visual element, “so that we could experience listening to the song and watching the video at the same time our character is listening to it.”
Moorehead goes on, “As for the story, we really just wanted to see someone enjoying themselves on screen and letting themselves go — it was as simple as that. We used the Movi M10 Stabilizer to achieve the long takes and roving perspective, something that allowed us to get long choreographed takes in a short amount of time and achieve the in-the-moment feeling we were looking for.”
As you wait for ‘Colorize’ to hit the streets on April 7, head over to Gillian’s Bandcamp to check out some of their other music — and to download ‘Freak Flag.’ And for readers in the New York area, make sure to mark Feb. 20 on your calendars as Gillian will be rocking Arlene’s Grocery; get more info on the gig here.


Read More: Gillian, 'Freak Flag' - Exclusive Premiere | http://diffuser.fm/gillian-freak-flag-exclusive-premiere/?trackback=tsmclip - diffuser.fm

Guitarists Geoff Bennington and Paul Demyanovich began writing songs in Brooklyn in 2012 and they called upon childhood friend Brian Yurachek to come play drums, and afterwards connected with Alex Fedorow (bass) and Kym Hawkins (vocals/percussion) while working at a guitar store in the East Village. Together, they make unpretentious singalong indie-pop and call themselves Gillian.

Gillian have just released the music video for their 2013 number “Freak Flag!” –We had a listen:

This begins with a fizzy bagload of plectra sounds before a happy Whooo! starts the beat-proper.

Then the piñata explodes – throwing out ripe male vocals in a sweaty confusion… these fuss, squirm and convulse like a glow-fish swimming in peach-sherbert water.

Then a smooth female voice is delivered – this is as sweet and softly delicious as candy-tuft.

This sound brings together the lush, ambrosial nature of Jacqui Abbott era “Beautiful South” with the catastrophic bluesy volatility of “Kill It Kid.”

“There was love coming from the speakers… And we were lost in the sound…”

Yes, indeedy! - Raw Ramp

Just to clear things up, Gillian is a BAND, not a female singer backed by a band. Gillian is a kick-ass band at that; one of those rare moments in rock ‘n’ roll that a band provides such a kick. Most bands seem to be girl front, band in background. Not here. This band has that 90’s feel that I love so much. There are times in “Freak Flag” that the band sounds a lot like Big Brother and Holding Company when they still operated as a band, and not just background for Janis. Please, Gillian, bring us more. - Audio Fuzz

Brooklyn band Gillian are releasing their record, Colorize on April 21. Ahead of that release, they have shared a video for their track “Freak Flag”. An ode to loving rock and roll and dancing like a freak. It’s a fantastic track featuring exchanging male and female vocals and an infectious sing-along chorus of “I’m not crazy, okay maybe, just a little bit, but I kinda like it that way”. Check it out below and dance away! - The Revue

I ventured out last weekend to catch Brooklyn’s Gillian, an indie rock outfit whose “Colorize” we featured in our last episode of Beet Box! The group put out a similarly titled EP just recently and have been playing locally around its merits. On this evening, they headlined the Mercury Lounge, and turned it into a proper fiesta, sort of a DIY-equivalent of the presentation that I saw with Glass Animals at Central Park. Balloons were bouncing and bubbles were blowing; the party atmosphere in the venue was cranked up to eleven.

Gillian is a quintet, bolstered tonight by a brass duo, with a loud, exuberant interpretation of indie pop; what highlights this attitude most prominently is the joyous conviction they all shared as their music burst proudly from the speakers. There was never a lack of motion on stage; the party atmosphere presented thus diffused itself well into the audience. With such a good time had that night, I am left optimistic: they can put together a strong live show, now I’d love to see them continue their journey, release an album, and see just how high they can fly.

Along with Gillian we saw two other stellar acts, Bellechord and the Shills. Bellechord are an NY trio who kept the house lights dim so we could mojo out properly to their style of prog rock. “Houdini” is their latest. Boston’s The Shills were first on the night, and shone brightly (and noisily) as they rocked out. The band just put out a sharp, visually abstract music video for “Oh, This Devilish Place.” off their concept album from early this year, Keep Your Hands Busy: Vol. 2, which highlights their alternative, atmospheric sound. - Neat Beet

Brooklyn-based indie rock band Gillian just released their music video for “Freak Flag!” Watch HERE. With roots extending back to 2012, the band was formed after members discovered they were living in the same city for the first time since high school, and soon agreed on the name Gillian in honor of a good friend. - Vents Magazine

Gillian are a Brooklyn band featuring Geoff Bennington, Paul Demyanovich, Kym Hawkins, Paul Fedorow and Brian Yurachek. The quintet play an infectious and very danceable version of indie rock/punk. In early 2015 the band signed a publishing deal to for TV, movies and commercials. While something of that nature might not sit well with music purists.
It surely marks an improvement in each of the three markets. For me personally, I will forever appreciate Gillian's unique and rare ability to make me dance with wild abandon and boundless glee. Here's to hip shakin'. James Damion - United By Rocket Science

Brooklyn-based indie rock band Gillian have released a new track called Colorize, which will appear on their upcoming EP called Colorize, dropping on April 21st. - Indie Minded

Brooklyn-based indie rock band Gillian have just released the kickass new video for their single, “Freak Flag”.
The camera follows Jane Wiedlin lookalike Kym Hawkins around a cozy house as she simultaneously drinks, dances, and cleans the day away. Meanwhile, her fellow band members Geoff Bennington, Brian Yurachek, Paul Demyanovich, and Alex Fedorow make themselves right at home, hot boxing the bathroom, shotgunning beers in the bedroom, and chatting in the hot tub without a care in the world.
The boys flippant attitude mirrors the tracks infectious, carefree nature, and the production quality is completely on point.
Check out the video below, and if you’re in the NYC area, come see Gillian rock Arlene’s Grocery tonight at 10pm and let your freak flag fly! - Speak into My Good Eye