Under The Blacklight | 
| Manufacturer: Warner Bros.
Buy New: $9.99
Rating:  81 reviews
Sales Rank: 2792
Genre: pop-music
Media: Music Download
Running Time: 0 Minutes
ASIN: B00122J1IM
Release Date: August 21, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 76 more reviews...
 A Disappointment Three Years in the Making... August 21, 2007
Cale E. Reneau (Conroe, Texas United States)
30 out of 42 found this review helpful
Three years.
Three years ago, I walked out of my local record store with a brand new CD in my hands. Having been a fan of Rilo Kiley's first two albums for a while, I knew that I had no choice but to buy "More Adventurous" and support one of my favorite bands. I was instantly captivated by the more polished sound that the band presented on that album. Songs like "Does He Love You?" and "More Adventurous" have become all-time favorites for me. To say the very least, it was an impressive album. It has been three years, and like most Rilo Kiley fans, I have been eagerly anticipating the return of Rilo Kiley. At last, it's finally come with "Under the Blacklight," an album in which Rilo Kiley tries to expand their sound further into the pop realm.
The album begins on a high note, with the beautifully crafted "Silver Lining." More than any other song on "Under the Blacklight," this one captures the essence of classic Rilo Kiley. There is a catchy hook, a little bit of country flare, and everybody in the band seems to blend well with one another. There is no part of the song that feels out of place or unnecessary. Of course, it's also immediately noticeable that Jenny Lewis has toned down her typically eccentric writing for a more accessible alternative. Still, the song manages to satisfy and is sure to keep even the most skeptical of Rilo Kiley fans happy. For the time being, at least.
"Close Call" finds Jenny Lewis overpowering the rest of the band with unnecessary and obnoxious "oohs and ahhs." On any other Rilo Kiley album, she'd be obnoxious by writing long, intricate lines and trying to squeeze them into a single phrase, but that was always part of her appeal. Here, she's just flat out not trying as hard (or perhaps too hard to be something she's not), and it shows.
The album's first single, "The Moneymaker" has already drawn mixed reviews from Rilo Kiley fans. Some praise it for it's sharp contrast to their established sound, while others criticize it for the exact same reason. While I'm still not entirely sold on the song, it has grown on me over the last month or so. My biggest complaint with it is not the simple riffs, but the completely unsatisfying lyrics. I read an interview a few days ago where the band stated that they pretty much wrote the whole song in 30 minutes. That's not surprising, considering that in a Rilo Kiley song about porn stars, the best hook they could come up with was "She says ow, ow, ow...hell yeah!"
"Breakin' Up" is my favorite song on the album despite the fact that it's plagued with an overabundance of fake-sounding background vocals. It's disco-esque guitars and synths really prove that Rilo Kiley is capable of branching out and making a real solid pop song, even if the rest of the album is evidence to the contrary. When Jenny Lewis sings "Ooh, it feels good to be free," I just imagine the song being performed live and think about how cool it could be. Of course, when I hear the background vocals repeating the same line without Jenny's assistance, I gag a bit. Oh well, fair trade.
You'd expect a song called "Under the Blacklight" to be an unapologetic dance track, but it's surprisingly one of the most toned down songs on the album. The song fuses an almost 90s alternative rock sound with a twangy country vibe to form what is a respectable ballad. Blake Sennett takes over the vocal duties on "Dreamworld." A throwback to old Fleetwood Mac, it has a definitive 70s pop rock sound to it. I've always favored Blake Sennett's songwriting and singing more than Jenny's for some reason, and this song just seals the deal for me. It's a nice break from Jenny's vocals, which tend to wear thin on my ears on this album.
Never fear though, Jenny fans, she's back on "Dejalo." However, her vocals are noticeably out of place on this funky pop song, and once again the background choir vocals are just entirely unnecessary. Her lyrics are also inexplicably terrible here ("My mom is an atheist. If I stay out late, she don't get pissed"). "15" tells the story that never needed to be told; that of a 25 year old boy being seduced by a 15 year old girl who is "down for almost anything" and "ripe like a cherry, bruised like a peach." The music itself isn't bad at all, even though Jenny is a bit overpowering, but the lyrics are really untouched territory in pop music (for good reason). Whether that's genius or just dumb, I have yet to decide. But it's disturbing either way.
"Smoke Detector" has a very distorted California beach rock feel to it, and I can imagine a bunch of people in one-piece swimsuits hula hooping and doing the twist to this one at some 1960s beach party. It's a very different sound for Rilo Kiley, but that's pretty much par for the course. "The Angels Hung Around" sounds like it could've been featured on "More Adventurous" until it comes to the repetitive chorus where Jenny simply repeats the title a few time. But it's clear-cut country sound is enough to save it from the skip button, as it's one of the few reminders of what Rilo Kiley used to sound like. The album closes with "Give a Little Love," a song that utilizes simple electronic drums, handclaps, and synths. Jenny sings "You've got to give a little love to get a little love" in the chorus. Though the song may not "hit all the right notes" the first time through, I've found it to be a fairly decent song after a few listens.
As I'm sure you can deduce from reading, I have very mixed feelings for "Under the Blacklight." In my mind, that makes it a disappointment, as Rilo Kiley has never gotten mixed reactions from me in the past. In an interview I read with Blake Sennett, he said that the band has played pretty much everything they could except for straightforward pop music. Being fans of the genre, themselves, the opted to give it a try and this album is the result of their efforts. After giving "Under the Blacklight" several listens, I think it's safe to say that Rilo Kiley is better at what they used to play than what is presented here. The band's creativity has been stunted by the petty demands of a genre whose fans offer little to no loyalty to the creators of their cheap thrills. Jenny Lewis in particular has sacrificed a lot of her creative and charming lyrics in favor of repetitive and easy lyrical hooks ("It's gonna be a close call - Repeat," "She says ow, ow, ow...hell yeah - Repeat," "Dejalo, nuestra cosa - Repeat," "Ready to go - Repeat," "Danger, do the smoke detector - Repeat," "The angels hung around - Repeat," "Give a little love - Repeat, repeat, repeat!")
"Under the Blacklight" is a disappointment in comparison to every other Rilo Kiley album to date. While the band is still better than 99% of the people who will now undoubtedly play beside them on the radio, for Rilo Kiley, it just seems like they took the easy way out. While I'm sure the term "sold out" will be thrown around by long time fans, I have no idea what the intentions of the band were when they recorded "Under the Blacklight." All I know is that the Rilo Kiley I fell in love with barely makes an appearance on this album. While the album may grow on me over time, right now, it's just not doing it. For me, "Under the Blacklight" is a disappointment three years in the making.
Recommended for fans of pop music and Rilo Kiley. Decide for yourself.
Key Tracks:
1. "Silver Lining"
2. "The Moneymaker"
3. "Breakin' Up"
4. "Dreamworld"
5 out of 10 Stars
 Not what I expected, but a real treat! 4.5 stars August 21, 2007
Parkin (PA)
23 out of 32 found this review helpful
After the first time I listened to Under The Blacklight, I thought that it was a very good CD, but not up to More Adventurous. After a few listens, I'd rate it as equal to More Adventurous. Some of these songs feel fun but superficial at first, but the more you listen, the more you can feel the care that went into the songcraft. R&B touches enhance "Silver Lining" and "Give A Little Love." Songs like "Under The Blacklight" and "Smoke Detector" show their alt-country leanings, even though they are danceable. "15" is a gorgeous song with Memphis soul in it. "The Angels Hung Around" is like power folk. And the single "Moneymaker" is a little more rocky than it seems originally - I find it to be irresistible. There's really no power pop gem like "Portions For Foxes" on Under The Blacklight, but it was hard for me to complain. Even the weakest song, "Dejalo," manages to give 80s synth a modern coolness. Lyrically, there's a lot about sleazy sex, but the lyrics don't get too dirty or profane. Parents will have to decide if it's appropriate for their kids or not. Congrats to Rilo Kiley on a job well done!
 Not sure if it their best yet, but certainly their most consistent. August 21, 2007
M. Emrich (Denver, Co.)
18 out of 25 found this review helpful
There is only one throwaway cut on this disc and oddly enough it is the title cut. I have always been a big Jenny Lewis fan. Both her solo music and Rilo Kiley's tunes grow on you. Sometimes it takes a few listens to fully comprehend the cleaverness of her lyrics as well. For example, I have been listening to Rabbit Fur Coat more in the last few months than in the first few months of its release. Perhaps in 6 months I will consider this a 5 star effort.
This disc does have the feel of being a bit more commercial than their other efforts, but personally I do not find that a bad thing. Favorite cuts are Silver Lining and Dreamworld at this point, but that will probably change. That is the great beauty of Jenny Lewis and Rilo Kiley
 Uninteresting and disappointing. August 21, 2007
M. J. Bullard Jr. (Philadelphia PA)
16 out of 26 found this review helpful
Two words I thought I'd never use to describe a Rilo Kiley album, and yet here we are.
The dramatic shift in the band's sound is as complete as it is baffling. The lush soundscapes, intricate songcraft, and interesting melodies are slaughtered in favor of driving beats, cookie cutter grooves, and an emphasis on creating radio friendly jams.
Where before Jenny Lewis (who I considered to be one of the finest fronts in music today) might croon a soulful reflective tale, she now spits out trite repetitive phrases designed to tunnel into the brain of the listener. The clever and cheeky wordplay is gone, in favor of (almost nonsensical at times) vapid, empty sentiment.
At it's best, Under The Blacklight sounds like lost Gloria Estefan B-sides from 1987, with heavy synth pops and keyboards and the rest of the band taking five as Jenny embarrassingly blurts out an almost rap-like section of song, before an ineffective hook takes over like it does for 40% of every track.
This can probably largely be blamed on the album's producers, and possibly a gun pointed at the band (my own theory, as I can't imagine why else they'd tie their creative hand behind their back and challenge themselves to release something so worthless). Ditch the hip producers, Rilo Kiley, you're better than that.
The only track that shines is Blake's "Dreamworld", almost as a secret message to fans that "Hey, at least I haven't lost my mind with this garbage". Indeed, we can only hope we'll get another Elected album some day as Jenny goes on to be the next Gwen Stefani.
Perhaps the most saddening part is how effective this album will most likely be at reaching its goal; a new audience. The small but fiercely loyal fanbase completely turned away by the band's shift in focus as Under The Blacklight CD's fly off the shelves for the people out there who just want a "groove", even if it is mediocre and disingenuous.
In the end, it is what it is, and without a lie detector we'll have to take RK's word that this is what they wanted, but all I can think is "Why?".
I'm so glad they "sold out" & got GOOD!!! August 21, 2007
Jose Davila (San Francisco, CA USA)
14 out of 29 found this review helpful
To think, I might have never previewed this album on their MySpace page if some of their "real fans" hadn't been complaining about how different this album is to their previous stuff. The things they were complaining about sounded like exactly what I like in an album.
1. "Silver Lining"- Starts off with a great drumbeat/handclaps & goes right into a wonderful guitar riff which sounds a lot like "My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison - I love the lush backing vocals...I guess it sounds so good to me, because it reminds me of all the great 70's soft rock songs that I grew up with.
2. "Close Call"- More great guitar work on this song- I love all the "clean" 70's/80's sounding guitar on this album, as opposed to that "fuzzy" feedback guitar sound that has defined indie & alternative rock ever since grunge in the early 90's.
3. "The Moneymaker"- Excellent sexy funky rhythm section with more great guitar work over it...but I guess their real fans don't like to dance or be sexy.
4. "Breakin' Up"- Wonderful synth sounds & beautifully clear vocals on the verses go into a DELICIOUS chorus with some AWESOME 70's-style backing vocals...I can't tell if it reminds me of the Bee Gees or ELO or just some other great 70's soft-rock song.
5. "Under the Blacklight"- I love the intro & outro of this song with the great pounding drums & the synths that sound like some 70's prog-rock, but the actual song has that one 90's female singer/songwriter Lillith Fair sound like Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Colvin, Paula Cole, etc. that I'm not really a big fan of...I don't mind it in the context of this great album, but wouldn't like it on its own (except for the excellent beginning & ending).
6. "Dreamworld"- This BEAUTIFUL song with the male vocals by Blake Sennett & great 80's guitar sounds VERY similar to "Trouble", the first solo hit in 1981 by Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac, which happens to be one of my favorite songs...the guitar also sounds similar to Lindsey's work on Fleetwood Mac's "Gypsy" from 1982.
7. "Dejalo"- Being a fluent native Spanish-speaker, I'm usually bothered by bad Spanish accents, but Jenny sounds very earnest when she sings the 3 Spanish words in the chorus that it doesn't bother me...The music on the beginning & chorus reminds me a little of "You Can't Get What You Want" by Joe Jackson from 1984, but Jenny's fast almost-"rapping" on the verses is so good & funky in this great quirky 80's way with more great backing vocals.
8. "15"- A departure from the sounds on the songs before this one, Jenny's clear country-style vocals sound great over the old-style rhythm & blues sound on this song with a rich, full horn section...great lyrics about a "controversial" topic.
9. "Smoke Detector"- The opening guitar reminds me of the Byrds - if the whole album sounded like this, I probably wouldn't like it, but I love it in the context of this album - love the guitar solo & the clapping during the "breakdown" & the great upbeat catchy chorus with more backing vocals.
10. "The Angels Hung Around"- More of the alt-country folky rock sound that seems to be popular in indie circles..again, I wouldn't necessarily like a whole album of this, but I love this song as part of this album...more great backing vocals on the chorus.
11. "Give a Little Love"- Excellent use of "cheezy" 80's drum-machine & Casio-keyboard sounds (similar to "Running" by No Doubt, but leaning more toward the 80's R&B usage of it).
Overall, this is a perfect album for me because I love albums where every song sounds different.
I first became a fan of music in the early 80's when people would put a lot of "stuff" into their recordings (horn sections, funky basslines, backing vocals, latin percussion, synthesizers, etc.) to give the music more "flavor", rather than just sticking to the basic guitar/bass/drums rock format, so this album is right up my alley that way.
Plus, like all the best 80's albums (when they were on vinyl & it was hard to fit more than 10 songs on a record), this album feels very short & leaves me wanting more, so I'd probably put it on repeat, which is a good thing compared to many modern CD's that are so long (often due to "filler" songs that they should have left off) that you rarely get through the whole thing in 1 sitting.
It's an amazing album full of Fleetwood Mac & assorted 80's influences, which makes it a lot more interesting to listen to than the boring indie alt-country they've done until now. I guess all the whiners can just keep listening to over-rated crap like Cat Power, now that Rilo Kiley "sold out" & got GOOD! (Hopefully this will mean less unshaven, badly-dressed indie "hipsters", with their awful haircuts & ironic t-shirts, at the live shows!)
|
|
|
