Soundtracks: Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight

For some reason it took me a while to trust Jenny Lewis. The first time I paid close attention to her was the night I fell asleep on the couch and half-woke up a little bit later to find Rilo Kiley playing "Portion for Foxes" on Jimmy Kimmel or something. It was like, "Who's this redheaded ex-child-actor in the adorable babydoll dress, singing some really catchy song that makes me feel simultaneously ecstatic and terrible about liking the person I like?" She kind of unnerved me. But last year her solo record came out and I fell in love, then went back and realized Rilo Kiley are nothing to be wary of.

Nay, we should wholly embrace Rilo Kiley, if for no other reason than the fact that they're a fairly durable indie-rock band who just made a gorgeous record that sounds nothing like indie-rock. It sounds like really good radio, like spinning the dial and finding a really good disco song on one station, a really good country song on the next, then late-80s new-wave-rip off lite rock, then blue-eyed soul, then some hand-clappy perfectly Beatles-esque pop (though not exactly in that order). Jenny even kinda raps on "Dejalo" (sample rhyme: "My mama is an atheist/If I stay out late, she don't get pissed"), and it actually maybe works.

So now I guess I totally trust Jenny Lewis, at least enough to take my little sister to see the band on her 16-year-birthday next month. Plus, she's such a babe, and I'm still dreaming of that dress she wore on the cover of Rabbit Fur Coat. Is it not to die for?

Posted by Liz in Soundtracks
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