Under the Blacklight

Rilo Kiley

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 21, 2007)
• Original Release Date: August 21, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros.
• ASIN: B000QUUE1Y
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,788 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Since her band's last record (2004's More Adventurous), Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis has taken her one-time child-actress, pop-star status up a level, as her charismatic solo effort, Rabbit Fur Coat, was one of the top recordings of 2006. But those who feared she'd abandon her long-time mates to do it alone will be instantly comforted by a collection of songs so zestful and extravagantly produced that no less than four emerge tailor-made for pop radio. After the opener "Silver Lining" feeds off George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" riff and some cajoling handclaps, Lewis reels in the glee with "Close Call," where the lavishness of the melodies outweighs the foreboding lyrics. The bouncy "Breaking Up," with the sun-splashed chorus "feels good to be free," is so absolutely California-beach perfect, it's ripe for a million-selling soda commercial, and then Lewis saves her vocal best for a trifecta near the end: Dusty Springfield soul ("15"), dancefloor power pop ("Smoke Detector"), and meltaway folk ("The Angels Hung Around"). Did it take their angel leaving the nest for a spell for Rilo Kiley to make their definitive record? The argument is futile, but the music is sublime. --Scott Holter

Product Description

Rilo Kiley's most recent album, 2004's More Adventurous, prompted Elvis Costello to praise the best lyric writing that I've heard in many a day, Coldplay to invite the band on its 2005 arena tour and a plethora of critics to vote the disc onto annual best of lists. That album sold 175,000 while Jenny Lewis' solo record, 2006's Rabbit Fur Coat, sold 100,000. Now the gloriously decadent Under The Blacklight, the group's fourth album but first for Warner Bros., focuses even more intensely on what one critic has called lead singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis' tangle of indie pop, torch song and too-cool-for-school cynicism. With Under The Blacklight, Rilo Kiley is ready to shine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not overwhelming, but still a band with a consistent career, August 28, 2007

By	Andreia Hamada "deca-10kmaniacs" (Sao Paulo, SP Brazil) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rilo Kiley Returns, September 7, 2007

By	Stevens - See all my reviews

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!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Addicted to Jenny Lewis, September 26, 2007

By	A. S. Deinken (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.