On the cover of Rilo Kiley’s Under the Blacklight, singer Jenny Lewis and guitarist Blake Sennett stare coldly at each other as their band mates look forward. Their romantic breakup after the release of 2004′s successful More Adventurous nearly killed the band’s momentum, especially after Lewis found acclaim with her solo Rabbit Fur Coat. The band is back with the release of Under the Blacklight, and while many critics are noting Lewis and Sennett’s Fleetwood Mac-like ability to churn out music under emotional turmoil, what’s more noteworthy is that Rilo Kiley has taken their music in a whole new direction and put out what may be their most enjoyable album to date.
As if in defiance of its title, Under the Blacklight sees the band stepping out of the metaphorical basement and into a brightly lit dance hall. Sennett creates addicting guitar riffs as he leads the opening tracks “Silver Lining” and “Close Call.” The first single, “The Moneymaker,” and its immediate follower “Breakin’ Up” are irresistibly catchy pop numbers; the former may take some time to grow on you but it most certainly will. The latter, a disco-inspired romp, highlights Lewis’ backup singers, a high point with the Watson twins on Rabbit Fur Coat. “Smoke Detector,” likewise, combines Lewis’ cute, unique voice with the backup singers in a kitschy dance number.
The soulful, twangy “15,” a tale of underage Internet relations, is reminiscent of Lewis’ solo project, and “The Angles Hung Around” and “Give A Little Love” are closer to Rilo Kiley’s lo-fi roots, making the tracks stick out on this decidedly slicker production. This should please longtime Kiley fans, as the songs are quality and may help in the journey of warming to this new sound.
The album becomes unsavory at times, as Sennett speak-sings through the nearly comatose “Dreamworld” and Lewis explores a Spanish flavor with the unnecessary “Dejalo.” But the overall caliber of the album keeps it from sagging too much, and Rilo Kiley ultimately emerge from an experimental album better for the journey.
Rating: * * * * of 5
i think Dejalo is actually one of the best songs on the album. it’s got the most heart-sickening lyrics they’ve ever produced. listen closer to it – the “Spanish flavor” is unimportant. “dejalo, nuestra cosa” translates to “leave it, our thing.” so her spanish sucks. but she specifies “nuestra” instead of “nuestro”. the song is about women letting themselves be abused and objectified just for attention as if it’s their “thing.” it’s sarcastic, of course. but it has a depth that most of their other stuff doesn’t reach.