This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Kurt Heasley could be a shoo-in for underground pop artist of the year. As long as the year you’re talking about is the British Invasion heyday of 1966.
That, you see, is almost precisely where Heasley — singer, songwriter, founder, leader and sole permanent member of Lilys — has been happily mired for most of his decade-long career. And naturally, it’s where he remains on his fifth full-length Precollection. But it’s nowhere nearly as predictable, derivative and monotonous as it sounds; over the years, Heasley has experimented with everything from dreamy guitar-pop to fuzzy mod-rock. This time out, he sets his sights on the literate and sophisticated songcraft of tunesmiths like Ray Davies, with expectedly impressive results. Driven by the dark, strummy jangle of his acoustic guitar, illuminated by the gentle yearning of his hushed nasal vocals and textured by swirls of lightly psychedelic effects, many if not most of these 10 tracks display a quiet, smouldering beauty that showcases both Heasley’s sparkling talent and his dedication to his craft. Once again, he’s managed to deliver one of the most enticing and satisfying underground pop discs of this year — or almost any other.
