Music Review: Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
Published August 20, 2007
First, a prediction: My, oh my, the IndieKidz™ are gonna hate this one.
I've been wondering what was going to become of Rilo Kiley. More Adventurous was a fabulous record, but then Jenny Lewis came out with Rabbit Fur Coat, an album so amazing that I was sure Jenny was going to head off on her own. We've all seen this before. The charismatic lead singer becomes the icon and the band remains faceless. After some success, there's pressure to split off from the band to take advantage. Not this time.
Instead, it would appear that Rilo Kiley has split off from, well...Rilo Kiley! This is no alt-guitar-rock/quirky-lyrics/Jenny-Lewis-is-a-goddess thing (OK, the Jenny Lewis part is accurate). Actually, I'm not really sure what it is, except that it sure as heck sounds like "Rilo Kiley does the '70s." To be honest, I'm not sure that this music would have been all that interesting to me if it wasn't for the fact that this particular band is doing it. There's just something a little unsettling about it all.
Underage sex? Girls not wearing bras? Porn? Rilo Kiley??
Well, it all begins to make sense after your ears take in all of the references and styles offered up: synth pop ("Breakin' Up," which reminds me of Abba, despite them not being synth pop), the chiming Rickenbacker guitars used on the title track (which ends in a Who/Rabbit Bundrick synth flourish), disco-cum-funk ("Dejalo"), soul ("15," love those horns), George Harrison (that guitar riff on "Silver Lining" can't be an accident), and even Fleetwood Mac ("Dreamworld"). It's so weird... it almost (almost!) makes me want to go out and buy some new bell bottoms.
My favorite track, and the one I'd be willing to bet sends the IndieKidz™ into a spin, is "The MoneyMaker." It's a catchy, nasty, and funky take on the sleaze of porn. It comes off as "Miss You"/Stones meets "Little Earthquakes" Tori. Did I just write that? Well, yes. My ears don't lie, so the fingers must obey.
Go ahead Kidz, have at it.
Mark Saleski is a writer and music obsessive based out of the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. On his best day, he hopes to channel the ghosts of Lester Bangs and Jack Kerouac. He spends the hours of 9:32PM to 1:37AM carving out music reviews and essays for Jazz.com, Blogcritics.org and other publications.
- Music Review: Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
- Published: August 20, 2007
- Type: Review
- Section: Music
- Writer: Mark Saleski
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Comments on this articleComments
I must be the only person in the world that pretty much hates Jenny Lewis' solo album. Couldn't stand it - all I heard was a very stiff attempt to recreate the perfection that Neko Case so easily pulls off.
This, however, sounds intriguing from the song they have on a loop on their site. If the rest of the album is along those lines, I'm in.
nope. i know somebody else who doesn't like it too...i'm not namin' names tho..
Sir Saleski, a joy to read this, as ever. i think the only lasting dissapointment is that, lyrically, it's a hell of a lot less interesting that usual, interesting themes or no. i believe ms Lewis said something to the effect of, having choked on innumerable demons for Rabbit-Fur Coat, she was keen to do somethin a touch less heavy. and we can't fault her for that, especially when everything else, once the disco pop smack in the teeth of it all has subsided, is sublime.
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Rilo Kiley has reached technical perfection on Under The Blacklight--let's hope this is not their Abbey Road.
I wanted more of the sweet voice of Jenny Lewis, more in the way of lyrics. I am not bothered by the exploration of 1970's sounds; they have done that before. Their previous work in melody has been so fantastic that you cannot expect them to maintain such a standard.
But all in all, a very good album that I would recommend. I'm looking forward to their next album. Let's hope they have one.