It seems like a tale as old as time. An indie band releasing a song about the one that got away, or in this case, the one that continues to walk on by.

The Lilacs new single, ‘Miss Behavin”’ perfectly capture this moment, but they’ve transformed their fleeting optimism into a euphoric anthem, perfect for the summer festival stages.

When it comes to writing relatable indie, the Wigan band seemed to have mastered the art. They depict the life of the transitional period from teenage life into young adulthood, highlighting the relatable difficulties at this age.

With ‘Miss Behavin’, The Lilacs continues their evolution that’s been building towards the release of their debut album ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’. Older material like ‘Grace’ and ‘Vicarage Road’ leaned heavily into raw, lad-inspired anthems, but Sam Birchall’s sparkly, hook-heavy guitars are incrementally transforming their sound into a glossier production.

This elevation in the bands sound and productions gives frontman Ollie Anglesea’s gravelled, distinctive vocals the extra room to stand out.

‘Miss Behavin’ is the second release in the build up to the debut album, with ‘Girl Behind The Bar’ releasing around 6 weeks ago. If these first two releases are anything to go by, the album is going to be full of shimmering indie pop whilst maintaining the British rock roots. Think Blossoms, Sundara Karma and Circa Waves.

‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’ will be released on October 2nd. Both the album and the single are out via Manchester’s renowned independent label ‘Scruff Of The Neck’.

The album is produced by Joe Cross (Courteneers, Hurts) and recorded at sessions split between Manchester and Paris. The single is one of eight new songs to feature on ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses‘, which is completed by fresh recordings of fan favourites and live staples ‘Grace’ and ‘Vicarage Road’.

The album is available to pre-order via the bands website, offering a CD, cream vinyl and signed lilac galaxy vinyl with alternate black artwork. There’s also a new bucket hat on offer. The first 500 orders of any physical album format will be rewarded with a signed art print. Meanwhile, select indie stores have an exclusive red cornetto vinyl with a signed obi strip, packaged in alternate red artwork.

Formed in Wigan by Ollie Anglesea and Sam Birchall (guitar), The Lilacs are completed by Matt Johnson (bass) and Dave Gomersall (drums). They debuted early in 2019 with ‘Vicarage Road’ and have been building a grassroots following ever since, winning further fans with ‘Grace’ in 2023 and scoring a Top 10 on the Independent Albums Chart with ‘The 395 (To Forever)’ EP in 2025. 

They’ve played shows with Lottery Winners and The Lathums and hit countless festivals from Isle of Wight to Truck. And that has been rewarded with ever-bigger headline shows, so far peaking with a sold-out 2700-capacity headline show in Manchester.

Their ascension so far hasn’t been without challenges however. Sam Birchall recently received the all clear from cancer following a year of treatment – his story documented by both ITV and BBC. But now with ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’, it’s only a matter of time until the challenge is keeping up with The Lilacs.

The Lilacs can be seen live in 2026 at the following dates:

JUNE
14th – Czech Republic, Rock For People
19th – Liverpool, On The Waterfront (with Red Rum Club)
24th – Sheffield, Tramlines (main stage)
30th – Lake District, Kendal Calling

JULY
23rd – Cheshire, In It Together Festival
23rd-26th – Oxfordshire, Truck Festival
25th – Suffolk, Latitude
30th-Aug 2nd – Derbyshire, Y NOT? Festival

AUGUST
16th – Isle of Wight, Robin Hood Adventure Park (with Scouting For Girls)
21st – Blackpool, Winter Gardens (with The Fratellis)
30th – Leeds Festival
29th – Wakefield, Tileyard North (with Ocean Colour Scene)

Written by Brad Halcrow for The Songbird HQ