Rilo Kiley - Take Offs and Landings

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Not many people have seen or even heard of Rilo Kiley, however hopefully that will change real soon for the Los Angeles based quartet. The band's unique sound blends genres such as indie rock, country and pop reminiscent of old '50s ballads. The band draws from such a wide variety of influences and styles that the resulting sound defies easy classification. Songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett have an uncanny knack for fashioning pop songs that manage to simultaneously sound like something you've been humming all your life and like nothing you've ever heard before.

The album opens with the country tinged ballad "Go Ahead." It finds Lewis backed only by an acoustic guitar and sparse keyboards, singing quietly about letting her boyfriend move on "if you want to find yourself by going out west/or if you want to find someone that's better/go ahead" all the while hoping and wishing that he would stay for her. The song then shifts into the more complex "Science vs. Romance." A stunning track that again finds love at the center. This time Lewis contrast love with science cleverly stated and beautifully sung in the verse "facts vs. romance/you go and call yourself the boss/but were not robots inside a grid/text vs. romance/you go and add it all you want/but were not robots inside a grid." "Wires and Waves" is a steady pop-rocker with some wonderful guitar playing from Sennett.

Sennett takes the lead vocals, with Lewis this time providing the backing vocals, for the pure pop gem that is "August." When the two sing together it makes perfect sense, and like the rest of the songs on the album the mixing of the parts is done well. "Bulletproof" is another country laced tune. Lewis, again accompanied only with an acoustic guitar, sings about her fear of losing her significant other to someone else. "Plane Crash in C" takes on the pains of growing up and other simple things in life that get in the way, the song starts off simple, and builds until half way through a smattering of trumpets come in to restate the vocal line without seeming out of place. Shortly there after Lewis sings louder and angrier than she has previously on the album, before retuning back to the quiet dynamic, the band then unexpectedly kicks it back up and Lewis lets loose before the horns comeback and wisk the song to conclusion. It's followed by a brief 30 second variation of the chorus to "science vs. romance" played on what seems to be a synth and cheap keyboard, it fits nicely into the cd before moving to another Sennett sung tune "Small Figures in a Vast Expanse." "Small Figures" finds Sennett making promises to his significant other to change anything and everything in an effort to get her to stay, and is again beautifully backed by Lewis.

Those oddly refreshing trumpets return, this time accompanied by keyboards, to announce the beginning of "Don't Deconstruct." Probably the prettiest and most poignant songs on the album, Lewis sighs as she explains that she's not as basic as she seems. She then sweetly sings the line "judging from picture books heaven is a partly cloudy place" which lets you know exactly what frame of mind she's stuck in for this track. "Always" begins with drummer Dave Rock pelting the drum skins with a rhythmic ferocity. Bassist Pierre de Reeder and Sennett then join in for an extended instrumental intro to the song with Lewis adding sweet notes played on one of those 15 dollar hand-held Casio keyboards you had hen you where six. The song is a great up-tempo rocker on the cd but is even better when experienced live.

The Sennett penned "For the Rest of My Life" is a aching ode to unrequited love. Backed by poignant, minimalist guitar licks and weeping violin Sennett sings "there are worse things a guy could do with his time/than sit and think of you/ I think I'd marry you/just your smile leaves me satisfied/though your not mine/for the rest of my life/I'm going to search for someone just…like…you." Another thirty second variation, this time of "Plane Crash in C", seemingly ends the cd before a hidden track takes that honor. The hidden track is another good-naturedly sung Sennett track that although not as compelling as "Rest of My Life" is good nonetheless.

With Jenny Lewis's beautifully charming singing complemented by Blake Sennett's background harmonies and intricate, understated guitar playing coupled with the subtle rhythm supplied by bassist Pierre de Reeder and drummer Dave Rock, Rilo Kiley has put together what is easily one of the best albums of 2001. In the bands brief existence they have already become a major player in the Los Angeles rock scene, it's only a matter of time before they are doing it nation wide.


	Steamer Trunk \| home stuff about me \| album reviews \| PS2 game reviews \| pictures \| web watch \| getting in touch Rilo Kiley - Take Offs and Landings \| Slipknot - Iowa \| Ozma - Rock and Roll Part Three \| Ben Folds - Rockin' the Suburbs \| Lit - Atomic \| Garbage - Beautifulgarbage \| The Strokes - Is This It \| Live - V \| Tori Amos - Strange Little Girls \| Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American \| Blink 182 - Take Off Your Pants and Jacket \| Weezer - The Green Album \| Alkaline Trio From Here to Infirmary \| Alkaline Trio - Hell Yes \| American Hi-Fi \| Our Lady Peace - Spiritual Machines \| Aerosmith - Just Push Play \| Dave Matthews Band - Everyday \| Blue Meanies - Post Wave \| Weston - The Massed Albert Sounds \| U2 - All That You Cant Leave Behind \| Green Day - Warning \| Offspring - Conspiracy of One \| Everclear - Songs from an American Movie Vol. 2 \| Radiohead - Kid A \| Limp Bizkit - Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water \| Smashing Pumkins - Machina II \| Superdrag - In The Valley Of Dying Stars \| Voodoo Music Festival Rilo Kiley - Take Offs and Landings Not many people have seen or even heard of Rilo Kiley, however hopefully that will change real soon for the Los Angeles based quartet. The band's unique sound blends genres such as indie rock, country and pop reminiscent of old '50s ballads. The band draws from such a wide variety of influences and styles that the resulting sound defies easy classification. Songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett have an uncanny knack for fashioning pop songs that manage to simultaneously sound like something you've been humming all your life and like nothing you've ever heard before. The album opens with the country tinged ballad "Go Ahead." It finds Lewis backed only by an acoustic guitar and sparse keyboards, singing quietly about letting her boyfriend move on "if you want to find yourself by going out west/or if you want to find someone that's better/go ahead" all the while hoping and wishing that he would stay for her. The song then shifts into the more complex "Science vs. Romance." A stunning track that again finds love at the center. This time Lewis contrast love with science cleverly stated and beautifully sung in the verse "facts vs. romance/you go and call yourself the boss/but were not robots inside a grid/text vs. romance/you go and add it all you want/but were not robots inside a grid." "Wires and Waves" is a steady pop-rocker with some wonderful guitar playing from Sennett. Sennett takes the lead vocals, with Lewis this time providing the backing vocals, for the pure pop gem that is "August." When the two sing together it makes perfect sense, and like the rest of the songs on the album the mixing of the parts is done well. "Bulletproof" is another country laced tune. Lewis, again accompanied only with an acoustic guitar, sings about her fear of losing her significant other to someone else. "Plane Crash in C" takes on the pains of growing up and other simple things in life that get in the way, the song starts off simple, and builds until half way through a smattering of trumpets come in to restate the vocal line without seeming out of place. Shortly there after Lewis sings louder and angrier than she has previously on the album, before retuning back to the quiet dynamic, the band then unexpectedly kicks it back up and Lewis lets loose before the horns comeback and wisk the song to conclusion. It's followed by a brief 30 second variation of the chorus to "science vs. romance" played on what seems to be a synth and cheap keyboard, it fits nicely into the cd before moving to another Sennett sung tune "Small Figures in a Vast Expanse." "Small Figures" finds Sennett making promises to his significant other to change anything and everything in an effort to get her to stay, and is again beautifully backed by Lewis. Those oddly refreshing trumpets return, this time accompanied by keyboards, to announce the beginning of "Don't Deconstruct." Probably the prettiest and most poignant songs on the album, Lewis sighs as she explains that she's not as basic as she seems. She then sweetly sings the line "judging from picture books heaven is a partly cloudy place" which lets you know exactly what frame of mind she's stuck in for this track. "Always" begins with drummer Dave Rock pelting the drum skins with a rhythmic ferocity. Bassist Pierre de Reeder and Sennett then join in for an extended instrumental intro to the song with Lewis adding sweet notes played on one of those 15 dollar hand-held Casio keyboards you had hen you where six. The song is a great up-tempo rocker on the cd but is even better when experienced live. The Sennett penned "For the Rest of My Life" is a aching ode to unrequited love. Backed by poignant, minimalist guitar licks and weeping violin Sennett sings "there are worse things a guy could do with his time/than sit and think of you/ I think I'd marry you/just your smile leaves me satisfied/though your not mine/for the rest of my life/I'm going to search for someone just…like…you." Another thirty second variation, this time of "Plane Crash in C", seemingly ends the cd before a hidden track takes that honor. The hidden track is another good-naturedly sung Sennett track that although not as compelling as "Rest of My Life" is good nonetheless. With Jenny Lewis's beautifully charming singing complemented by Blake Sennett's background harmonies and intricate, understated guitar playing coupled with the subtle rhythm supplied by bassist Pierre de Reeder and drummer Dave Rock, Rilo Kiley has put together what is easily one of the best albums of 2001. In the bands brief existence they have already become a major player in the Los Angeles rock scene, it's only a matter of time before they are doing it nation wide.