I know it's not exactly protocol to start one's discovery of a band with their fourth album, but you know - that's how I do. I eventually went back and listened to some of their earlier stuff at David's suggestion, but I kept coming back to this. I know this will not be new to everyone, but I hope that each of you might find something to enjoy about this week anyway.
Although I always enjoyed the album in its entirety, the song "Silver Lining" struck me in particular - I had it on repeat for months. I loved the music video too. It's beautiful, and sad:
We didn't end up going to Bonnaroo 2008, and I never did get to see Rilo Kiley perform live - the band broke up in 2011 before I got a chance to. But I did catch Jenny Lewis solo at Bonnaroo 2009, and she put on a great show. I really enjoy her solo stuff too. It's something about her voice - a little touch of country without totally going there (although sometimes I like that too).
Without getting too far off subject - I can still catch Jenny Lewis any time if I go to my parents' house and whip out my "Troop Beverly Hills" VHS tape. Yes, this week we are listening to the angelic voice of little Hannah Nefler. (Also, for those of you that might not get that reference - I didn't have cable as a child, but if Blake Sennett looks familiar it's because you saw him on "Salute Your Shorts.")
First off I have to say that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, the first track on this album. There is something about it that resonates like a song that would have come out in the 60’s. Quirky is the word that comes to mind, however Jenny’s voice is hauntingly sincere and I just can’t help but do as Laura did and play the song on repeat over and over. Of course after I fell in love with the first track I was wondering what was in store for the rest of my musical journey….
ReplyDelete“Close Call” automatically makes me think of a Sheryl Crow song. I think it has a lot to do with the way Jenny sings the song that makes me draw comparisons to Crow’s “If it makes you happy.” The lyrics are clever and it makes for a quite enjoyable song. “Breakin Up” is another fun song like “Silver Lining” and with the backup singers in the backdrop it adds that oldie flavor to it. “Dreamworld” is the first time I hear a stand out male voice. I kind of like that Jenny shared the spotlight on this one, as to not make her voice the main focus on each track. The song itself is also very nice, and I could easily see myself listening to it when I am in a “chill” mode. Then we get into “Dejalo” which is reminiscent of the Miami Sound Machine. I really like flow of the song, as it is easy to have on in the background as a nice relaxing backdrop. “15” goes back to the doo wop’in sound that I think should be there main focus in my opinion. “Smoke Detector” was the first song that I really didn’t enjoy. It just kind of felt generic, or like they put it together at the last minute because they didn’t meet their track quota for the album.
Overall I liked the album and there were definitely two or three tracks that I enjoyed a lot. Jenny has a strong and beautiful voice so I will also be checking out her solo work as well.
Under the Blacklight is one of the few albums selected in Music Togetherness that I actually owned prior to it being selected. A co-worker of mine with similar music taste introduced me to Rilo Kiley just after I introduced him to The Action Design. I previewed the first 3 tracks of Under the Blacklight and was convinced I needed to obtain all their work. I was actually considering this album for my next selection.
ReplyDeleteJenny’s voice is one of the best out there and her lyrics are top notch as well. Her accents are provocative and intriguing. In their early work, she reminded me of Gwen Stefani on No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom and in her solo work. On Under the Blacklight, she has her own unique style and is the star of the show. Thus she went solo and now has more of a country twang.
I tend to enjoy the more upbeat songs with Rilo Kiley which is unusual for me, but I tend to have fun when I can tell Jenny is having fun. Under the Blacklight is a such a great album to me because each song stands out on its own. They don’t run together and the group is able to show a lot of diversity.
Silver Lining sounds like a made for radio track, but I can see why Beth likes it so much as it is truly up her alley. The Moneymaker is the first standout for me. This song is sexy as hell, as a stripper crawling across a stage comes to mind. Breakin’ Up gives us the first taste of the country twang. The song starts slow for me, but the chorus is whimsical and is one of those fun moments I like. Under the Blacklight and Dreamworld are a nice change of pace, however I very much prefer the latter over the former. Dejalo is my favorite track on the album. I’ve listened to the album about 10 times this week and this song has been in my head the rest of the time. Again, you can here and feel the enthusiasm. Then the provocative lyrics are the cherry on top. My only knock on the album is my distaste for Fifteen. Not sure why you’d ever want to write a song about that. The placement after my favorite is unfortunate as well. The last three don’t really standout, but at the very least add the diversity mentioned previously.
Great pick.
My favorites are Dejalo, The Moneymaker, and Silver Lining
My favorites are
ReplyDelete1) Silver lining
2) Close Call
3) Dejalo
Upon the news of Adam Yauch's death today, I was in desperate need of a pick-me-up and Rilo Kiley did a great job of that. "Silver Lining" was one of my favorite tracks of 2007 and is a terrific start to a tremendous pop-rock album. I have to admit that Jenny Lewis first caught my attention back in the 80's when she stole mine and Fred Savage's heart in the movie The Wizard. She oozes confidence and charm on every track and holds her own with the likes of other power-pop masters: Nancy Wilson, Stevie Nicks and Belinda Carlisle.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised when I saw this in Thomas' stack of cd's when we went to Shake It Records recently. We popped it in on the drive back home and it is impossible not to nod your head and enjoy these sunny tracks. Jenny and Blakes guitar licks on "Close Call" are tasty and get stuck in the corners of my brain along with Jenny's creamy chorus, but in a good way. Songs like "Dejalo" and "Breakin Up" are perfectly executed pop gems that are radio ready, yet Rilo Kiley hasn't reached the kind of success they deserve. Their songs are tight and don't ramble; they're packaged so neatly that they seem to go too quickly at times. The saying "leave them wanting more" definitely applies here. Lastly,"Smoke Detector" has a country/rockabilly vibe that I really liked. I must put this on my "vinyl to purchase" list. This was a homerun pick, as I think we all really enjoyed Under The Blacklight and will be enjoying it for a while.
Favorite Tracks:
1. Silver Lining
2. Close Call
3. Dejalo
1. Silver Lining
ReplyDelete2. Close Call
3. Breakin' Up
Honorable Mention: Under the Blacklight
My three Favorite Tracks are:
ReplyDelete1. Close Call
2. Silver Lining
3. Dreamworld
My post will be coming very soon. I haven't had a whole lot of time with it being the last week of school and all.
I'm so glad everyone liked it!! The first five tracks are def my fave, so the last half of the album never got as much play with me. A solid album overall, but truthfully I was a little surprised three of you liked Dejalo as much as you did. And I totally agree with Thomas on his comment about 15, haha. I'm a little proud of my last minute pick. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'll admit right off the bat that out of the four Rilo Kiley albums, this one is probably my least favorite. The problem for me lies mostly in the lack of energy that the album as a whole contains. 'Under the Blacklight' seems to be a Rilo Kiley album in name only, with Jenny Lewis' voice dominating the proceedings. This isn't a bad thing in itself, as her voice is obviously very nice, but the thing I really enjoyed about the previous albums by the band was Blake Sennett's chiming guitars, and the steel guitars that frequently appeared, on tracks such as "The Good That Won't Come Out", from the band's sophomore album. These effects are very rarely seen in this set, and I really miss them. Being a minor fan of his band The Elected, I've enjoyed Blake's input in the past, and there just doesn't seem to be much of it here, which probably led to the band's dissolution.
ReplyDeleteWith that being said, however, there are a few tracks on here that I really do enjoy, all of which are contained on the first half of the album. "Silver Lining" is probably the band's biggest "hit", though it was the first indication to me when I heard it a few years ago that things had changed with the band. The song features a heavy gospel influence (which can also be heard on "Breakin' Up"), and is much more pop influenced than anything that came before it. "Close Call" is my favorite track on the album, and one of my favorites by the band. It has a bit of a dark vibe, and it contains the closest thing to band's past guitar-wise, with a real heavy Modest Mouse-like tone. Jenny's voice sounds at its best to me on this song - which is more controlled than on many of the other tracks. "The Moneymaker" is a decent song instrumentally, however I just don't think the style suits Jenny Lewis at all, and sounds like a bit of a mess to me vocally. "Dreamworld" is a great song, despite it not being Blake's best turn on the microphone. The breathiness of his vocals are emphasized a bit too much, but the sound of the song itself really fits the lyrical content well.
Following this are some real stinkers, in my opinion, most notably being "Dejalo", which I was surprised to see that everyone else loves. It's always been my least favorite track on the album, as I've just thought that the Spanish influence sounds completely out of place with this band....but, everyone's entitled to their own opinion, of course. I appreciate and understand why someone would enjoy this album in comparison with the more "indie" sound of the previously three, but I'll take those every day of the week.