Search - William Lyall :: Solo Casting

Silly Billy...

Michael A. Galati | Belleville IL | 04/25/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is truly a unique disc. William Lyall, the sadly overlooked keyboardist for the sugary sweet, highly charged powerpop group Pilot, somehow managed to gather his musical cohorts to help produce this masterpiece collage of songs. Amazing that what you're hearing was done more than 30 years ago. The title cut is a classic that never was. The haunting bridge alone will knock you out of your headphones. The passion here is undeniable and the quality of the songwriting (all his own) and the musicianship is of the utmost. Take the melodic grit of Lennon, blend it with Elton's flourishes and sense of urgency, add one prolific MANIAC and a few exemplary players (Phil Collins, David Paton, Ian Bairnson, etc) and the results are quite dramatic. Musically and lyrically Silly Billy is letting it all out right here on this disc. And despite the quality, polished sound throughout, after a listen or two you still come away with the feeling that this artist has given you a stripped down, gaping view of his unconventional psyche. Suddenly you really feel like you know him, inside and out. You will either admire or detest, for I don't think the average seeker of pop music cares for such quirky sophistication."