Portions for Foxes is the first song I heard by Rilo Kiley, but I don't remember how I came across it. Do you? They have quickly become a staple in my rotation. Here is yet another example of my experiencing a band in a piecemeal fashion thanks to the interweb, which they have on computers now by the way. I procured as many Rilo Kiley songs as I could get and they were a hodgepodge from their different albums pre-Under the Blacklight. I feel that it is usually the case that when I learn about a band in this fashion and then an album comes out, the past catalog falls into place. I am able to create a context for it. That's not the case with Rilo Kiley. I think it has to do with the fact that I'm not crazy about Under the Blacklight. Apparently neither is the dude who reviewed in the link above. I picked up on the sex theme, but not to the degree that I should have, according to that review. Well, I still think they are a great band and it doesn't dminish their earlier work for me.
The majority of their songs are sung by Jenny Lewis, but there are a few that are sung by various male vocalists, such as the beautiful Rest of My Life, although this live version isn't great. There are some really beautiful songs on their first three albums, which for the record are Take Offs and Landings, The Execution of All Things and More Adventurous. These albums are full of great songs. Go Ahead, A Better Son/Daughter, and More Adventurous are three examples of really wonderful Rilo Kiley magic.
