The Observer, September 7, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 2
Rilo Kiley goes Under the Blacklight
Rilo Kiley's second major label release, Under the Blacklight (released Aug. 21), marks progress for the band from the outside. Yet by the end of the record it seems like the joke is on the listener. The Los Angeles band has produced a fun, light-hearted "California sound" album, but old fans might find themselves estranged by the change in direction. Departing from their indie-rock brethren, the band moves into unabashed disco-pop while retaining a bit of their old country twang.
The opener, "Silver Lining," begins with the signature country-pop sound that could easily be mistaken for a track off of Jenny Lewis's earlier side project album with The Watson Twins. The song marks a spry opening that sets the tone for the entire album, which is largely an upbeat account dealing with moving on from past lovers. "Close Call" mildly carries over the country twang with a reverberated guitar riff. The band pulls off the balance between their familiar sound and pop-oriented psychedelia quite well. The only complaint is that Lewis's vocalizations begin to grow irritable by the end of the track.
The lead single, "The Moneymaker," delves completely into the psychedelic sound. Lewis croons while Blake Sennett's guitar riffs loop over booming drums. While uncharacteristic of the band's previous singles, "The Moneymaker" showcases the album while proving that the band isn't completely a modern Fleetwood Mac. In this case, the track sounds like a Jefferson Airplane reject, but it's still a decently strong single for the album.
The album's strongest track is "Breakin' Up." It proudly displays the fun attitude, maybe inadvertently, throughout the album. Lewis callously asks, "Are we breakin' up? Is there trouble between you and I?" Finally, she admits over poppy synthesizers, "Ooh, it feels good to be free." The great thing is -- you really believe her and start feeling it yourself. The disco beat (complete with cheesy backup singers) puts the listener in the where the entire album has been working towards. The title track opens with a psychedelic synthesizer riff, but blossoms into classic Rilo Kiley. However, something appears to be missing and the listener becomes wise to the album's formula. It begins to grow tiresome, with verses that largely lack meaning and overly-repeated choruses that consist of the song title. "Dreamworld" is the album's last saving grace. Moreover, it is the nail in the coffin for the Fleetwood Mac comparisons. Lewis and Sennett swoon over mellow Rumours-era guitarwork. The track is strong, and there's no shame in being compared to Fleetwood Mac, but the album goes straight downhill from there.
"Dejalo" consists of the unvarying disco beat and an overall impression reminding the listener of early-90s Gloria Estefan (and that's a comparison to be ashamed of). "15" and "Smoke Detector" are poor attempts at the 60s sound, while Lewis tries too hard to sing seductively about her sexual exploits. Outside of the album's context, the content comes off as embarrassing. "The Angels Hung Around" acts like a forgettable B-side from their last record. The album closes with the new wave ballad, "Give a Little Love," which is a poor ending.
While the album starts off decently, after "Dreamworld," the Fleetwood Mac comparison probably relates more to the band's relationship with one another than the actual music. Perhaps the band was smart though: they put the strongest tracks on the front of the record, so the listener doesn't have to waste time skipping the filler halfway through. Regardless, Rilo Kiley has produced a solid fourth album which opens a new chapter for the band, to the chagrin of some and the joy of others.
