w/ Ozma, Smile, Diligents

[review]

(from tsl.pomona.edu)

Rilo Kiley is a Real Wizard On Stage, 420

By Bethany Kibler
Arts & Features Associate

There is something undeniably exotic about child actors. Maybe it’s the abundance of "Whatever happened to…?" specials, maybe it’s the fairy dust surrounding people who’ve had any measure of "celebrity." Whatever the reason, when I heard that the band playing at The Glass House last Friday was fronted by the child starlet Jenny Lewis, of The Wizard (quasi-) fame, my usual enthusiasm for seeing a show swelled to nearly inappropriate heights. What would she look like? What drugs would she be on? Would she talk about movies, or would her attempt at indie-cred keep her silent and/or cynical?

Oh, and would the band be any good?

The band is Rilo Kiley. They played at The Glass House last Friday, March 23 as part of another band’s CD release party, one of four bands (Diligents, Rilo Kiley, Smile, and Ozma) playing that night. In addition to the vocal stylings of Ms. Lewis, Rilo Kiley also features Blake Sennett on guitar, Pierre de Reeder on bass and Dave Rock on drums. Formed two years ago by Sennett and Lewis, the group has recorded two records, both self-produced, self-distributed and self-titled–and both having done a remarkable job of appearing on TV soundtracks and the like, which begs the question: did Lewis’s industry affiliation end with her last film two years ago, or are her songs making her entrances for her?

Rilo Kiley’s website, www.rilokiley.com, proclaims that: "Although Los Angeles, California is famous within the music industry for having been the epicenter of hair-metal mania during the 1980s, the city has never really been synonymous with a sound.... a testament to the city’s eclectic nature and its denizens’ ever broadening tastes."

This, they claim, "is where Rilo Kiley comes in," further stating that the "Echo Park-based quartet draws from such a wide variety of influences and styles that the resulting sound defies easy classification."

I suppose it makes a lot of sense for a band that bills themselves as being so very "L.A." to have a child star as their frontwoman.

And it works.

Unlike so many other actors-turned-musicians, who desperately try to divorce the one from the other, Lewis is unabashed about her Hollywood past. It’s this past that gives Rilo Kiley’s country- and indie- tinged pop songs an emotional weight, contrasting nicely with the band’s decided cuteness. For example, where another band might sing their "Teenage Love Song" about falling for the popular guy, Lewis croons: "you were so famous, I couldn’t resist," and later, for the real L.A. tinge: "you were in rehab, you think I don’t know."

Lewis’s lyrics and delivery expose in her that strange equilibrium of being worn out by 23, but also living something of a second childhood later in life. It’s sad to have been a child star. But it’s also interesting, and I haven’t decided yet exactly how much of Rilo Kiley’s draw is from this alone.

As for Rilo Kiley’s "unclassifiable sound," well the jury is still out on that one. This was one of those shows where I spent a lot of the time trying to guess what the members listened to when they were growing up. The answers in this case were pretty clear: Sonic Youth, early Radiohead, The Bangles, and Patsy Cline. Someone definitely listened to a lot of Pasty Cline. The result is that, in concert, Rilo Kiley sounds like a Sarge-esque pop band, but their record is at least half country.

But, as you might imagine, Jenny Lewis once again makes all the difference. As a child in Hollywood, Lewis has no doubt had extensive voice training, and I’d wager that most of this was in musical theater. The girl can sing. Really sing. It’s that voice, and Lewis’s theatrical manipulation of otherwise straightforward melody, that sets Rilo Kiley musically apart from the average female-fronted indie-pop band. It’s also what makes them just so damn fun to watch.

[here's another review]

First. Can I just say WOW!!
The show last night at the Glasshouse was amaaaaaaaazing! Rilo Kiley was unstoppable. They played an awesome set including "Glendora", "Pictures of Success", "Science Vs. Romance", "Polar Opposites", Wires and Waves", "Small Figures in Vast Expanse", "Plane Crash in C", And "Always".
I think it's safe for me to say that everyone last night embraced Rilo Kiley. More and more people are starting to recognize how spectacular this band really is.
To everyone who came out to see Rilo Kiley.. they didn't disappoint you, correct?
Last night's show was one of the best, in my opinion!
I think they should play "Glendora" more often, it gets the crowd all hyper and stuff. Really fun!

Thanks to everyone who bought merchandise! I think they sold out of the first CDs and some T-shirts. WOW!

- Jen

[another review]

i reluctantly went to the show last night not knowing any of the bands and left falling in love with Rilo Kiley...i thought they were the most original live bands i have seen in a long while. i'm not really into many of the local bands---i'm in this whole "u.k." phase listening to anything from britpop to shoegazer but now it looks like i'm gonna follow Rilo Kiley around.

the dilligents were "bleh" and smile and ozma were "ok" but rilo kiley made my night! hehe.

-john

[yet another review]

I totally dug Rilo Kiley. So did my friend. and thing is he doesnt like to show much intrest in bands for somereason. But he liked them and like actually clapped and smiled. So i must say that Rilo Kiley impressed me big time. I wanted to just go out and kiss them all on the cheek and say "thank you!!!!" or something like that. Anyway. Yeh they rocked out. And i thought i wasn't going to like any of the bands there but Rilo Kiley blew me away. Thanks Rilo Kiley. Thanks a lot. You have a new fan.

-Amelia

[and another!]

mmmmm i love rilo kiley and last night was the first night i was able to see them live. spectacular, energetic, peppy, fun and wonderful! i wish i could get up to see more shows, but since i live in San Diego, its been quite hard.
i was quite irritated with some "children" in front who felt it necessary to shout "Hey, weren't you on Salute Your Shorts?" to Blake, and shouted "The Wizard" continually at Jenny. I'm curious to know how the band feels when things of that sort happen.
In commemoration of our first time seeing Rilo Kiley last night, my friends and i had a "jenny lewis movie marathon". Shes so talented and beautiful and wonderful.
I wish the band the best of luck for the future!

- clankityrobot