Rilo Kiley - MoreAdventurous

Tue 2nd Nov, 2004 in Music Reviews

The genre-defying four-piece from Los Angeles, Rilo Kiley, made a welcome return in 2004, with their first major-label release, More Adventurous. Following up the surprising success of their 2002 album, The Execution of Things was always going to involve a large amount of pressure on the band, however luckily for the fans; More Adventurous has proved to be just that, more adventurous and fantastically progressive.

Rilo Kiley’s heart is held onto by singer Jenny Lewis (many may recognise her voice from working with The Postal Service) and her unique vocal delivery will send shivers down the coldest of spines. Her voice is vulnerable yet strong and carries a sense of sincerity. The boppy, radio-friendly Portions for Foxes is the most pop/soft rock track on the album and is a song that has catapulted Rilo Kiley into the spotlight with a whole new league of Saturday morning Rage-watching fans with its accompanying video set in a taxidermist’s workshop. The lo-fi country ditty Ripchord is guitarist Blake Sennett’s moment in the sun and his artistic vision is written all over this short but important element to the album.

The variety and pace of More Adventurous shows that the band has something to please everybody. There is no shortage of catchy guitar riffs (a highlight being the musical break in I Never along with the surprising but perfectly timed use of silence) and Rilo Kiley’s signature story-telling lyrics capture the essence of musical narrative at its best.

You can’t help but feel emotionally attached to the words in these songs, and Rilo Kiley manage to find scenarios and imagery that most people will be able to relate to, and find solace in.

More Adventurous is a step away from Rilo Kiley’s independent release background, but this shouldn’t scare off the indie-kids. Does He Love You? is a heart wrenching track, showing the lyrical honesty that has defined their sound. The tongue-in-cheek opening number, It’s A Hit, could easily have let the album down but rather, goes in the opposite direction setting a startling high precedent that the remainder of the album is more than happy to fulfill. Other notable tracks include The Absence of God and Accidntal Death (with a deliberate typo), both of which showcase the prettiness in Lewis’s voice.

To be fair, Rilo Kiley wouldn’t be nearly as successful without the musical ability and vision of guitarist Sennett, but especially without the charm and girlish nature of Lewis. Listeners will find comfort in not only the warm hues but also in the tough punch of More Adventurous. There is an obvious presence of polished, commercially-viable production here, but the experimental indie roots remain in what is essentially, a very enjoyable and catchy album.