David Reilly

Category: Rock
Album: Inside

David Reilly, former frontman for God Lives Underwater, struck out on his own after the dissolution of his former band and the destruction of his personal life. If one imagined that what he would produce on his own would sound like God Lives Underwater, they were only half right.

Surprisingly, the pop sensibility of God Lives Underwater has remained intact, while being stripped down to the most bare bones one could imagine. Reilly’s pinched, nasal voice hangs just over a void of sequenced bleeps, acoustic guitar strumming, and minimalist drum programming. And yet it somehow stands far above his previous music in its simplicity and honesty. Songs that one could imagine easily being sappy and melodramatic come off as exceptionally heartfelt and moving. And as much as one thinks that the songs are somewhat meaningless, you realize you still have them in the back of your head, playing on endlessly.

Probably the smartest and strongest move David Reilly could have made, this EP of new work is not only for fans of God Lives Underwater or acoustic music lovers, but for the masses of synthpop fanatics, open-minded industrial fans, and the radio-rock-friendly. And though the moping atmosphere of the songs may not be for all, there is something uniquely complex in every song to be respected.

 

from ReGen Magazine (~8/2004)