Customer Reviews

Under The Blacklight

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

It's clear Rilo Kiley are testing new grounds, there is a clear shift. To the amazement of many people, it features guitar riffs to pop songs. Of course Rilo Kiley was always somewhat irreverent. But this time they doubled the dose, with a bitter cynicism - a riff of George Harrison? - and a travel through time tunnel back to 70s.
Many will find the first four tracks odd and bizarre. They show none of the tender aspects of Rilo Kiley as we know it. No more loving and adorable ballads.
But listeners will reach a safe ground at title track and beyond. This new album doesn't sound like the *indie* Rilo Kiley. But mature as it may be, it may not be exactly what fans were waiting for. Somewhere between a good song or another, it lacks the magic and chemistry that mesmerized so many in the past.
Anyway, we shall not judge this excellent band by one album. Their career is consistently reaching a higher quality level, so please praise Rilo Kiley!

The long-awaited new Rilo Kiley album, Under the Blacklight, may not be what same fans expected. A far cry from tracks such as 'My Slumbering Heart' and 'A Better Son/Daughter', this album evokes more R&B tones than were anticipated. Though it may not quite be the Rilo Kiley that many fans remember, the songs on this album attest to the fact that both Jenny Lewis and the rest of the band have stuck to their guns and come up with something new and appealing. My faith in Rilo Kiley is reaffirmed!

There's no way Rilo Kiley could have topped More Adventurous. There, I've said it. I consider that album to be a masterpiece, and this one is not quite that. However, it is still an entertaining listen. Once you get past their radical style change, you can enjoy these songs.

The album kicks off with Silver Lining, the best song on the album and one of the best they have ever done. Great use of George Harrison's guitar arrangement from "My Sweet Lord" as well. They follow this with Close Call, a nice rocker with some great lyrics. Next is The Moneymaker, which has already gotten some publicity, both good and bad. Some say that this song completely abandons clever lyric writing and inventive song structures for catchy hooks and sing along choruses. This is true, but it remains a great song nonetheless.

Breakin' Up is the biggest pop song on the record. It is very sugary sweet and a fun song, although the backup vocals are very annoying, almost throwing off the balance of the song. Under The Blacklight is bookended by some great synth effects, and sandwiched in between is a great song, almost soulful. Dreamworld is Blake Sennett's only lead vocal, and it is a good one. I've read reviews online criticizing this song, but I like it a lot. It's got some great lyrics and is very catchy.

Dejalo is kind of a departure, almost disco-like. A decent song, although the Spanish chorus is a little too cute. The band makes up for it with 15, a delightful number with some risque subject matter. However, they follow that up with Smoke Detector, the worst song on the album. The guitar playing and the rhythms are fine, but the lyrics and the choruses are unoriginal and even laughable.

The Angels Hung Around is a more downbeat number, but a great one, another soulful tune making great use of Jenny Lewis' amazing range. The album closes with Give A Little Love, a nice ending number, if a little forgettable.

People are either loving or hating this album. Some are crying "Sellout!" while others are praising them going in a new direction. I belong in the latter group. While I feel that there are some stumbles here and there, this is overall a very enjoyable record. The band is at the top of their game, musicianship wise. Blake Sennett plays great guitar and Jenny Lewis still has that sarcastic, bad girl sexuality that everyone adores. While Under The Blacklight is not the record that More Adventurous is, it is a successful first step in a new direction!

Admittedly I bought this album at a time when I can't get enough of Jenny's vocals so my review may be somewhat biased. But many of these songs have jumped to my most listened to on iTunes in the past week. I think Under the Blacklight takes a few more listens to appreciate than some of R.K.'s previous albums. I love the synth on Dejalo and the rock on Moneymaker. A few of the tunes, like Silver Lining and Breakin' Up, have great sing-along-capabilities. Maybe it's just me but there were a few times when I heard a little early 90's Liz Phair and Frente.

If you're at all a fan of Jenny Lewis or Rilo Kiley I can't imagine that this album would disappoint.

For those of you self-professed long-time Rilo Kiley fans who have panned this release--get over yourselves! This is a solid effort by a solid group. It may not be as "indie" as More Adventurous or Execution, but then again, it just might be. At first, Under the Blacklight sounds very polished, with a couple seemingly radio-ready singles, such as "The Moneymaker" or "Silver Lining" ("Dreamworld," even) and maybe that is the Warner Bros. major-label debut influence. (It would do radio well to put RK into regular rotation.) But listen a few more times and you will begin to hear what you always loved about this band: the cagey, risque, tounge-in-check lyrics ("15," "Close Call" or "Smoke Detector"), the always interesting guitar stylings of Blake Sennett, the freshest female vocals (sonically and stylistically) in the business these days, and some driving drum and bass lines keeping it all together. Even more, the band shows its versatility by expertly delivering tunes in a wide range of muscial styles which keeps things interesting. There is something here for all true fans of Rilo Kiley. Musicians and their music must grow and evolve, and this latest effort shows Rilo Kiley to be doing just that. Better they do that than simply rehashing ground already covered so as to become boring, predictable and irrelevent. Good job Rilo Kiley! Don't be deterred by the naysayers.

After the first time I listened to Under The Blacklight, I thought that it was a very good CD, but not up to More Adventurous. After a few listens, I'd rate it as equal to More Adventurous. Some of these songs feel fun but superficial at first, but the more you listen, the more you can feel the care that went into the songcraft. R&B touches enhance "Silver Lining" and "Give A Little Love." Songs like "Under The Blacklight" and "Smoke Detector" show their alt-country leanings, even though they are danceable. "15" is a gorgeous song with Memphis soul in it. "The Angels Hung Around" is like power folk. And the single "Moneymaker" is a little more rocky than it seems originally - I find it to be irresistible. There's really no power pop gem like "Portions For Foxes" on Under The Blacklight, but it was hard for me to complain. Even the weakest song, "Dejalo," manages to give 80s synth a modern coolness. Lyrically, there's a lot about sleazy sex, but the lyrics don't get too dirty or profane. Parents will have to decide if it's appropriate for their kids or not. Congrats to Rilo Kiley on a job well done!

Allow me to begin this with stating that I am a bit of a Rilo Kiley obsessive. I don't go reading every article on them or anything, I just listen to their music. A lot. When the single Moneymaker came out I was scared. It was a bit repetitive and I didn't take a shine, but I had faith. And rightfully so. This newest record is full of the things Rilo Kiley is known for: deceptively simple melodies that have thoughtful orchestrations and exciting embellishments, interesting lyrics that portray a slight ironic and cynical personality, and easy sing along choruses. Some of the touches, such as the neo-soul backup vocals on Breakin' Up, really brought a smile to my face. It is quite possibly their most upbeat album to date; their first party album, if you will.

Before this album, a lot of people were criticizing thir choices in producers, but the album has a beautifully polished sound and it is this reviewers humble opinion that their choices were just fine.

I give the album 4/5 stars, because I really don't care for Moneymaker and it doesn't last as long as I wish it did, with most of the songs clocking in at just around 3 minutes.

Three years.

Three years ago, I walked out of my local record store with a brand new CD in my hands. Having been a fan of Rilo Kiley's first two albums for a while, I knew that I had no choice but to buy "More Adventurous" and support one of my favorite bands. I was instantly captivated by the more polished sound that the band presented on that album. Songs like "Does He Love You?" and "More Adventurous" have become all-time favorites for me. To say the very least, it was an impressive album. It has been three years, and like most Rilo Kiley fans, I have been eagerly anticipating the return of Rilo Kiley. At last, it's finally come with "Under the Blacklight," an album in which Rilo Kiley tries to expand their sound further into the pop realm.

The album begins on a high note, with the beautifully crafted "Silver Lining." More than any other song on "Under the Blacklight," this one captures the essence of classic Rilo Kiley. There is a catchy hook, a little bit of country flare, and everybody in the band seems to blend well with one another. There is no part of the song that feels out of place or unnecessary. Of course, it's also immediately noticeable that Jenny Lewis has toned down her typically eccentric writing for a more accessible alternative. Still, the song manages to satisfy and is sure to keep even the most skeptical of Rilo Kiley fans happy. For the time being, at least.

"Close Call" finds Jenny Lewis overpowering the rest of the band with unnecessary and obnoxious "oohs and ahhs." On any other Rilo Kiley album, she'd be obnoxious by writing long, intricate lines and trying to squeeze them into a single phrase, but that was always part of her appeal. Here, she's just flat out not trying as hard (or perhaps too hard to be something she's not), and it shows.

The album's first single, "The Moneymaker" has already drawn mixed reviews from Rilo Kiley fans. Some praise it for it's sharp contrast to their established sound, while others criticize it for the exact same reason. While I'm still not entirely sold on the song, it has grown on me over the last month or so. My biggest complaint with it is not the simple riffs, but the completely unsatisfying lyrics. I read an interview a few days ago where the band stated that they pretty much wrote the whole song in 30 minutes. That's not surprising, considering that in a Rilo Kiley song about porn stars, the best hook they could come up with was "She says ow, ow, ow...hell yeah!"

"Breakin' Up" is my favorite song on the album despite the fact that it's plagued with an overabundance of fake-sounding background vocals. It's disco-esque guitars and synths really prove that Rilo Kiley is capable of branching out and making a real solid pop song, even if the rest of the album is evidence to the contrary. When Jenny Lewis sings "Ooh, it feels good to be free," I just imagine the song being performed live and think about how cool it could be. Of course, when I hear the background vocals repeating the same line without Jenny's assistance, I gag a bit. Oh well, fair trade.

You'd expect a song called "Under the Blacklight" to be an unapologetic dance track, but it's surprisingly one of the most toned down songs on the album. The song fuses an almost 90s alternative rock sound with a twangy country vibe to form what is a respectable ballad. Blake Sennett takes over the vocal duties on "Dreamworld." A throwback to old Fleetwood Mac, it has a definitive 70s pop rock sound to it. I've always favored Blake Sennett's songwriting and singing more than Jenny's for some reason, and this song just seals the deal for me. It's a nice break from Jenny's vocals, which tend to wear thin on my ears on this album.

Never fear though, Jenny fans, she's back on "Dejalo." However, her vocals are noticeably out of place on this funky pop song, and once again the background choir vocals are just entirely unnecessary. Her lyrics are also inexplicably terrible here ("My mom is an atheist. If I stay out late, she don't get pissed"). "15" tells the story that never needed to be told; that of a 25 year old boy being seduced by a 15 year old girl who is "down for almost anything" and "ripe like a cherry, bruised like a peach." The music itself isn't bad at all, even though Jenny is a bit overpowering, but the lyrics are really untouched territory in pop music (for good reason). Whether that's genius or just dumb, I have yet to decide. But it's disturbing either way.

"Smoke Detector" has a very distorted California beach rock feel to it, and I can imagine a bunch of people in one-piece swimsuits hula hooping and doing the twist to this one at some 1960s beach party. It's a very different sound for Rilo Kiley, but that's pretty much par for the course. "The Angels Hung Around" sounds like it could've been featured on "More Adventurous" until it comes to the repetitive chorus where Jenny simply repeats the title a few time. But it's clear-cut country sound is enough to save it from the skip button, as it's one of the few reminders of what Rilo Kiley used to sound like. The album closes with "Give a Little Love," a song that utilizes simple electronic drums, handclaps, and synths. Jenny sings "You've got to give a little love to get a little love" in the chorus. Though the song may not "hit all the right notes" the first time through, I've found it to be a fairly decent song after a few listens.

As I'm sure you can deduce from reading, I have very mixed feelings for "Under the Blacklight." In my mind, that makes it a disappointment, as Rilo Kiley has never gotten mixed reactions from me in the past. In an interview I read with Blake Sennett, he said that the band has played pretty much everything they could except for straightforward pop music. Being fans of the genre, themselves, the opted to give it a try and this album is the result of their efforts. After giving "Under the Blacklight" several listens, I think it's safe to say that Rilo Kiley is better at what they used to play than what is presented here. The band's creativity has been stunted by the petty demands of a genre whose fans offer little to no loyalty to the creators of their cheap thrills. Jenny Lewis in particular has sacrificed a lot of her creative and charming lyrics in favor of repetitive and easy lyrical hooks ("It's gonna be a close call - Repeat," "She says ow, ow, ow...hell yeah - Repeat," "Dejalo, nuestra cosa - Repeat," "Ready to go - Repeat," "Danger, do the smoke detector - Repeat," "The angels hung around - Repeat," "Give a little love - Repeat, repeat, repeat!")

"Under the Blacklight" is a disappointment in comparison to every other Rilo Kiley album to date. While the band is still better than 99% of the people who will now undoubtedly play beside them on the radio, for Rilo Kiley, it just seems like they took the easy way out. While I'm sure the term "sold out" will be thrown around by long time fans, I have no idea what the intentions of the band were when they recorded "Under the Blacklight." All I know is that the Rilo Kiley I fell in love with barely makes an appearance on this album. While the album may grow on me over time, right now, it's just not doing it. For me, "Under the Blacklight" is a disappointment three years in the making.

Recommended for fans of pop music and Rilo Kiley. Decide for yourself.

Key Tracks:
1. "Silver Lining"
2. "The Moneymaker"
3. "Breakin' Up"
4. "Dreamworld"

5 out of 10 Stars

"Indi darlings" no more, Rilo Kiley are under a major spotlight (and major label) rather than a "blacklight". Filter magazine said it best, ""Under the Blacklight" doesn't sound like a Rilo Kiley record. It doesn't even sound like a Jenny Lewis record.", which is a shame because from their past few albums and Jenny's solo debut, a loyal and eager following had been flourishing. At a first cold listen, there'll probably be many folks out there throwing out the word "sell-out" on the table and for once, they MAY be right. However, you must decide for yourself. "Under the Blacklight" isn't just a new direction these guys have taken rather than turn into a brand new band all together and though it's NOT at all a bad ablum, the listener needs to not expect for old-Rilo Kiley to show up anywhere.

If this were the debut of an entirely new and different band with a different name, "Under the Blacklight" would be an awesome pop album but the fact that this record bears the name Rilo Kiley, it's a HUGE disapointment, especially to die hard fans. There's hardly an inkling of a folk sound (save for "The Angels Hung Around) or even a bit of that country twang we're so used to hearing. Instead, you get total pop! Now, I'm not saying pop is bad; I rather enjoy pop. It just needs to be worth my time. Rest assured, the album IS worth it (excluding "The Moneymaker"- bad all around, lyrically and musically; what major miss!). In fact, it's an excellent for what it is.

"Under the Blacklight" uses two different producers here and it definitly shows. Half of the album sounds like "bar/party music" and the other half sounds like a throw back to the 50s ("15") or early sixties ("Smoke Detector"- a modern day "Twist"?). Though, to me, "Dejalo" sounds like a Gloria Estefan dance song and there're bits of hint of disco elements to both "Breakin' Up" and the song, "Under the Blacklight". My inital response to "Dreamworld" was merely luke warm but after a few listens, the song has become illuminated with cool overtones that can't be ignored. This is the song that everone will be quick to say, "Fleetwood Mac"! The only song that even remotely-sort-of sounds like old-Rilo Kiley or at least Jenny Lewis a la "Rabbit Fur Coat", is the opener, "Silver Lining". It's simply gorgeous.

Still, there is an unfortunate aspect of this new album and that's either the under use of the band or the complete absent of the band itself. A lot of these songs (85% of them) just sound like Jenny Lewis doing a pop act. Sennet, Reeder, and Bosel are sadly unimpressive which is CRAZY because everyone knows Sennet rocks on the guitar and Bosel is awesome on drums. In fact, "Close Call" is the only song Sennet gets to shine. It's a bit frustrating when you know how talented this band really is and all you get is a "good" effort (intramentally); no "wowness" here. Besides the terrible "The Moneymaker", there's another miss that belongs to "Give a Little Love", which a completely overbaked muffin that's too sweet for it's own good. The sound is borderline R&B; no joke! It just lacks originality. Any pop princess out there could have sung this. In fact, they probably have. It's awful! Just awful! And cheesy.

Overall, this is going to be one of those albums where it must be played a few times for the initial shock to sink in. I've been listening to this constantly since its relase, and even now I have trouble fathoming the fact that Rilo Kiley is playing, but it IS an excellent pop album. Perphaps, it'll just have to win you over over time, and it may not even take as long as it's done with others.

Still, I can't help but wonder if this simply is an atempt to widen their fan base which I'm sure a lot of people WILL admire and gravitate towards this album, but for myself and for other fans of Rilo Kiley from the get-go, MAY be a little disapointed at first and a little nervous to be honest.

KEY TRACKS
1. Silver Lining
2. Close Call
5. Breakin' Up
6. Dreamworld
8. 15
9. Smoke Detector

***1/2

There is only one throwaway cut on this disc and oddly enough it is the title cut. I have always been a big Jenny Lewis fan. Both her solo music and Rilo Kiley's tunes grow on you. Sometimes it takes a few listens to fully comprehend the cleaverness of her lyrics as well. For example, I have been listening to Rabbit Fur Coat more in the last few months than in the first few months of its release. Perhaps in 6 months I will consider this a 5 star effort.

This disc does have the feel of being a bit more commercial than their other efforts, but personally I do not find that a bad thing. Favorite cuts are Silver Lining and Dreamworld at this point, but that will probably change. That is the great beauty of Jenny Lewis and Rilo Kiley