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waking in winter
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rknet
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 Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:16 pm
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Nice finds. Thanks.
| sptimes.com wrote: |
Living the life of Rilo Kiley
 The indie band garners a chance to expand its following as the opening act on Coldplay's tour.
By BRIAN ORLOFF
Published September 8, 2005
If there's ever one perfect time for an upstart band to make its mainstream debut, that time is now for Los Angeles-based indie popsters Rilo Kiley.
Credit iTunes or television's The OC, which regularly features emerging artists, for eroding staunch boundaries between indie rock and the mainstream world. This year alone, mass audiences have eagerly greeted bands including Death Cab for Cutie and Bright Eyes, fronted by waiflike Conor Oberst. Both bands have close connections to Rilo Kiley, but back to that in a minute.
First, a little history of Rilo Kiley: Since its formation in 1998, the Jenny Lewis-fronted band has excelled at literate, Americana-tinged pop. With Lewis, the band's fiery redhead singer and co-songwriter, guitarist Blake Sennett, who shares vocal and songwriting duties, bassist Pierre de Reeder and drummer Jason Boesel, Rilo Kiley has attracted fervent critical praise and attention in the indie rock world. And now, add to that celebrity fans, including Coldplay's members, who picked the band to open its tour, which comes to town on Wednesday.
When Rilo Kiley played a show in Las Vegas with Coldplay, the members of Coldplay came early to catch Rilo Kiley's set.
"Just the fact they watched us at all was cool," says Sennett, calling from his car while driving around Los Angeles with his girlfriend. "They seem like super nice guys so I think it will be a fun tour." It will also be the band's biggest. Last time Rilo Kiley swung through Tampa, the band played the sweaty Orpheum in Ybor City. Now they'll be singing to thousands at the Ford Amphitheatre.
This newfound exposure is flattering, Sennett says, but not exactly surprising.
"(2002's) The Execution of All Things record was one a lot of indie kids came to know us by," he says. "I think that (last year's) More Adventurous is very different, so it was one of those leap of faith things where we hoped our audience would grow with us a bit."
More Adventurous, released on Warner Bros. - the band signed to a major label after years on Saddle Creek, Oberst's label - expands the band's melodic touch, weaving together brass and strings. It offers cutting critiques of foreign policy on songs like It's a Hit. But the band offers penetrating explorations of personal relationships, too, such as the Dusty Springfield-esque torch song I Never or power-pop first single Portions for Foxes, which sports one of the brightest lyrics in recent pop memory. Lewis sings, "There's blood in my mouth 'cause I've been biting my tongue all week" over a springy guitar riff.
For that song, there was another first for Rilo Kiley: a music video. Despite its eerie taxidermy theme, the video earned airplay on MTV. But that kind of exposure is only part of growing the band's fan base, Sennett says.
"The interest in alterative music, like an indie-minded music, has grown," he says. "I think that we've come out of such a pop time as far as what people are interested in. A lot of our fans are 17- or 18-year-old girls, and probably some of them listened to Britney Spears at 13 but then maybe turned away from that aesthetic and into something completely different as people are wont to do around that age. Maybe indie rock as a whole is just benefiting from coming out of such a trite period."
Now, back to the menu of indie rock options orbiting through mainstream pop culture: Rilo Kiley members remain friends, and occasionally, collaborators with Oberst. In Lewis' spare time - when she's not fronting Rilo Kiley or readying material for her solo album debut due in January - she sings with Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard's winning side project, the Postal Service. And Sennett has a band on the side, an alt-country rock outfit, the Elected.
This host of musical options is both heartening and inspiring, Sennett says.
"I think when people used to make records, you could put out a record every eight months or every year, and now you don't get to do that as much," he says. "I think we all love making records and Jenny and I are both very prolific and we like to write a lot, so the side projects are a good place to still put that material out.
"In some bands, it's possible that side projects break them up," he says. "But I think it's a healthy thing - not to break the band up - but some space, a way to make our visions more realized. I think it's also circular, that Rilo Kiley feeds into our side projects, but at this point too, the side projects and the things we learn feed back into Rilo Kiley and I think our next record will be better for it."
[Last modified September 7, 2005, 09:26:06] |
| baltimoresun.com wrote: |
Rilo Kiley gets more adventurous and more popular
The country-tinged indie act plays Sonar tonight
By Sam Sessa
Sun Staff
Originally published September 8, 2005
Bands rarely just shrug off mainstream attention.
Yet as Rilo Kiley flirts with larger audiences and major label affiliation, guitarist Blake Sennett could not be more blase about the band's burgeoning popularity.
"I don't know if I feel very famous at all, but sometime kids want an autograph or whatever," Sennett said in a phone interview. "I wanted Snoopy's autograph when I was young, so I don't really know."
Keep in mind:
• Rilo Kiley is in the middle of a string of tour dates opening for Coldplay, one of the biggest bands in the world. (It also scheduled a handful of solo headlining gigs, including a show at Sonar tonight.)
• The band formed its own label, Brute/Beaute, under Warner Records and released a third full-length album, More Adventurous, last year to critical praise.
• Lead singer Jenny Lewis' longing-filled voice and down-home beauty drew Loretta Lynn comparisons from every corner of the indie scene. Along with Ryan Adams, Rilo Kiley is the closest some hipsters have ever let themselves get to country music.
Though he's got to acknowledge all this on some level, Sennett can sulk it up with the best of them. Some of his remarks about the tour could be straight from the mouths of Morrissey, Robert Smith or, fittingly, Chris Martin.
"It's nerve-racking as it is, just playing in front of 10,000 people who don't really give a [hoot]," Sennett said. "You tend to just try to do what you know best."
No matter how much he tries, Sennett can't mope his way around the excitement of playing huge venues with a world-famous band and a massive crowd.
"I think you try to make the best of it and have as much fun as you can," he said. "Playing Madison Square Garden - I don't know when the next time something like that will come my way, so I want to try and enjoy it as much as possible."
The downside of opening a show is that Rilo Kiley had to shave about a half-hour off its normal set, Sennett said. It also keeps the set more rigid, with less room to rotate songs, he said.
Sennett said this is probably Rilo Kiley's last tour on More Adventurous, after which the band might take a breather and focus on releasing solo efforts. He's already got one album with his side project, the Elected, and he said he's in the process of mastering his second. Lewis also finished mastering her solo album, which she reportedly recorded in only six days.
The current tour carries Rilo Kiley across the United States and ends early next month. One of the band's last opening gigs for Coldplay is at the Nissan Pavilion on Sept. 30. Though fans might clap or cheer while Sennett's on stage, he doesn't think it means he's that popular or well-regarded.
"Maybe I just represent the music in that moment, and not necessarily it's about me," he said. "I don't take it real personally or think I'm famous at all. Maybe the music touches some people."
Rilo Kiley plays Sonar Lounge at 8 p.m. today. Sonar is at 407 E. Saratoga St. Tickets are $15. Call 410-327-8333 or visit www.sonarlounge.com. |
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DainGoding
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 7:22 pm
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Three thoughts:
1) Blake has a girlfriend?!
2) "Rabbit Fur Coat" in six days?
3) Blake, start taking it personally!
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hopefulthoughts
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 9:19 pm
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| Why are you so shocked that Blake has a girlfriend? They all do have private lives, you know. |
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shelma
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 10:01 pm
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[hoot]
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DainGoding
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 10:23 pm
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| hopefulthoughts wrote: |
| Why are you so shocked that Blake has a girlfriend? They all do have private lives, you know. |
Not shocked that he has one, shocked that she's never been mentioned before. Don't be all acting like you knew.
That must be awfully hard anyway, seeing as how they have been touring almost non-stop since April or something. Jesus, what a schedule. I hope Blake and his baby get some time to relax.
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And we toast the artistocrats with blood of blue
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and we toast the artisans or antediluvian crafts of
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shelma
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 10:27 pm
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| DainGoding wrote: |
| hopefulthoughts wrote: |
| Why are you so shocked that Blake has a girlfriend? They all do have private lives, you know. |
Not shocked that he has one, shocked that she's never been mentioned before. Don't be all acting like you knew. |
Why are you shocked about that?
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DainGoding
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:18 pm
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Because they do interviews all the time and we've almost all seen them in person and there are lots of articles about them and you'd figure it might get mentioned once or twice, somewhere. On Loveline, for example. Or something.
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And we toast the artistocrats with blood of blue
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L
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:18 pm
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| DainGoding wrote: |
| hopefulthoughts wrote: |
| Why are you so shocked that Blake has a girlfriend? They all do have private lives, you know. |
Not shocked that he has one, shocked that she's never been mentioned before. Don't be all acting like you knew. |
I knew  |
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DainGoding
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Joined: 27 May 2005
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:27 pm
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| L wrote: |
| DainGoding wrote: |
| hopefulthoughts wrote: |
| Why are you so shocked that Blake has a girlfriend? They all do have private lives, you know. |
Not shocked that he has one, shocked that she's never been mentioned before. Don't be all acting like you knew. |
I knew |
See, I have a right to be surprised that she's never been mentioned before, epsecially if some people already do know about her.
_________________
And we toast the artistocrats with blood of blue
'cause we know that our colors are their color, too
and we toast the artisans or antediluvian crafts of
yarn and glue
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shelma
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:42 pm
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It's not that you don't have the right to be surprised. It's just interesting that you seemed as surprised as you were.
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cat-chaz
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Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 2:33 pm
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| Blake wrote: |
" Maybe the music touches some people."
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 yeah, maybe. |
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Hilarie
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 2:42 am
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I sure wish I were Blake's girlfriend.
I'm glad to hear the band finally gets to take a break!! |
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IHeartJenny
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Joined: 03 Mar 2005
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:18 am
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| L wrote: |
| DainGoding wrote: |
| hopefulthoughts wrote: |
| Why are you so shocked that Blake has a girlfriend? They all do have private lives, you know. |
Not shocked that he has one, shocked that she's never been mentioned before. Don't be all acting like you knew. |
I knew |
Isn't she that Emily chick or is Emily just some random person that he's always talking about and singing to?
Anyway, I'm not surprised...mostly cause I always just figured that this Emily chick was his girlfriend.
...I still say he and Jenny'll get married in the end. |
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chimpforaday
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Joined: 02 May 2005
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:53 am
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| IHeartJenny wrote: |
| L wrote: |
| DainGoding wrote: |
| hopefulthoughts wrote: |
| Why are you so shocked that Blake has a girlfriend? They all do have private lives, you know. |
Not shocked that he has one, shocked that she's never been mentioned before. Don't be all acting like you knew. |
I knew |
Isn't she that Emily chick or is Emily just some random person that he's always talking about and singing to?
Anyway, I'm not surprised...mostly cause I always just figured that this Emily chick was his girlfriend.
...I still say he and Jenny'll get married in the end. |
Is it weird that I wouldn't want them to get back together? |
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spumpkinscm
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:52 am
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portions for foxes? the first rilo video? c'mon.
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IHeartJenny
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Joined: 03 Mar 2005
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 1:33 pm
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| chimpforaday wrote: |
| IHeartJenny wrote: |
| L wrote: |
| DainGoding wrote: |
| hopefulthoughts wrote: |
| Why are you so shocked that Blake has a girlfriend? They all do have private lives, you know. |
Not shocked that he has one, shocked that she's never been mentioned before. Don't be all acting like you knew. |
I knew |
Isn't she that Emily chick or is Emily just some random person that he's always talking about and singing to?
Anyway, I'm not surprised...mostly cause I always just figured that this Emily chick was his girlfriend.
...I still say he and Jenny'll get married in the end. |
Is it weird that I wouldn't want them to get back together? |
No, I just have this weird hopless romantic side to me that totally thinks they're gonna hook up again some day. That and I'm totally jealous of what they have and it kind of makes me mad that they're broken up because of that. |
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cat-chaz
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 5:53 pm
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Love (often) fades
friendship is forever
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theJeremy
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:13 pm
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| spumpkinscm wrote: |
| portions for foxes? the first rilo video? c'mon. |
i don't think this guy really knew what was going on. and what about where he's talking about rk being with saddle creek for years. they put out one album there. maybe i'm reading into it too much. |
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spumpkinscm
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:35 pm
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| theJeremy wrote: |
| spumpkinscm wrote: |
| portions for foxes? the first rilo video? c'mon. |
i don't think this guy really knew what was going on. and what about where he's talking about rk being with saddle creek for years. they put out one album there. maybe i'm reading into it too much. |
yeah, i certainly didnt get the feeling that the guy had done much homework. or at least, not enough.
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orourkes
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 3:43 pm
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| spumpkinscm wrote: |
| portions for foxes? the first rilo video? c'mon. |
thats what i was thinking! |
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