More Adventurous

First, I should say that I'm not very disciplined when it comes to music. I hardly ever listen to an album from beginning to end, and I generally purchase albums with a particular track in mind; I'll repeat the track and, over time, will tentatively listen to the tracks before and after it, eventually finding three or four other songs I enjoy. Four tracks -- I consider that a successful purchase.

This album marks an exception, and an outstanding one at that. I opened the Amazon box late one night and decided to listen to it from the start. I had no guidance as to particular songs I should listen to and figured it was worth a shot. I was transfixed, and played it as I drifted off to sleep. Played it again as I "worked" my way out of bed. There are, of course, stellar tracks: I particularly like "The Absence of God," "Accidntel Death" (a nod to Postal Service/Dntel afficionados), "More Adventurous," and every other track through the end. But I started out by particularly liking the first half, and I still like it a hell of a lot.

Look, Liz Phair has been a disaster post-"Whip Smart," but we liked her because of her brashness and the way she (at her best) made tracks that were both conversational and melodious. That's tough. Jenny Lewis does exactly that, but with less posturing. It's very odd, very bracing, and exceptionally "pretty," to use an unfortunate word.

The album is supremely excellent. Eminently listenable. Yes, "The Execution of All Things" was great (I particularly liked the title track), and this one is less ostentatiously experimental, with none of the out-and-out vocal weirdness of that album. It's also more fun. A fair trade, to my mind.

When I enter a record shop, I'm usually looking for jazz, often for specific items. But while in a store in LA, list in hand, I got totally sidetracked. I wasn't sure what I was hearing. It certainly wasn't jazz. Nevertheless, I loved it and grabbed a copy of More Adventurous before anything else.

This group has such a unique, compelling sound, and such fine material, that I find myself playing the CD over and over again. It's certainly not the least attributable to Jenny Lewis, especially with what she does with "I Never." The piece totally blows me away.

Jazz lovers beware.

I have waited a long time for this to happen and today it did.

I got Rilo Kiley and their album left me happily in awe; breathlessly out of words. For I have never, never, never, never, never ever heard a band that could quite sound like them or how they could make you feel. Really feel. Their music is sexed with a frameless Midas touch and it could weave its sensual magic into any somnambulant heart. It's hard not to fall in love.

Jenny Lewis is blessed with not just a versatile voice but she has the power to bend her tone to fit the almost genre-less range found in `More Adventurous'. I spent two good hours listening to the album twice over and her voice still amazes me to the core. I am gently reminded of Nina Persson's (of The Cardigans) solo debut `A Camp' some years back. There are many similarities between the two ladies whose voices would make the Sirens fall and weep. Both are childlike and blissful. There is a quiet hint of alternate indie or country with an edge, but whichever way you look at it, they are music to my ears. Blake Sennet's guitar works is nimble, smooth, light and meticulous. He caresses the chords with relative ease, the tunes he has managed to create on the six or twelve strings is nothing short of perfect. Mellow or heavy, they kick ass on the whole!

Words penned by Rilo Kiley in the 11 tracks is poetic, raw, full of dare and genuine soul. If Lewis' vocals alone aren't enough to move you, perhaps their lyrics just might. Singles like 'I Never' or 'A Man/Me/Then Jim' might well make you cry though. But I really do dig the way she makes the 'salt-shaker' noise on It's A Hit! If you had ever bought those crassly albums where you'd have to settle for only a handful of favorites, I am sure you would never encounter that with `More Adventurous'. The band's aim is to break away from any category music-critics would love to place them in, for which I am pleased to say that they have managed to fulfill this aim with no difficulty. The audio production sounds a little too refined and polished but it fails to take away the intensity of the soul which Rilo Kiley bares so plainly for all to see.

I am delighted that I have invested years ago in a good amplifier, speakers and all. Yes, blame me for the audiophile that I am, but tonight, ambient music coming out from the cones of my Monitor Audio Bronze speakers sound like angels with their charmed trumpets, and it has turned my living room into a little heaven.

Let's drink up to Rilo Kiley. For tonight, I pay tribute to unpredictable music worthy of saints and sinners.