The Amarylas

http://myspoonful.com/august-band-of-the-month-winner-the-amarylas - MySpoonful

A classic sound with Victorian-inspired lyrics and an undeniably modern sensibility, The Amarylas are a band out of time. With lilting vocals and gritty instrumentation, these glam troubadours spawn forth tunes sometimes uplifting, sometimes trippy but always, always fascinating. Perhaps the most compelling feature of The Amarylas is that they manage the rare feat of being quirky without having to be all precious or pretentious about it. They’re complicated enough to be listened to through full-can headphones in a black lit dorm room and vibrant enough to be enjoyed through crackling speakers in a tightly packed London club. Regardless how you experience them, The Amarylas won’t disappoint. - MySpoonful

I caught The Amarylas at the monthly Running With Wolves night in Proud Camden (the last Sunday of the month) recently. I liked their proudly audible vocals (a maddening rarity on the London gig scene), their soaring guitars and their unexpected Joe Dassin cover. But I was puzzled by how their pop – sometimes chirpy, sometimes hazy, alltimes uplifting – sounded to me a little like Franz Ferdinand, and yet I didn’t want to cut their heads or my ears off. - Some of it was true

I’d seen the Amarylas a couple of weeks ago at an Oxjam night at Brixton’sWindmill and had been pleasantly surprised. Heading over to Islington’s hallowedHope & Anchor, it was time to reacquaint myself with their psychedelia infused sound.
Tonight they were the opening act on the bill, so the venue was still pretty quiet, which was a shame. A guitar based four-piece, led by mop haired singer Luke Segura, they blend that classic, slightly psychedelic pop whimsy of Syd Barrett or Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake-era Small Faces with a Clash inspired New Wave edge. Basically, what Pete Doherty might sound like if he didn’t have quite so many, er, distractions!
For all of you still mourning the passing of the Libertines, make sure you check out the Amarylas when they play a venue near you. - Amelias Magazine

The Amarylas - Ofelia

Lewis Carroll-inspired pop that merges early Pink Floyd and Kinks influences with eccentric storytelling.

- The Independant