Critics are going wild for the Sharon Lia Band

Critics are going wild for the Sharon Lia Band this August, and it isn’t difficult to understand why once you give their new single, “Why Can’t We Pretend?” (from the currently unreleased Beyond Wonderland), a spin. Right from the get-go, Lia and is captivating us with an aching piano part that will slowly but surely blossom into a full-blown symphonic rock anthem about eighty-seconds into the track. The band layers one strand of melodic ribbonry on top of another, and by the time we reach the cathartic release at the end of the song, we’ll have experienced what could only be the full scope of this group’s dynamic talents. The Sharon Lia Band has never disappointed us in the past, but they’re sounding more relaxed and in their element than ever before here.

The lyric video for “Why Can’t We Pretend?” is pretty basic, but it really doesn’t have to be super glossy considering its soothing soundtrack. The images the serve as a backdrop to the verses Lia sings to us are dreamlike and awesomely surreal, but they’re never steeped in the sort of overindulgence that has become all too common among indie bands this summer. In a period where artists are chasing gluttonous grooves as if they automatically guaranteed a hit single, this group is going in a different direction and subsequently recording the best music that they’ve ever written. The video isn’t as action-packed as the music is, but it’s still worth a second look for sure.

I’m going to be bold and say that if the whole of the Beyond Wonderland LP is as good as its cornerstone song is, then I think that the Sharon Lia Band are going to be collecting a lot more accolades before the year expires just four months from now. I can’t remember the last time a progressive-inspired pop group out of Philadelphia got the kind of hype that these guys are with “Why Can’t We Pretend?,” and if the track gets into steady rotation outside of the DC/Philly/New York corridor this season, there’s no reason to think that the rest of the album won’t as well. You’d be hard-pressed to find another alternative act making the waves that Lia’s gang is at the moment, and I’m hardly the only writer saying as much this month.

If there’s one group that audiophiles around the country need to be following this summer, it’s the Sharon Lia Band, who have made an undebatable staple single of the season in “Why Can’t We Pretend?.” The one thing that all great rock vocalists have in common is self-awareness, and the leader of this five-piece troop is showing us just how introspective and humble she can be here more than she ever did in 2016’s Fairytales. There’s a lot of astonishingly good music being made by indie artists around the globe right now, but in the mixed bag of melodies that you’ll discover when browsing the east coast underground this month, it’s the Sharon Lia Band’s new song that will likely leave you feeling the most pleased.

Mindy McCall

The music of SHARON LIA has been heard all over the world due to the promotional services offered by Danie Cortese Entertainment & Publicity. Learn more here – http://www.daniecorteseent.com/