Wigan indie quartet The Lilacs have released their debut album, ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’, via Manchester independent label Scruff of the Neck. Seven years in the making, the ten-track record brings together the melodic hooks and tales of young adulthood that have defined the band’s rise, marking a significant milestone for a group steadily building its reputation on the UK live circuit.
Produced by Joe Cross, whose credits include The Courteeners and Hurts, the album follows a run of singles that have helped establish The Lilacs’ sound, including ‘Miss Behavin’’, ‘Girl Behind The Bar’, ‘What’s The Worst That Can Happen?’ and ‘Put The World To Rights’. The latter has been singled out by the band as a favourite, while the title track serves as the record’s lead single and has already become a fixture among fans.
For frontman Ollie Anglesea, ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’ is the culmination of years spent developing the band’s sound and finding the right words to accompany it.
“This album has been seven years in the making, and I honestly couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve created,” he said. “There’s been blood, sweat and tears poured into this record, and so much of ourselves in every song.”
The title track, in particular, helped establish the album’s direction. Anglesea describes it as the first idea to take shape during the writing process, providing a lyrical starting point for the wider record.
“It feels like the heart of the record, and I think it sums up everything we’ve been trying to say over the last seven years,” he added.
The Lilacs – What’s The Worst That Can Happen? (Official Music Video)
The release also comes after a difficult period for the band. Guitarist Sam Birchall recently received the all-clear following a year of cancer treatment, a journey documented by ITV and the BBC. Against that backdrop, completing the album carries added significance, with Birchall describing the experience as one of the most rewarding of his career so far.
“It’s a real jump in maturity of The Lilacs’ sound, and everything from the lyrics to the tones and the instrumentation has been considered,” he said. “Our heart and soul has really gone into making it the very best that it can be.”
The band’s ambitions are increasingly reflected in their live trajectory. Since debuting with ‘Vicarage Road’ in 2019, The Lilacs have grown a dedicated following, gaining further traction with 2023 single ‘Grace’ before reaching the Top 10 of the Independent Albums Chart with their 2025 EP ‘The 395 (To Forever)’.
Their live credentials have grown alongside that momentum. The quartet have shared stages with The Lathums and Lottery Winners, appeared at festivals including Isle of Wight and Truck, and sold out a 2,700-capacity headline show in Manchester. This summer saw further festival appearances at Rock For People in the Czech Republic, Kendal Calling, Tramlines and Latitude, alongside their first performance at Leeds Festival.
For now, however, the band – made up of Ollie Anglesea, Sam Birchall (guitar), Matt Johnson (bass) and Dave Gomersall (drums) – are scaling things back. To mark the album’s release, The Lilacs are embarking on a run of stripped-back record store performances, swapping festival-sized crowds for more intimate surroundings. The dates include Rough Trade East in London, The Cluny in Newcastle and a hometown appearance at Boulevard in Wigan, with the run set to conclude in Glasgow on October 25th. Most shows also include a signing session, giving fans the chance to meet the band after the performances.
The intimate dates offer a different perspective on a group whose next chapter is already taking shape. The Lilacs are set to return to larger venues for their biggest headline tour yet in 2027, with ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’ providing the foundation for that next step. Full details of their 2027 headline shows can be found here.
The album is available in several physical editions, including CD, cream vinyl, a limited-edition galaxy vinyl and the band’s aptly named Sht Shirt* vinyl, alongside individual member CD editions and a bundle option.
For a band who have spent much of the past seven years working towards this moment, the debut is both a statement of intent and a marker of how far they have come. Whether it translates into the chart success they are aiming for remains to be seen, but The Lilacs are entering this next phase with a full-length record behind them and an increasingly ambitious live schedule ahead.
Download / stream ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’ here.
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