Formed in 1998, Rilo Kiley provide concert-goers with earnestly energetic songs, celebrity sightings, and an awfully cute lead singer. Blake Sennet, on guitar and occasional vocals, is easily recognizable to Generation Y TV viewers as Pinsky from the classic Nickelodeon show "Salute Your Shorts" and later as Joey on "Boy Meets World."
Lead singer Jenny Lewis had a career in Hollywood as well, with a role in 1998's "Pleasantville" and as Fred Savage's love interest in "The Wizard" (1989). The singer has also gained attention as the female vocalist on The Postal Service's 2003 release, "Give Up."
Lewis, it should be noted, is quite a looker. She serves as the Gwen Stefani of her band, making audiences swoon with her fiery red hair, enchanting vintage attire, and infectious liveliness and confidence on stage.
Between songs, the air at Rilo Kiley shows is often peppered with shouts of "I love you" from smitten audience members eager to declare their love for the indie rock princess.
However, the four-member band's cohesion and vitality keep their concerts from being a one-woman show. Furthering this sense of unity is the audience members' proclivity towards singing along to every word of the band's songs. While not an uncommon practice at concerts, the sing-alongs at Rilo Kiley shows demonstrate an earnestness not found at most shows.
Many of the tunes performed at tonight's concert will be from the band's August release "More Adventurous." The album's moniker refers to the musical and lyrical steps the band took with this album.
While this album does do a better job than past efforts in showcasing Lewis' expressive vocals, the lyrical content often falls short of their "more adventurous" goal.
The opening track, "It's a Hit," is one that falls short. Its thinly veiled social commentary is painfully articulated, sapping the strength from the otherwise catchy tune. The lyrics "Any chimp can play human for a day ... and run for office on Election Day" makes listeners wish songwriter Lewis had stayed away from politics.
Many of the other tracks deal with mature subject matter like marital infidelity and financial woe. It seems awkward, however, for the band's mostly adolescent fanbase to sing along to such weighty issues.
"More Adventurous," which would have been a great opportunity for the band to develop an indispensable album, falls victim to the band's previous shortcomings. While the group's sound and vocals are practically perfect in every way, their lyrics continue to disappoint.
However, the group's penchant for prosaic lyrical content will hardly be noticed at their live show this evening. Those who pine for Rilo Kiley do so in spite of the band's flaws. Those who don't will need to unlace their Chuck Taylors and wait a little longer for the band to realize its full potential.
Opening acts tonight are Now It's Overhead and Tilly and the Wall.
