Lili Haydn

Sometimes one song encapsulates all that’s great and unique about a musician. For violinist-turned-singer/songwriter Lili Haydn, it’s the third track on Places Between Places, which coincidentally is her third solo album. “Can’t Give Everything” begins with a raw, rocking interlude, showcasing her instrumental prowess; unfolds into a lush ballad, sung gracefully in the purest realm of her voice; then melts into a powerful coda. None of the other dozen songs quite match it, but enough come close that Places has a place in an aficionado’s case. Haydn (whose parents let her chose her first name, and she obviously didn’t stop there) has cut a musical swatch best described as classical rock (though she calls it postmodern pop). In her L.A. hills home studio (which she calls Lililand), amid red and purple velvet walls, she produced vocals and textures á lá Kate Bush, melodies and lyrics á lá Tori Amos, and violin solos á lá Itzhak Perlman. Without question, “Can’t Give Everything” is worth an iTunes buy; give other songs a spin, and you may well go for the set.