Review: Rootsy LA indie darlings Rilo Kiley have reformed to embrace their retrospective best of era, even though it feels just like yesterday that the Jenny Lewis-fronted group were in their early 20s releasing their first albums. The band strongly evoke that late-00s/early-10's golden era of indie/chamber pop and are among the best representatives of that time. 'With The Arms Outstretched' is classic songwriting full of emotional depth. It is blessed to have Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes fame on backing vocals and it's sure to bring the crowds to floods of tears of joy in the reunion shows. Meanwhile, 'Let Me Back In' has a bit of The Strokes drummer's side project Little Joy about it, with its beautiful arpeggio picking and smoky, noir vocals. Elsewhere, 'A Better Son/Daughter' works around a stripped back Moldy Peaches-esque simplicity, before bubbling up into more of a procession with lyrics you can't help but want to march along to.
Hail To Whatever You Found In The Sunlight That Surrounds You
My Slumbering Heart
Three Hopeful Thoughts
With Arms Outstretched
Spectacular Views
Outro
Review: Most bands dream of going to LA and making it in big, but for Rilo Kiley, who are from Los Angeles, they struck gold by turning the attention away from the major metropolis and gazing onto a small, influential scene in Nebraska that centers around Saddle Creek Records. As one of few non-Omaha, Nebraska-based artists to get on the label, they were signed against the odds really. But the pairing couldn't have been better. For the Jenny Lewis-fronted group to have the genius Mike Mogis (who is the record labels go-to producer and a full time member of Bright Eyes) produce this second album of theirs was a stroke of genius. Originally released in 2002, it's now getting a reissue that's limited to only 3000 copies. Given how strong their fanbase is, chances are these won't be standing around for very long and it's a beautiful celebration of one of the hallmarks of indie rock.
Tower Of Meaning/Rabbit's Ear/Home Away From Home (11:53)
Happy Ending (4:12)
All-Boy All-Girl/Tiger Stripes/You Can't Hold Me Down (8:58)
Introductions (3:44)
Hiding Your Present From You/School Bell (8:13)
Too Early To Tell (7:36)
Changing Forest (13:20)
Sunlit Water (9:49)
Review: A posthumous release that furthers Arthur Russell's now legendary status. Recorded in Downtown New York City on December 20, 1985, it's an intimate, unedited solo live performance recorded at Phill Niblock's loft space known as Experimental Intermedia Foundation. The takes are very raw and unpolished that it makes you feel like one of the very few in attendance. 'That's the Very Reason' is a beautiful, tender experimental folk piece showing he needed very few materials in order to send listeners on a journey of transcendence. 'Too Early To Tell' is highly idiosyncratic and produces a sound not normally associated with cello. And 'Sunlit Water' has an oriental feel and provides beautiful resolve to a resplendent set.
Changing Forest (CD1: Sketches For World Of Echo - Recorded live At El June 25, 1984)
Let's Go Swimming
They & Their Friends
Keeping Up
Make 1,2
I Take This Time
Losing My Taste For The Nightlife
I Can't Hide You
The Boy With A Smile On His Face
Sunlit Water
That's The Very Reason (CD2: Open vocal Phrases, Where songs Come In & Out - Recorded live At El December 20, 1985)
Tower Of Meaning/Rabbit's Ear/Home Away From Home
Happy Ending
All-Boy All-Girl/Tiger Stripes/You Can't Hold Me Down
Introductions
Hiding Your Present From You/School Bell
Too Early To Tell
Review: These archival recordings of two extraordinary live performances takes you back to when New York City was a bohemian magnet, with low rent and spaces where artists could thrive. Recorded in Downtown in December 1985 and June 1984, the late, great Arthur Russell is captured performing at an intimate loft space known as Experimental Intermedia Foundation, which was run by Phil Niblock. Since the recordings are unedited, it does a really great job of simulating the experience and so if you close your eyes, it's easy to imagine Russell in the room right there in front of you. Of the numbers played, Russell's gifted avant-garde approach to cello is brilliantly done on 'Too Early To Tell'. And the spine-tingling, raw and deeply emotional 'That's The Very Reason' is arthouse folk at its finest. It epitomises the raw, spell-binding talent that Russell had to captivate a room. Hats off to those who have immortalized these very special shows.
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