Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight

MOGstars: 9 out of TenAfter spending several years near the top of the indie tree, Rilo Kiley have dispensed with the cutesy folk of their previous incarnations, turning instead to the super-sexy sounds of new album, _Under the Blacklight_.The record starts in earnest with a stripped back beat and guitar combo, overlapped with the sultry vocals of every indie boy’s pin-up. Second track _Close Call_ delves straight into the grimy under-belly that indie-pop normally eschews with tales of fallen women and lyrics like “the funny thing about money for sex is you might get rich, but you die for it”. The blends sublimely into following track (and first single) _The Moneymaker_ with its pornographic overtones, sex driven beat and guitar riffs that seem to demand a lap-dancer. But the seediness does not continue for long, as gospel tinged celebration of relationship breakdown _Breaking Up_ and the traditional Rilo Kiley balladry of the title track. Things calm down even further with _Dreamworld_ but this serves as one of the albums weak points, lacking the catchiness and wit that we have come to expect from the band. The quality is resumed however with the fast paced _Dejalo_ which sees Jenny Lewis sporting her finest Anthony Kiedis impression. The tone is lowered somewhat again with soulful tale of sexual predator _15_, which will make your hips sway as much as it will make your skin crawl. The sexiness continues with swinging _Smoke Detector,_ a tale of a bra-less dancer, which is followed by the just as striking _The Angels Hung Around,_ an ode to Los Angeles whose gentle pace echoes earlier Rilo Kiley. The album closes with the electro flair of _Give a Little Love,_ a simple track that showcases all of Lewis’ vocal talents._Under the Blacklight_ is certainly a departure from the band’s usual course. The gentle indie-pop and love songs have given way to edgy dispatches from the underbelly. Even the more laid back tracks have been reinvented, straying closer to the country styles Jenny flirted with in her debut solo album. At times the changes veer dangerously close to being to much at once, as everything from folk to funk makes an appearance, but fortunately the band manage to bring themselves from the brink. The result is an eclectic mix of styles, everyone of which works brilliantly. The kinky beats add a grit whilst the brief glimpses of gospel brings a touch of class to proceedings, the glamorous dress hiding the hooker beneath. Yet despite all these changes _Under…_ remains a Rilo Kiley album. The different style is underpinned by the same solid songwriting and instrumental prowess that cemented Jenny and co’s place in their fans hearts. So join Rilo Kiley on their seedy soujourn to the backstreets, and you will not be disappointed.