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Written by Kevin Renick Sunday, 09 September 2007 09:32

Rilo Kiley have made a perfectly delightful, tightly arranged record, a lean, fat-free collection of 11 tunes that broadens the sonic palette a little bit.

Music fans can sure be weird. For almost any rock band that's been around for awhile, there are the devoted fans that tend to like everything the group does, fussy fans that want them to only stick to their most obviously winning formula, and casual fans that dig the hits, but don't care about stuff like aesthetics and "creative risks." Within days of the release of Rilo Kiley's latest, Under the Blacklight, there were impassioned postings on fan forums about the indie-rock group's supposed change of direction and purported bid for mainstream success. "They've gone disco!" was one such lament, and if you hadn't heard the album yet, some of these opinions might've been enough to sway you from a purchase.

Well, balderdash, I say. Rilo Kiley have made a perfectly delightful, tightly arranged record that is far from a radical departure. It's a lean, fat-free collection of 11 tunes that broadens the sonic palette a little bit ("The Moneymaker" is slinky and funky—appropriate for a sex-themed tune with an accompanying video featuring porn stars; "Dejalo"—a song co-written by Jenny Lewis and boyfriend Johnathan Rice—has a Mexican flavor), but is still mostly melodic, well-crafted rock anchored by an increasingly confident Ms. Lewis.

Fresh off her countryish solo project Rabbit Fur Coat, Lewis sounds engaging throughout this album; there's an ease and maturity to her singing that gives a fresh edge to almost every tune. On the classic "Close Call," Lewis effortlessly handles some tricky intervals, injecting warmth and wisdom into the melody. "Breakin' Up" is a perfect hit song: between the breezy vocal, sparkling keyboards and fantabulous rhythm track, this song has "smash" written all over it. "Are we breakin' up?" the singer asks repeatedly, but in the next moment she says "Oh, it feels good to be free." No doubt about it, this one's gonna be soundtracking a lot of How will I deal? de-couplings once this record pervades the twentysomething landcape in the near future.

Sexual concerns of one sort or another inform most tracks. "15" is a soulful, snappy tune about a 15-year-old girl testing her allure on an older man ("He was deep like a graveyard/ She was ripe as a peach/ How could he have known she was only 15?"); Lewis finds just the right vocal balance to make it both lively and melancholy. "Smoke Detector" is pure power-pop sass, as it details the dance floor potency of a young hottie going braless; a series of sly lyrical innuendoes tease the listener as much as the theme. For fans of more timeless songcraft, "The Angels Hung Around" is one of the best tunes Rilo Kiley have done: it's elegant, rootsy and performed with real grace by the entire band. And "Dreamworld"—on which guitarist Blake Sennett sings lead—exemplifies why some music 'zines are calling RK the new Fleetwood Mac, as Sennett's engaging tone, the muscular pop arrangement and Lewis' sweet background harmonies do remind one of big Mac's showcase of interpersonal band dynamics (Sennett and Lewis were once a couple) co-mingling with dizzying musical smarts.

With production help by Jason Lader and Mike Elizondo, Under the Blacklight reveals a band growing up, stretching out, reconnecting with their muse and each other. And just like after a vigorous workout or a memorable night of intimacy, the after-effect is one of renewed circulation, clarity of thought and fresh enthusiasm. The disc is a little on the short side, and not every song is killer, but it's definitely a confident step forward for one of L.A.'s most appealing young bands. B+ | Kevin Renick

RIYL: Fleetwood Mac, The Cardigans, The Bangles