will rilo kiley ever tour again

The Always Evolving, All Too Brief Life Of Rilo Kiley

At the end of July of 2001, 15 years ago this week, Rilo Kiley released their debut album, Take Offs and Landings . When the band debuted, the most notable thing about them was the acting pasts of two members of the band, Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett. Lewis had been in movies such as Troop Beverly Hills and The Wizard . Sennett played Pinsky , the cool guy who replaced Michael on Salute Your Shorts and squirmy bully Joey “The Rat” Epstein on Boy Meets World . They were just beginning as musicians, at least professionally. By the time the band broke up a decade later, they had put together a tremendous, if too brief, output.

To be fair, the beloved, critically adored Rilo Kiley releases didn’t really start at the beginning. Take Offs and Landings , plus the band’s self-titled EP released in 1999 that would be tweaked and tweaked until it came out as The Initial Friend in 2001, don’t immediately jump off the page. Take Offs and Landings featured a few songs sung by Sennett, which would not be a common occurrence going forward — possibly a reason why he’d later establish his band The Elected. With all due respect to the band’s other members, and they were all vital to the group, there is a reason Lewis has become a major musical figure with a few excellent solo albums to her name. Her voice is incredible, capable of engaging the listener whether she is singing softly or belting out big, forceful vocals. Showcasing her, and a little tweak to their sound, would really help take Rilo Kiley to the next level, the level we fondly remember them on.

Rilo Kiley’s next two albums, 2002’s The Execution of All Things and 2004’s More Adventurous , are both masterpieces. It’s just a matter of trying to delineate which masterpiece is the best album the band ever recorded. We will start, with a hat tip to chronology, with The Execution of All Things . The band moved to Saddle Creek, Conor Oberst’s record label, for this album, and the band’s sound grew into something much deeper and richer. The vocals were richer and more varied, and the instrumentation grew more daring, even including some sampling. This was when we realized what this band was capable of.

The album is loaded with good songs, it’s not quite all killer, no filler, but it’s close, with several stand out tracks. When “A Better Son/Daughter” kicks into a higher gear, with Lewis stretching her voice to its limits, if you aren’t viscerally grabbed by the song something inside, you may very well be dead. The song is optimistic and pessimistic in equal measures, but it’s just so high energy it leaves you vibrating regardless. And “With Arms Outstretched” is such a great song that, when used in the television show Weeds , it could convince you momentarily that Weeds isn’t a terrible show. It’s one of the best driving songs of all time. It’s beautiful. Again, those are but two of the highlights, albeit the two brightest highlights, in what is a truly great album.

More Adventurous is the record that escalated the group to their first big commercial success. They got on the Billboard Hot 200 and reached No. 7 on their Heatseekers chart. The big hit of the album, the very deserving “Portions for Foxes,” was included in Rock Band . Once again, they changed their sound, but in a way that worked for them. It does feel more “mature,” in a sense, but not in an indulgent way. Rilo Kiley didn’t really need to find themselves, but it sort of feels like they did anyway.

Then came Under the Blacklight in 2007. Now a crossover indie rock act, their fourth and final album hit No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 200. The album got a lot of Fleetwood Mac comparisons, which, from a music perspective, is a good thing, but bands usually get Fleetwood Mac comparisons when it becomes clear that the writing is on the wall. While Rilo Kiley has never really been a positive, uplifting band, Under the Blacklight is particularly dark. Not entirely, “Silver Lining” if nothing else sounds very pretty, but the album overall is not exactly a toe tapper.

Between More Adventurous and Under the Blacklight , both Lewis and Sennett had made solo albums, with Lewis’ getting notable acclaim, so perhaps it is not surprising that Under the Blacklight is their last hurrah. For a few years, there was not much talk about the band’s future, but then the chatter began, and it was mostly of the “never say never” variety until Lewis finally said that the band was broken up in 2014. Given everything Lewis has done since 2007, it seems very unlikely the band will ever get back together. If they do, it would likely be on a lark, or for a reunion tour — Coachella is always calling. But new material from Rilo Kiley will likely never be heard again.

While that is unfortunate, at least we were left with a few great albums to listen to. While Lewis is still making excellent music with her solo records and in Nice as F*ck (and Sennett is as well with the Night Terrors of 1927), it’s decidedly different, and it isn’t Rilo Kiley. Much as with Jack White, even if you like what he is doing now, it isn’t quite The White Stripes. Rilo Kiley wasn’t some sort of unique or “important” band; they just made great music. They never stayed stuck in a sound and were always willing to experiment and follow their proverbial muses. Despite this evolution, they never misfired, never bit off more than they could chew. Fifteen years ago, a small band featuring a couple former child actors released their first album. Over the next six years, they would turn themselves into one of the best bands out there, before calling it quits. You can still go back and listen to The Execution of All Things , though. You can still put on “With Arms Outstretched” and drive and feel like your heart is going to explode.

• Consequence

Upcoming Rilo Kiley Festivals Appearances

Upcoming rilo kiley concerts near me.

Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett Reunite for First Performance in Six Years: Watch

The duo performed "Let Me Back In" for Linda Perry's Rock-N-Relief livestream benefit.

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Mannequin Pussy Cover Rilo Kiley's "The Execution of All Things": Stream

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Rilo Kiley to Reissue Rare Self-Titled 1999 Debut Album

This marks the first time ever the record has been pressed to vinyl and been available on streaming services.

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Jenny Lewis on Her Next Solo Album and the 20th Anniversary of Rilo Kiley

She also chats about her band Nice as Fuck, plans for a documentary on her solo album Acid Tongue, and Rilo Kiley's “Portions for Foxes” being regarded as one of the 100 greatest songs of the century so far.

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Top 50 Songs of 2007

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Top 50 Albums of 2007

Ten years ago, things were much, much different ... sort of.

January 23, 2017

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I’ll be honest, this one still stings; as a huge fan of Rilo Kiley, I’m probably not going to be able to offer any kind of balanced critique as far as their split is concerned. They really were one of the unsung heroes of noughties indie rock; three tremendous records, Take Offs and Landings, The Execution of All Things and More Adventurous were followed by a Fleetwood Mac-inspired, poppy major label debut, Under the Blacklight, that really should have propelled them to a mainstream crossover - I’m honestly at a loss to explain why it didn’t. The heart of the band was the songwriting partnership between singer Jenny Lewis and guitarist Blake Sennett; both former child actors, their working relationship ultimately collapsed under the weight of the failure of its romantic counterpart. It’s a genuine shame, too, because live, they’d managed to mesh the diffuse styles of their different records remarkably well; Lewis was capable of tearing through, say, the aggressive second half of ‘A Better Son/Daughter’ before suddenly delivering a poigant acoustic number - of which they had many - immediately afterwards. Lewis has had the most success post-split, with a new solo record and UK dates lined up for later this year, but honestly, she’s most at home as the frontwoman of a rock band; my fingers will forever be crossed for a reunion.

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Rilo Kiley's new CD is Under the Blacklight . hide caption

Rilo Kiley Interview

Download a copy of this concert with the All Songs Considered podcast.

Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis, live at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. Joel Didriksen for kingpinphoto.com hide caption

Portions for Foxes

Paints Peeling

Breakin' Up

The Moneymaker

Wires and Waves

With Arms Outstretched

A Man/Me/Jim

Silver Lining

Rise Up With Fists

Spectacular Views

Give a Little

Does He Love You

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Rilo Kiley performs live in Washington, D.C. Joel Didriksen for kingpinphoto.com hide caption

The hauntingly soulful voice of singer Jenny Lewis has drawn legions of fans to the L.A. band Rilo Kiley. Since releasing its first CD in 2001, the band has gradually abandoned its weepy pop-country sound for '80s-inspired college rock and new wave, but the incandescent passion in Lewis' voice has remained, drawing comparisons to Loretta Lynn and Neko Case. Now on tour in support of Under the Blacklight , Rilo Kiley visits Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club for a full concert, originally webcast live on NPR.org Sept. 26.

Lewis recently returned to Rilo Kiley after taking time off for a brief solo run. Her 2006 album Rabbit Fur Coat (featured in a live concert on NPR.org by Lewis ) was a surprise hit. Steeped in blue-eyed soul, gospel and rock, the album featured guest appearances by Conor Oberst, M. Ward and Ben Gibbard, and ultimately charted higher than any previous Rilo Kiley CD.

With Rilo Kiley's Under the Blacklight , Lewis sounds more sultry and seductive than ever before. The album explores seedy tales of drinking, one-night stands, jilted lovers and the sex industry, all illuminated by a nightclub's dingy blacklight. Out on Warner Bros., it's Rilo Kiley's major-label debut.

Rilo Kiley first formed in 1998, releasing its lo-fi debut Take Offs and Landings in 2001 on the Barsuk label. Under the Blacklight is the band's fourth full-length album. Following the early departure of original drummer Dave Brock, the group now features Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett on guitar, bassist Pierre de Reeder and Jason Boesel on drums.

Related NPR Stories

Rilo kiley will try to love you, song of the day, rilo kiley's singer steps out with a wilbury twist, jenny lewis tries on a solo 'coat', music interviews, rilo kiley: a small l.a. band makes it big.

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Before she was one of the most beloved singer-songwriters of her era, Jenny Lewis was best known for her role as redhead girl scout Hannah Nefler in the 1989 film Troop Beverly Hills . While she was able to indulge in some of the trappings of child stardom, Lewis’ youth was anything but glamorous: She carried an immense pressure as her family’s breadwinner, which was made all the more difficult by her mother’s struggles with addiction. In the mid-’90s, when a teenage Lewis met Blake Sennett, a fellow young actor with credits on Salute Your Shorts and Boy Meets World , they recognized each other as kindred spirits, both disillusioned with showbiz and its associated pressures. “I was incredibly depressed, having grown up doing one thing and suddenly finding myself not interested in that,” Lewis told Spin in 2007. “I really had no idea what I was going to do with my life.”

For both Lewis and Sennett, music was an opportunity to explore creative autonomy; for the first time, they were pursuing their own visions rather than acting out someone else's dreams. (As Lewis’ sister recently told Pitchfork, “I think she didn’t want to be saying other people’s words anymore.”) Lewis and Sennett sat down to write songs together and soon were playing casual shows in their friends’ living rooms; later, they started dating. Somewhere along the way, the band formalized under the name Rilo Kiley . Sennett recruited his high school buddy Pierre “Duke” de Reeder to play bass and Dave Rock to play drums, a role that Jason Boesel later settled into.

In January 1998, Rilo Kiley played their first show at a Silverlake nightclub called Spaceland. If they were nervous, it didn’t show. “Between songs they were charming, smart and funny,” recalls The Kids in the Hall comedian Dave Foley, who happened to catch the set. “During songs they were brilliant.” Smitten, he offered to pay for a demo recording, which the band accepted. Many of the songs from the Foley-funded session would go on to form Rilo Kiley’s self-titled 1999 debut (later released with a slightly altered tracklist as The Initial Friend EP).

For two songwriters who grew up surrounded by Hollywood fakery, Sennett and Lewis’ songwriting is immediately, remarkably unselfconscious. Their twangy indie rock songs avoid flowery language in favor of conversational observations and winking wordplay. “I should’ve known/With a boy like you/Your middle name is always/I’d always love you,” Lewis swoons on a synth-pop ditty called—obviously—“Always.” Same deal with “I’ll be in your car/I locked the keys in your car/I’ll be in your car for now” off “85.” Perhaps there are more poetic ways of expressing these sentiments—of fateful infatuation, of resolve—but the directness of Rilo Kiley’s storytelling aims straight for the heart.

Lewis’ emotional candor, along with the band’s association with Conor Oberst and Omaha label Saddle Creek, have led some to describe Rilo Kiley as emo, a genre most commonly linked to whiny, vaguely ill-looking white boys. There are arguments to be made for both sides of the emo-or-aren’t-they question, but it is incontestable that Lewis’ capacity for vulnerability spoke to countless young women. Her expressions of sadness could take many shapes—wry, morbid, exhausted—but were always excruciatingly self-aware and sharp. “I’ve been a mess for some time now/I get what I deserve,” Lewis sings on “85.” “For someone who leaves a lot behind/I can do better.” On the pop-punk-lite “Glendora,” Lewis describes her own exploitation at the hands of a cruel boy who uses her for sex and a distraction from suburban malaise. “You know I always like to play the victim,” she sings plainly. “And would you fuck me? Because I’d fuck me.” It’s a disarming line , and “Glendora” lays the contradictions of womanhood out on the table, a whole bundle of flaws and strengths tied up in one complicated package. “When I sit down to write a song, there is no filter,” Lewis told ELLE years later. “I’m not trying to write for anyone or anything specifically. It’s just trying to capture a little piece of your soul—even if it’s a really ugly part.”

Though Rilo Kiley is rooted in indie rock, it’s clear that the band had not yet found their sound. The Sennett-led cut “Asshole” is broken up by turntable scratching and samples while Lewis straight-up yodels on “Gravity.” On “Teenage Love Song,” an aching Patsy Cline -indebted ballad, Lewis two-steps her way towards the tortured melodrama of a broken heart. “Oh Davey, why did you leave me/All alone when we went all the way?” she belts like a gale-force wind roaring through Nashville. “But maybe someday Davey/We’ll be together for more than a day.”

And then there’s “The Frug.” Despite the fact that they were unsigned, Rilo Kiley’s music made its way into the hands of director Morgan J. Freeman, who included two of the band’s songs in his 1998 film Desert Blue . Freeman’s video for “The Frug” landed the band on MTV’s alternative program 120 Minutes . It was a bit weird for everyone. As Sennett recalled in 2001, “It’s pretty random to see the most independent of independent bands on MTV.” Filled with handclaps and doo-wop harmonies, “The Frug” is one of Rilo Kiley’s sugariest songs and is unlike anything else on Rilo Kiley . As the song patiently explains, Lewis can do the Frug . She can also do the Robocop and the Freddie. She cannot do the Smurf. But this groovy laundry list gives way to a declaration of strength and empowerment: “I can take my clothes off/I cannot fall in love/You will never see my eyes/I will not call you back.”

After the release of Rilo Kiley —sold exclusively at their shows—the band spent the next few years searching for a label before signing with Seattle’s Barsuk and releasing their proper debut, 2001’s Take Offs and Landings . That same year, Lewis and Sennett split and songwriting responsibilities started to shift over to Lewis. Rilo Kiley’s final record and major-label debut, the sleek and divisive Under the Blacklight , came out in 2007. By that point, Lewis and Sennett were both branching out with side projects (Lewis’ solo work, Sennett’s band the Elected) and interviews with the group from that time suggest that Lewis’ independent success drove something of a wedge between the pair. When asked about the status of Rilo Kiley in 2011, Sennett said that if the band were a human, “he’s probably laying on his back in a morgue with a tag on his toe.” A few years later, Lewis drove the final nail into the coffin and confirmed that Rilo Kiley was no more. Since then, with only a 2013 rarities set to tide fans over, the band has existed as a treasured manifesto on how to live a truthful, if imperfect, life. If the breakup was a song, Lewis would probably point out that it was better that way.

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Rilo Kiley to Reissue Rare Self-Titled 1999 Album for First Time

By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

Rilo Kiley will reissue their rare self-titled 1999 debut album on vinyl and digital for the first time this October.

The long-out-of-print album — which contained the song “Frug,” featured on the soundtrack of the 1998 film Desert Blue — was previously only available on CDs that Jenny Lewis and company sold at their early shows, prior to the release of their “official” debut LP, 2001’s Take Offs and Landings .

Rilo Kiley , out October 2nd via Little Record Company , replicates the album’s nine-song second-pressing as a digital download and limited edition vinyl.

Comedian Dave Foley, who saw Rilo Kiley perform their first-ever gig at Los Angeles’ Spaceland in 1998, recalled seeing the band in a statement: “They were good, so good that I stopped fighting for the attention of the bartender and turned to see who it was. On stage was a very young, delightfully unpretentious group named Rilo Kiley. Between songs, they were charming, smart and funny. During the songs they were brilliant. After the set, I introduced myself and learned that this was their first public performance. I was astonished.”

Foley continued: “They invited me back to their rehearsal space for Thai food and to hear some songs they didn’t have room for in the set. Dreamily, I filled my belly with noodles and my head with one great song after another. I was in a full-on, pop music fan swoon. Having decided to force myself into their lives, I suggested (insisted) that I should fund a demo recording. They relented. I also tried to talk them into changing the band’s name. They were unrelenting. A lot of years have passed. I remain proud to know Rilo Kiley and grateful that I had the opportunity and ability to be of some help.”

Rilo Kiley officially disbanded in 2013 following the release of their RKives compilation. They recorded four more albums together, the last being 2007’s Under the Blacklight .

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• The Hard Times

Every Rilo Kiley Album Ranked

By Jessica Lillian | June 16, 2023

If you want to see an aging millennial cry, go beyond the traditional “You will never be able to afford a house even though you’re almost 40!” and just remind them that Rilo Kiley no longer exists. Barring a miracle, we won’t ever see the iconic Los Angeles indie band — a fixture of 2000s college radio and beyond — play live again. They broke up more than a decade ago, but it still hurts, huh? Also, they hold a special place in the hearts of ‘90s kids because Ronnie Pinskey from “Salute Your Shorts” was on guitar, the only thing that could make it better is if Donkey Lips played keyboards.

Good thing we’re here to rank every Rilo Kiley album! Let’s make that painful nostalgia either better or much worse, or at least temporarily distract you through violent disagreement.

5. Under the Blacklight (2007)

Play it again: “Silver Lining.” One of many Rilo Kiley songs that masterfully capture complex, confusing emotions and relationships. Is it a bitter song? Is it a triumphant song? Happy? Sad? It’s kind of everything! Skip it: “Smoke Detector.” When the repetitive chorus gets stuck in your head for days on end, you will pray for the sweet deafening blast of an actual smoke detector.

4. Self-Titled (1999)

Play it again: “Papillon.” The coziest little duet. Stoned stream-of-consciousness with tons of fascinating references in the lyrics. For research purposes only, we confirmed alt.com is still a real website. There’s even a pre-“The Office” “that’s what she said.” Skip it: “The Frug.” A little repetitive and (sorry) overrated.

Honorable Mention: Rkives (2013)

Play it again: “Let Me Back In.” A live favorite finally got a proper recording release, complete with a music video featuring compiled vintage tour footage to mercilessly stab us right in our nostalgic hearts. Doing just fine over here, thanks! Skip it: “A Town Called Luckey.” It gets dark. Real dark. Go back and listen later once you’ve refilled your SSRIs and resolved your childhood religious trauma, maybe.

3. Takeoffs and Landings (2001)

Play it again: “Pictures of Success.” Experts say that if you’ve read this far, there’s a 63% chance you once put “I’m a modern girl/But I fold in half so easily” in your LiveJournal bio. Underrated additional gem of a line: “I’m not scared/but the bills keep changing colors.” Skip it: “We’ll Never Sleep (God Knows We’ll Try).” Only the last beat. A tiny musical cliff with a missing final note that I’m sure is intentional, but we are sensitive folks over here! Modern girls folding in half, you know?

2. More Adventurous (2004)

Play it again: “Does He Love You?” As a pretentious MFA guy would say, the narrative. The character ambiguity. Maybe time to just put all our energy into manifesting a full-length movie someday based on this song. Hi, Netflix! Skip it: None. Although “It’s a Hit” will probably bring up those weird nauseous “Haha yeah, remember when we thought George W. Bush was the worst president ever?” feelings.

1. The Execution of All Things (2002)

Play it again: The absolutely anthemic “A Better Son/Daughter.” And then again because you still can’t get out of bed. Go ahead, as many times as you need. Skip it: None, this is an album album. That means you gotta play the whole thing from start to finish, especially so you don’t miss the hidden waltz subplot stitched together between tracks. No shuffle. You can do it.

The Cardinal Post

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Ending the Year with Rilo Kiley

By Anthony Muñoz, Staff Music Critic

This month’s album was selected by 11th-grade English teacher Lydia Garrighan.

Anthony’s Rating: 8.4/10

The world of music is a roller coaster: finding a new artist feels like being at the peak of the ride, about to dive into a thrilling experience. But after riding that roller coaster several times, doesn’t it get repetitive? At the Cardinal Post , we’re here to deliver you with that new ride that will last you through this summer.

This month at the Cardinal Post , we’ll be reviewing an oldie that most haven’t heard: More Adventurous by Rilo Kiley. Rilo Kiley was a indie rock band that formed in 1998 and consisted of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Dave Rock. The band debuted with The Execution which sparked hope in the band to continue making music thanks to great reception from fans. In 2004, they struck a deal with Warner Bros and released More Adventurous , which helped the band develop their own devoted audience. But after a four-year hiatus, the band announced they’d split up in 2014 due to “deception, disloyalty, and greed” amongst the band members. Although the band split up, this didn’t stop some of the members from pursuing their own musical careers.

More Adventurous opens with the track “It’s a Hit”, with probably the most cheerful sounding track on the album, using trumpets to emphasize an uplifting tone, to mask Jenny Lewis’s lyrics about frustration with songwriting. Rilo Kiley really grabs the audience’s attention through the massive focus on their production specifically on the first track.

The second track of the album, “Does He Love You?”, is a powerful narrative about two friends finding out they’ve been going out with the same guy. Throughout the track there is a recurring theme of independence; both of these friends seek independence, although one of the friends comes to the conclusion that it’s better to leave the relationship in order to become “free”, while the other friend stays in the relationship, with the false hope of making the relationship work out, with someone who is likely to cheat again. Of all the songs on this album, this track stands out, having production that sounds like it came straight out of a film.

The third track of the album, “Portions for Foxes,” is one of Rilo Kiley’s most streamed song; according to Rolling Stone it placed #326 in 2021’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Jenny Lewis’s lyrics describe a relationship that should have ended awhile ago, but they are desperately trying to stay together by participating in sexual activities with each other.

The fourth track is written and sung by Blake Sennet, who sings about the passing of Elliott Smith. Smith, a singer-songwriter, passed away on October 31, 2003 due to severe injury from two stab wounds. The members Rilo Kiley were very close friends with Elliott Smith, so to commemorate him, they dedicated track four, “Ripchord,” in his memory. 

The fifth track “I Never”, is a classic love song with catchy lyrics by Jenny Lewis and impressive guitar riffs by Blake Sennet. This track starts off very calm with the smooth and quiet sound of the guitar and piano, and builds up into the second verse where everything calms down again. This song is a fan favorite to see live because the end of the song has a very memorable guitar riff done by Blake Sennet which is beautifully executed. 

The sixth track, “The Absence of God,” begins with a peaceful guitar melody that continues for the rest of the track. This track is one of the more tamer songs on the album, every instrument is quiet and restful while the once loud trumpets are now drowned out in Jenny Lewis’s vocals. Rilo Kiley successfully provides a more tranquil track with vocals that sound carefree while masking the deeper theme of depressed frustration.

The seventh track, “Accidntel Deth,” sometimes gets overlooked. Although this track seems very cheery and playful, the lyrics hide a deeper message that Jenny Lewis tries to convey. “Accidntel Deth” is a message to people who take others’ lives away, and she asks if they even feel any sort of sympathy for what they’ve done. This track is dear to the members of Rilo Kiley because as mentioned previously they’ve lost a close friend to stab wounds that no one knows who inflicted. Accidental deaths can be avoided, and Jenny Lewis conveys this message through Rilo Kiley’s “Accidntel Deth”.

“More Adventurous,” track eight, tells the story about Jenny Lewis’s giving everything up for her true love instead of having to get married to someone because of her parents christian beliefs. This song has a different feel from the rest of the tracks on the album, feeling more like a country song while still having some slight indie rock aspects to it. The title “More Adventurous” refers to a line from Frank O’Hara’s poem “Meditations in an Emergency”, the meaning of “More Adventurous” to Jenny Lewis is the liberation and fearlessness that comes after heartbreak.

The ninth track “Love and War” is the most indie rock sounding track on the album, with powerful lyrics and electric guitar. This is one of the most underrated tracks on the album, currently having 904,479 plays. Although this might seem like a lot, compared to the rest of the tracks on the album it’s the least played track. This song has a deep message that is hard to pick up on the first listen. Lewis conveys a lot of thematic ideas throughout the track, like how people often talk about the bad once it starts to get serious or affect their lives. She also presents us with the idea that love and the war are alike in many ways. For example, in both love and war there are sacrifices, winners or losers, and fights. Although Lewis may seem to talk mainly about the bad, she highlights how both love and war have the ability to bring people together, influence passion, and even strengthen one another. This track is a hidden gem that stands out from the rest of the tracks, and is easily one of my favorite songs on the album.

The tenth track, “A Man/Me/Then Jim,” expresses the theme of how love sometimes fades away. Something unique this track does is tell that story through the POV of 3 different people in order: a man, Me, then Jim. Throughout the album it is very apparent that Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennet love to write narratives into their music, and this track perfectly demonstrates that. The track highlights the story of a man who has recently lost his friend, a woman whose husband is leaving her, and Jim who loves someone who will never love them back. Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennet demonstrate the power of music, and how anything can become music.

The album ends with “It Just Is,” a sad but hopeful note from Lewis that is solely dedicated to Elliott Smith. Previously on the album, Blake Sennet had also written a song about the loss of Elliot Smith, but this track goes in depth into Jenny Lewis’s experience with his sudden death. Lewis expresses her sympathy, sorrow, and frustration with death. Death can be so sudden, no one really sees it coming, and Lewis comes to the conclusion that it is inevitable, and that someday everyone will die. 

Although Rilo Kiley has been split for a decade, it’s important to look back on music we might have overlooked or have never heard. Half of these tracks have been produced by Mike Mogis who is popular for his future work with boygenius, and it is very noticeable of his similar producing style with Rilo Kiley and boygenius. One thing I’ve come to love about More Adventurous is the way Rilo Kiley beautifully executes very catchy harmonies and melodies through the instruments, and is still able to leave space to express narratives and complex emotions through Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett’s lyrics. Throughout the album, each track has their own personality thanks to the band writing each song with recognizable and catchy melodies in the guitar, percussion, and brass. 

More Adventurous gives more insight into Rilo Kiley’s interpretation of the indie rock genre back in 2004. This album has poetic and complex lyrics, and great production throughout each track. More Adventurous receives an 8.4/10 for its unique interpretation of indie rock, being really impressive for its time. I recommend you give this album a listen if you’re familiar with the band boygenius and if you’re looking to dive into the indie rock genre.

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