Rilo Kiley
Jenny Lewis
Vocals, guitar, keys
Blake Sennett
Guitar, vocals, keys
Pierre de Reeder
Bass
Jason Boesel
Drums
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre: Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Years Active: 1998 - 2010; 2025 -
Meaning of the Name: The band have told various conflicting stories about the name.
Way of Working: Led by Sennett and Lewis
Associated: The Elected, Night Terrors of 1927
Essential Releases
The Execution of
All Things (2002)
Strong narrative songwriting. Darker and more introspective.
More
Adventurous (2004)
Commercial breakout. Catchier pop sound that retains elements of alt-country.
Blake Sennett was kicked out of his high school and they stole his drum kit! Over time, cooler heads prevailed and bygones were bygones — until he fell in love with Jenny Lewis and the pattern repeated itself.
There's a strange friction in Rilo Kiley that comes from a consuming love affair between Blake and Jenny. Both started their careers as child actors and felt a natural kinship. They were in a serious romance for two years, splitting up after the release of their second LP The Execution of All Things (2002). Blake told The Independent of the resulting tension:
"I remember one fight - we were yelling at each other in the rehearsal space, and Jenny left in a huff," says Blake. "One of the other guys said something like, 'What was that all about?' Right then a CD hit me between the shoulder blades. She had come back in just to throw something at me!"
The couple's relationship was marked by conflict and deep affection from the beginning. After recording numerous songs together, the slightly older Blake was so impressed with Jenny that he asked her to join his band as a backing singer. Jenny agreed, but on condition that she could sing lead, and the pair decided to split duties accordingly.Jenny wanted the band's name to be Love's Way after her parents 1970s lounge act, but Blake preferred Rilo Kiley. On the group's earlier albums, Jenny sang lead but was heavily complemented by Blake; the pair even shared a piano on tour. However, by More Adventurous (2004), their first major label release, Jenny was the voice of the band, with Blake's vocal role greatly reduced.
Rilo Kiley's musical output can effectively be divided between pre and post breakup. The pre-split period is categorised as lo-fi indie rock with a country twang; the post-split features polished production and the introduction of pedal steel guitar to accentuate the country elements.
Tracks like 'Portions for Foxes' (2007) feature Jenny intoning about relationships in decline and were performed with Blake standing only a few feet away. Lyrics like 'I know I'm alone if I'm with or without you, but just being around you offers me another form of relief' capture the complexities of working in close quarters with your former lover.
By 2004, Blake was dividing his time between two groups: The Elected and Rilo Kiley. Just like in high school, the conflict-averse Blake was getting pushed out, saying of the time with his new band: "It was easier to erase stuff without hurting anyone's feelings." Rilo Kiley released a final album in 2007.
Despite achieving only moderate commercial success, the country infused indie rock of Rilo Kiley has had a lasting impact on a generation of similar acts such as Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, and Waxahatchee. The latter was inspired to launch her career after hearing Rilo Kiley and even has a tattoo of the group on her left arm.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
75
Mental Impact
50
Originality
70
Artistry
60
Authenticity
90
Live
80
Production
65
Musicianship
75
Singing
80
Songwriting
85
Danceability
65
Fun
65
Consistency
75
Range
70
Cool
55
Charisma
70
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards
Certifications
Charts
Critics >>>
- Blender - Under the Blacklight: Best Albums of 2007: 10th
- Rolling Stone - Under the Blacklight: Top 50 Albums of 2007: 8th
