Saturday, July 2, 2011

Rilo Kiley: Barely Alive and Covering John

Since I named this blog after a Rilo Kiley song, I'm going to kick it off with two songs by the best band of the Naughties (2000-2009). The first is an acoustic version of the non-album track "Jenny, You're Barely Alive," played at Amoeba Records in San Francisco on September 23, 2004. This song is the "Gloomy Sunday" of the new millennium: it will drive listeners to suicide.

The second is a cover of the John Lennon/Yoko One classic "Woman is the Nigger of the World," played live at the Henry Ford Theatre in Los Angeles on July 6, 2003. If this were released today, it would be called "Woman is the N-Word of the World." That's why I love political correctness.

Sadly, RK seems to have split up, and neither Jenny Lewis nor Blake Sennett's subsequent work has been up to snuff. Come back, Rilo Kiley, all is forgiven! And Jenny, please wear your short shorts.

Jenny You're Barely Alive - Rilo Kiley (acoustic)

Woman is the Nigger of the World - Rilo Kiley (live)
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2 comments:

  1. AngelaJuly 5, 2011 at 1:52 AM

    The first two albums by Jenny Lewis are as good, if not better than anything released by RK. And "Under the Blacklight" was a little underwhelming anyway.

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  2. Jay EssJuly 5, 2011 at 11:43 AM

    Hi Angela, thanks for your comment! I liked "Rabbit Fur Coat" a lot, but was underwhelmed by "Acid Tongue" and the Jenny and Johnny album. While I agree with you about "Under the Blacklight," the first four RK albums set a level of accomplishment that I hope she, they, or anyone else will reach again.

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