Hear Rilo Kiley's Under The Blacklight
Rilo Kiley's latest never leaked, but it did start streaming over at MySpace today. So fire up those blogging fingers. We haven't spent too much time with Blacklight just yet, but we hear some Rabbit Fur Coat in "Silver Lining," some disco in "The Moneymaker," and a lotta Fleetwood Mac (in a good way) in "Dreamworld." The title track's hooky chorus is a highlight, but "15"'s satiric sleaze is not working. Take a listen for yourself. We're ready for you to shout out in the comments how much you hate change and how lucky Johnathan Rice is.
Posted at 4:51 PM
Tags: Blake Sennett | Jenny Lewis | Rilo Kiley
Hot CD, summery songs. Dig it. Polished, for sure. But who cares. Jenny Lewis is the bomb.
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i really like it. i never listen to rilo kiley before, but they new cd is really good. i'm waiting for someone to get this leaked so i can put it on my ipod.
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i don't care what people say, i actually like the moneymaker and this album's really good.
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Oddly enough I just stumbled upon this by chance before checking to see if it was posted up on here. I am 4 songs in and it really blows. It sounds so hokey. Too many background singers....ug. Please get better as it goes on.
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it's absolutely different from the rest of their albums, and for me it took some time to warm up to it, but so far i like it a lot.
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Still not liking it that much. I could warm up to it, but some of the songs are so hokey I don't know if I can get past that.
That being said, great sound on Smoke detector. Real nice tight 60s/70s sound to it.
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awful. just awful. I mourn the fall of my favorite band.
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wow, i actually like the poppyness of it. i've always like rilo kiley, but there cd's seemed very hit or miss. this album i think works better as a whole than their previous works. Especially "More Adventurous"
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wow, i actually like the poppyness of it. i've always liked rilo kiley, but their cds seem very hit or miss. this album i think works better as a whole than their previous works. Especially more so than "More Adventurous"
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oh my god. That last song. Give a Little Love. I just barfed on myself. Holy shit who is this band?
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how can everyone hate this album! it's so different, but it's still really good. now someone tell em where i can download it!
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I'm still not sure what to think...it's very back and forth in my head (between "wait, what?" and "ok, fine be that way". I feel so confused. so lost.
hug?
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Pretty good, from what I've heard so far.
Jenny's voice has gone from 'sticky sweet' to just 'sweet'.
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What a let down.
I dig "The Moneymaker" for its stabs at Some Girls-era Stones; "Silver Lining" is more Fleetwood Mac than "Dreamworld"; the back up singers. WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT ALL ABOUT.
And the last song ... Debbie Gibson much?
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horrible...
sorry, but this is the worst i heard on stgum...
im not the demo for this, but this is one of many reasons american music is in such shambles...
if this is altrock then alternative is suburan mall.cute girl & creepy guys w/ gutiars kewl
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This is certainly a different kind of album for Rilo Kiley: a really bad one. Show me that great lyric or that unexpected hook on UTB, because I can't find it. It's not that the band changed, and it's not even so much that I am growing out of them... it's more that it just sounds like everything else. And it's certainly not the mainstream coming around to Jenny. This doesn't sound interesting, innovative or even as if they tried to do anything but sell a record that the average mallchick would like. And, hey, maybe their mom will get into it as well! SO middle of the road that the new Smashing Pumpkins sounds edgy in comparison.
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yeah, this is great mom rock. i hope a song gets onto grey's anatomy hollaaaaa.
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Yeah, this one's definitely not ashamed that it's trying to attract a wider audience. On the whole, it's a fun pop record, nothing more. It's like the indie version of Fall Out Boy- all sheen, no substance.
On a positive note, I just downloaded "The Execution of All Things" and I'm thinking 'Why the fuck didn't I get this sooner'?
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What is this shit?
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yeah, "the execution of all things" is their best, by far.
i'm going to pretend this album isn't being released and live in a happy dream world where rilo kiley doesn't suck.
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Full FLAC, 320 & V0 rip up on Oink now.
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The vocal melody during the verses of "Dreamworld" reminds me of parts of "Dancing in the Dark." I also hear something else in it that I can't immediately place. It sounds glaringly unoriginal.
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TOTALLY different from all of their past material (Jenny clearly got burnt out on the country after the solo album), but ya know, i dig it. Less diversity than any of their other albums, but i think it's a little more cohesive as a whole for that reason. Besides, i already have Execution of All Things and listen to it constantly. I don't need them to rerecord that album.
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god. just because someone doesn't like this album, doesn't mean that he/she hates change. change is not always good. there's always the possibility of changing for the worse.
i love Execution and More Adventurous but even i'm getting tired of hearing those songs for the past 3 years (in addition to listening to other stuff of course). i'm all for a happier sounding, upbeat and dancey Rilo Kiley, but this just feels regressive. so far the only song i find myself liking is Close Call and maybe Breakin' Up (if it wasn't for those horrible background singers).
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i love this.....
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so so record, don't really know what to say . .
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why does the link take me to a stream of a linkin park album instead?
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wow. remind me to get this album for my mom when it comes out. jeez...talk about adult contemp. what a shame, jenny lewis used to be so cool (see: the Wizard)
rehashed, regurgitated shite. rilo might as well tour with david gray.
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the cd is a mess. it seems like no direction to the recording other than 'let's just try to be as catchy as possible'.
what a major disappointment; their earlier two records as well jenny's solo record and the last elected record were all fantastic i thought. the strength of those records too - their coherence - is totally missing here. what the fuck? i seriously hope they had a good time recording, 'cause they're gonna get savaged in the reviews. or at least they should be savaged in said reviews.
fuck. i can't believe i chose to go and see them over the national in a couple weeks (my limited budget these days limits the number of shows i can go too).
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Don't lie, Shitgum. It leaked 2 days ago.
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Wow, not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, based on Give a Little Love and Moneymaker. Still not exactly good, though.
This is gonna get really shitty reviews.
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i dont HATE the album but im not rushing out to pick it up either. theres tiny flashes of the rilo that we know and love, but they dont occur nearly often enough. silver lining is still bitchin' tho.
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actually, this record is getting almost unequivocally STELLAR reviews. from all the major publications (four stars in rollling stone, four and a half in blender, five in Uncut, four in Q, four in mojo, four in spin........um.......
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i hate change. johnathan rice is so lucky.
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I don't hate change.
But this is awful.
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Rolling Stone is completely irrelevant. As is Blender. Rolling Stone gave Weezer's last record a great review. Enough said.
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What Sean said is right on. In fact, it seems like Rilo Kiley has become the new Weezer; good first album, FANTASTIC second album, third and fourth albums are crappy. Granted, their third and fourth albums aren't nearly as bad as Weezer's. I can actually listen to More Adventurous, but the point remains the same. This CD (so far) seems vapid and soulless. It's bordering on unlistenable. I want the old Rilo Kiley I loved to come back.
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I think if it were any band other then Rilo Kiley I would love it. It's REALLY good music. But when I heard new Rilo Kiley was due out I was excited for the freshness and catchiness and originality that I have come to love in the past. I think the biggest problem with the album is that it is overproduced and it's a shame. Rilo Kiley has both the vocal and lyrical power to pull off an incredible record without ever touching a computer. Although I must say. I am REALLY curious to see how most of these songs will sound play live.
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alan, i take your point that people have specific expectations for rilo kiley, and that to some extent we're a little thrown off by how different this record is. but i just don't think it's good music... period. the lyrics are awful, and the instrumentation is bland. maybe i need a few more listens, but it doesn't seem to have any of the nuances that made their earlier work so interesting.
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This definitely doesn't stand up to repeated listenings, unfortunately.
It seems like they're going to break up soon, anyway.
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For all you disappointed Rilo Kiley fans, get The Watson Twins's album, Southern Manners. It's, in one word, awesome.
When's the new Morrissey come out?
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It would seem RK attempted a concept album ... and failed. There are 3 or so really solid songs though.
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This an alright album. Save for the opening track, "Silver Lining" this doesnt sound at all like the original Rilo Kiley, not even from the More Adventurous era. I'll still buy it. After all, the album is 7.99 at Best Buy under the "find 'em first" label, so i won't (really) regret shelling out cash for this. At least it's better than the 2nd Elected album.
By the way, judging from the reviews (which have all been 4stars or above for this album thus far) and the articles/publicity it seems like the label is trying to get them to "break" here in the states. i don't really have a problem with that as long as their albums are GOOD. this one's just okay. AND it's short (37 minutes!)
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By the way, Rilo Kiley are VERY good live (I saw them in Pomona back in 2004), so I can see this album sounding much better in that format.
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I thought the 2nd Elected album was great. This album doesn't seem that terrible either. Maybe I just have bad taste.
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Lame.
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not as good as More Adventurous
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I love "the moneymaker" cuz it was very simplistic but absurdly catchy. Seriously I couldnt get that song off my head for weeks
the album is good, not their best one, i think is one of those albums that has really great songs at the beginning and it just gets steadily worse by the last song.
Love the first track, silver lining.
but i deft. stay with more adventurous and the execution of all things.
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I saw Rilo Kiley open for the Breeders in Pomona at the Glass House around 2001 or 2002...can't remember but they were awesome and very unpretentious. Loved 'em but this album is shite. They're trying to get a wider audience with this album? Really? I don't get it. Is that why Spin or some other mag is trying to compare them to Fleetwood Mac?
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This album is not back but it is ALL OVER THE PLACE.
I really feel like creatively it can't decide what it wants to be.
There's also such an over-riding feeling of Camp with a capital C. It's delightful, but it feels very hollow. Jenny's sexy, but not sultry.
This is to Rilo Kiley as "Somebody's Miracle" is to Liz Phair. Catchy and a nice experiment, but not much meat.
I like it, but I don't love it.
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The term "contractual obligation" was invented for an album like this. It souds sloppy, there are obvious ripoffs everywhere (I think George Harrision's estate can sue for the "My Sweet Lord" guitar riff in "The Silver Lining") and it feels like a halfhearted effort, as if Warners forced them to abandon their side projects to get back to their "day job."
Then again, I might love it in 6 months. But I kind of doubt it.
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the more i listen to this, the more i realize how tight and incredible the beginning of this cd is. however, it all falls to hell during dejalo. there is no sense of direction after this song and i think the album should have been concluded with some deeper and more lowkey songs to balance out the beginning. but i must say, its not as awful as many are making it out to be. its a hell of a lot better than More Adventurous. but doesn't quite live up to The Execution of All Things. doesn't Close Call sort of sound like a rehash of The Good That Won't Come Out?
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As someone who hasn't heard anything by Rilo Kiley but the song "Portions for Foxes", I was curious to hear more. I think plenty of the pop experiments here work very well, some others not well at all. In "Close Call" she apes both Lucinda Williams and Tori Amos. "Dreamworld" may be the album's best track. I think this is the song I wanted to hear Fleetwood Mac do in 1985. I've gone back to this one a few times now. This is unabashedly a pop album. I'm sure it will have even more mainstream appeal and result in impressive sales figures.
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Bottom line: This album is grade A, textbook mainstream crap, and if you don't accept this, you are being duped. It's a shame, but it's true. There is too much good music in the world to bother with this album.
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This is a pop album, and why not? You've got Jenny solo and the Elected, why not do something different when they get together now ? You'all need to relax.
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I wholeheartedly agree with joesmith (comment above). It's a pop album, it's a change of direction, it happens. If this album was from a new band nobody would be bothered at all. It's a good album. Relax.
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Hey man. Riloy Kiley gotta eat, too.
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Rilo Kiley, too.
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As stated quite a bit silver lining is great. dreamworld is Blake's best vocal work. breaking up is pretty cool minus the strange gospel styled backup vocals that i think they were trying so desperately to sound fleetwood mac-esque but failed at that... and the rest of the album i have one question: WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH THE LYRICS IN THIS ALBUM!!!??? also want to point out that on track dejalo, jenny lewis' attempt at the spanish language and her blatant gringo accent makes me want to vomit. nuestra is not pronounced new estra.
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Remember that feeling when you first heard The Execution of All Things? Yeah, I miss that feeling.
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there is a difference between good, smart pop music and this. err, i mean bad pop music.
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You know something is wrong when the best track on a Rilo Kiley album is sung by Blake...
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I want to lick Jenny's face
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I agree that this album may not be their best but I fail to see why a mainstream pop song/album can't be great.
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Oooooh, Rilo Kiley. Thanks!
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The album is worse than I first thought. I loves me my Rilo Kiley, but I'm hearing too much Paula Cole, The Sundays, and Gloria Estefan [wtf?] in the music, and not nearly enough of the awesome lyrics and unexpected hooks from their previous albums. And I could totally hear some of these songs on my local adult contemporary station. It's not terrible, but after a couple listens it's still not good. The lyrics made me facepalm on my home from work.
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love or hate?: love.
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I think this is a good album on its own. It may not be "RK's best" or even what they are remembered for, but I liked it. Who wants to hear a rehash of 'The Execution of All Things" or "More Adventurous" anyway? Great albums, but you gotta move on. I'm really curious as to how these will sound live.
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"awful. just awful. I mourn the fall of my favorite band."-Sean
I feel the same way. I cannot believe this is what the new Rilo Kiley sounds like. It's like every song was made to fit easily as the intro to a cheesey sitcom. But hey, I guess Jenny was right when she said she folds easily when put in the picture of success.
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Wow -- what a disappointment. I fired up Rhapsody this morning excited for all the new releases today -- Rilo, New Pornos and MIA. I decided to go with Rilo first since the Rhapsody review said that it was one of the best albums of 2007. Uhhh, what?
The album is all over the place - but not in a good way. Maybe it will grow on me, but I doubt it because I don't know that I'll listen to it again.
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love |--x------------------| fear
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Comparing UTB to Fall Out Boy is an insult to the latter. Fall Out Boy can construct a pop record, Rilo Kiley seem unable manage this task. The problem with UTB is perfectly summed up back at PFM:
"Blacklight is not a commercial album so much as Rilo Kiley's conception (or misconception) of what a commercial album is."
It really lacks the "oomph" [excuse the onomatopoeia] of earlier RK. For anyone who's new to them, make an effort to check out:
Live at the Fingerprints EP,
Rabbit Fur Coat [Jenny Lewis' solo record]
The Elected [Blake, the singer/guitarists side-project]
You can't go far wrong with any of their previous records as well.
Although some may suggest that RK have "sold out" UTB was put out through Warner, this is completely inaccurate. For a start off, 2004's More Adventorous was through Warner and if anything, the album doesn't seem to be scooping any astounding reviews. However, they do have a lot of Fleetwood Mac references.
Furthermore, it's not really a case of dismissing the change of direction Rilo Kiley have taken. If they made a brilliant, well produced pop record then I'm sure most wouldn't complain. The problem with UTB is the frightfully poor instrumentation, the hazy, vague lyrics [for example, "Smoke Detector". Not really as striking as "Does He Love You?" is it?] and terrible production. It would be an insult to the pop genre to call this a "great" record. Most pop releases are completely superior to this, just look at Lily Allen & Amy Winehouse's recent releases.
Oh and to the reader who suggested "wow. remind me to get this album for my mom when it comes out. jeez...talk about adult contemp..." You're lucky yr mother will bother with it, it's far too middle of the road for mine, she's sticking with Rabbit Fur Coat and Cat Power.
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regardless of your opinion of the album, you are completely, 100% wrong about the reviews for the album. the reviews are 99% fantastic. check it out dude:
(four stars in rollling stone, four and a half in blender, five in Uncut, four in Q, four in mojo, four in spin........um.......not to mention fantastic reviews in New York Times, LA times, Washington post, boston globe....the band's webboard has all of these available.....
if pitchfork had given this record a good review, their server would have crashed. haters are gonna hate, and ballers are gonna ball........
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RS never gives anything a bad review, so there's no possiblity to they will reneg on it later. Spin in an absolute piece of shit.
Can't speak for the others.
Say what you want about pitchfork being elitist, but it's not like their review didn't have merit.
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Haven't actually heard it yet. Shocking?
I was set to buy it but the record store (remember them?) was playing Elbow's "Leaders Of The Free World" over the PA and I had to have it.
Judging from the criticism and the praise and where each is coming from, I can venture a guess how the Warners thing occurred... They demanded a disc that appealed to the Baby Boomers. Maybe it wasn't verbalized that way and maybe the label is just run by Boomers and their taste molded the album in that fashion... But it seems this disc was made by committee, and not the band.
I'll give it a shot, but I'm in no great rush now.
I think I've broken free of my Jenny obsession.
DwD
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Hey Marc, the new Smashing Pumpkins album (Zeitgeist) rocks, thank you.
Anyway, Under The Blacklight isn't that bad. It's certainly the band's "departure album". I believe that Rilo Kiley's best album is More Adventurous, as it's hard to top, and likely never will be topped. Regardless, Under The Blacklight has some really bad moments. Oddly enough, the song Under The Blacklight is wayyyyy too generic, it's ridiculous. The song goes nowhere. Any band could do this song.
The other two really bad moments are "The Angels Hung Around" and especially "Give a Little Love". There are no words to describe how bad these are. I never figured Rilo Kiley would do something this bad. "Give a Little Love" is embarrassingly bad, easily the worst song in their discography (this includes Jenny Lewis' own, as well).
Thankfully, the rest of the songs on this album range from being awesome to pretty damn good. It's just that those three low points of the album are REALLY low, so low that you wonder what the hell the band was thinking. At any time, Rilo Kiley is definitely capable of better. The recurring theme of every song musically seems to be more consistency, which is fine, as it works for all but three. That said, at the same time it does take away a bit from what has made this band so enjoyable in the past.
On the plus side, Jenny's vocals are really, really strong throughout. As a whole, it's a good album with a mostly laid back, nightclub kind of feel to it, which is neat. I'd have to say this is probably their worst album to date, but that doesn't mean it's trash. But I KNOW they can do better.
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$7.99 at Best Buy. Love it or hate it, any Rilo Kiley release is worth eight fucking dollars.
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note to Chris: Considering Portions For Foxes was already played on Greys Anatomy it wouldn't surprise me if something of off this album gets played.
In general I just don't like this album and as far as people saying we'd like it if it wasn't Rilo Kiley I'm gonna have to disagree. Crappy music is crappy music. I don't think they're trying to go mainstream because I can't see Moneymaker being played on Top 40 radio. I just think they tried a new direction and got lost.
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i agree with nick and andrew
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I was really worried about what the hell Under the Blacklight was goin to be like when the Moneymaker video showed up online, but when I heard the album I thought it worked well as an entity rather than for the individual songs. Then I saw them live - this really is an album to be performed, it worked so well live!
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I would say there are some killer songs on this record, the first two especially. But there is also some real crap.
Wish more indie bands would have the balls to try and make a classic pop record.
It must be hard for a lot of acts to keep up the self-consciously cool act.
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