A Brief History of Amazing Letdowns is a 1994 mini-album by the Americanindie rockband, Lilys, released on the SpinART label on 10-inch vinyl and CD.[1] The lead track, "Ginger", was used in a CK1 commercial.[1] The album was issued in the UK in 1998.[1] The album saw the band make their first major stylistic shift; The early My Bloody Valentine-influenced sound had given way to what Trouser Press described as "pleasant, straightforward guitar pop".[2]
Tim DiGravina of Allmusic described the mini-album as "a brief mini-album of amazing songs" and gave it a four-star review.[3] He described it as "an essential release for fans of the Lilys and indie fans in general," going on to state "If music could define words, the first five songs here would be an pop/rock definition for the word beautiful."[3]Trouser Press writer Douglas Wolk described "Any Place I've Lived" as "the best melody Heasley's written to date".[2]