Lillix Thrills Fans of Power-Pop

To Lillix, the Canadian all-girl rock band, ``Falling Uphill'' is more than the title of its debut.

``It represents our journey,'' says Tasha-Ray Evin, the 18-year-old guitarist who shares singing and songwriting duties.

And the journey has only just begun.

Lillix is in the midst of Warped Tour creator Kevin Lyman's inaugural Girlz Garage outing - it stops at the Key Club tonight.

In this sampling of emerging female-fronted bands that Lyman touts as ``a grass-roots tour,'' the group signed to Maverick Records is hoping to entice audiences with its energetic brand of power-pop as heard on the album.

Released in May, ``Falling Uphill'' has produced the bouncy theme song to the WB comedy ``What I Like About You'' and a pair of radio singles, including the Linda Perry-produced ``Tomorrow.''

The song is the follow-up to ``It's About Time,'' a top 40 hit embraced by teenagers. And according to Billboard, the latest single ``should break the group wide open.''

Evin says she can only hope.

In the two years it took to make the new album, Lillix went through its share of producers, was nearly dropped and had to fight to preserve its sound.

``Some producers were trying to manipulate our sound, and we didn't agree with it,'' Evin says midtour from New Orleans. ``We're greedy when it comes to our music, and we're not going to compromise.''

In fact, Lillix trashed its first attempt for a fresh start.

The result was a dozen-track set produced by Philip Steir (No Doubt), with additional work by the Matrix (Avril Lavigne), Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette) and former 4-Non Blondes leader Perry (Pink).

Working with this team of A-list producers was encouraging to the band, knowing that at the very least it would generate attention.

``It has brought us a lot of press,'' Evin says, admitting she would have worked with them regardless. Why? ``They let us do whatever we want ... they just guided us along.''

When it comes to catchy pop songs, the girls of Lillix are no amateurs.

All but one of the members have been writing songs since coming together six years ago under the guise of Tiger Lily. The name change to Lillix and the addition of drummer Kim Urhahn, 25, of Vancouver were events of the past two years.

Up until that point it was just Evin, her sister Lacey-Lee Evin, now 20, and their friend Louise Burns, now 17.

The trio of then junior-high schoolers began hammering away on their instruments in the basement of the Evins family home in the small, wooded community of Cranbrook, British Columbia.

One year into the band Evin penned ''24/7.''

The song now appears on the debut with production by Ballard.