If dream pop could be melancholic and a ballad feel manic, Devon Williams would be its personification. "Flowers," the first single off Williams’ forthcoming third LP titled, ‘Gilding The Lily,’ displays his enigmatic power wrapped in a gentle ethereal touch. There are flourishes of soft 60s pop, with Pet Sounds-style backing vocals and a pulsing organ. But there’s an undeniable early Shins feeling erupting from the very first vocal line that I can’t shake. That is to say, he references the best of pop’s past and creates something refreshingly personal. Overall, there’s a maturity in Williams’ ability to delicately display such raw emotion through clever pop melodies and lush arrangements. ‘Gilding the Lily’ is due out June 3 on Slumberland Records. – Jacqueline Caruso
