Rilo Kiley

Tell us a bit about the new record “Under The Blacklight?”

Well, a broad question I suppose… but I guess it’s a bit of a culmination of songs that aren’t necessarily in the same genre, but seem to compliment each other and have a sense of thematic consistency. (how’s that for a ridiculous answer?) I don’t know.

There’s something true in that. There’s also something true in that it is, I believe, a more visceral, ass-shaking experience than any of our previous records. And what’s mostly true is that I have no idea how to accurately critique it.

How did the twelve minute video for “The Moneymaker” come together?

The interview section, which is at various lengths in the different versions, were the actual interviews, or auditions, that we held for the video.

In documentary style, the concept was to hold an actual casting for what we labeled a ’soft core porn’, so they were real people working in the adult industry not the wiser that we were actually doing a music video. This was done, obviously, for authenticity. We of course didn’t want to exploit anyone, so we explained after the interview what it was actually for and the could choose to be part of it or not. We then actually cast three people from the fake/real casting for the body of the video (pun perhaps intended). But the whole topic was just one that we focused in on as one aspect of many possibilities of what ‘the moneymaker’ could be. Metaphorically, it could apply to anything where you sell yourself, your creativity, you energy, your whatever for money.

You have released records on Barsuk and Saddle Creek and lately have been with Warner Bros. Are there any big difference on working with the indie labels vs. the majors?

Their is certainly a much larger machine at work for you with a major. Which I feel mostly when we’re traveling. There is always a representative from the label in every town or country you go to, which makes you feel that their are a lot of people involved in a common interest. But at the core of it, the making and recording of the music, there is not much difference, in our situation anyway. We still just make the music we make without intervention. Which is a testament to Warner, in that they trust us creatively whilst (I get to say whilst) giving us larger financial support and that machine to work with.

After “More Adventurous” everyone went off and did there own thing for awhile solo albums etc, did anything change inside of the band?

Certainly things change over time, how much can be specifically correlated to solo projects is open for discussion.

But everyone brought those experiences back to this band. And to note one of the biggest upsides, it brought more or less a cleaner slate to begin work on our latest record.

The big North American tour is coming up. How if any has the live show progressed since you guys were last out on the road?

Well, we’re now underway with that tour, and so far it’s going quite well. We’ve got a little more production this time around, some lights and a backdrop and whatnot, but nothing overboard. I think how we play live is still the same at it’s heart. We’re playing some new songs that make you want to shake it a little more as opposed to rock it, that might be the biggest difference.

What was one the best gigs you ever played?

One of the best was the last show of a tour couple years ago in LA at the Wiltern. On many levels… it was a homecoming, the crowd was unbelievable, and the first time we’d headlined the Wiltern. So many things, but mostly just the energy in the room just incredible. And for an encore, we had Debbie Gibson come out and sing ‘Lost In Your Eyes’ and we backed her up… just surreal.

How much of a progression does “Under The Blacklight” represent for you?

Well that’s hard to quantify. I think that in recording this record we as a band progressed, that is… became better players through the process. We really took our time looking, in some instances, very closely at songs, stripping them down to the bare minimum and going from there. Being very aware of each little piece that went into the songs. And with that, we progressed as a band. The record as a whole is certainly something different than we’ve done in the past, mostly in the more rhythmically driven, dancier songs.Guess that can be called a progression, but mostly just doing something different.

By John Siwicki

The Charlatans - You Cross My Path

The Charlatans have announced that they were going to give away their new album but Radiohead pretty much stole their thunder. “You Cross My Path” is the first single from that album and it is available to download via the bands website and xfm.co.uk. As a life long Charlatans fan, I am usually able to stomach most of the bands output than most people. The bands last album “Simpatico” wasn’t their shinning moment but it did have some positive moments. “You Cross My Path” shows the band still have something left in the tank, it does have a slight early nineties feel with the keyboards and Tim’s vocal but they never mange to cross the line to sounding to “dated.” It doesn’t have that sexy falsetto vocals that “Up At The Lake” did. The song is just vintage Charlatans sounding fresh and limber.

By John Siwicki

Magnet - The Simple Life

This album is rather unusual. It didn’t really grab me,sadly. Norwegian Evan Johansen,good looking and with just a passing resemblance somewhere to Ricky Martin(La Vida Loca)croons his way through ten songs about life and lost love.

He is a folksy Morten Harket,and a big star in his homeland. I found these tracks rather sickly sweet. Even the earlier 2004 cover of Dylan’s beautiful “Lay Lady Lay” failed to excite and move me.

Not really my type of sound.

By Juliet Robertson

Holiday And The Adventure Pop Collective - Songs For Feeling Strong

I found this band a little twee on first listen,although,oddly enough the first influence I thought of when hearing them was Leonard Cohen,who is by no means twee. They do have quite a solid sound and a bit of a country feel to their music. The band have been together for ten years and there are a multitude of influences here. Don’t dismiss them as just being a wannabe Beach Boys(forgive me if that sounds too harsh).They have a lot of sensitivity and a good yearning quality to their songs. The name of the group is a bit of a baffler though. The Adventure Pop Collective by itself would have been more appropriate.
The varied guitars on this album kept me listening. A band to appear on Jools Holland’s next series.

By Juliet Robertson

Underworld - Beauitful Burnout

Underworld provided more than an ample share of the crooked, climbing and mystique oozing lounge style soundtrack to one of the indie films of 2006, “Breaking And Entering” starring Jude Law. Only to return a year later with a blistering forage through ambient, chill-out with an odd techno thrust through fifth studio album, “Oblivion With Bells”. From this album, the mysterious duo of Rick Smith and Karl Hyde choose to celebrate their epic building side with “Beautiful Burnout”. With creeping beat climbs and sinister asides, it is easy to see why this pair has become a soundtrack compiler’s dream.
Distorted vocals that do little more than quivering utterance of the song’s title, provides for brief pauses in this epic, digitally intoned ambient and light electro swerve. A Mark Knight remix, proves the pick of the alternate versions, mainly for its robustness and dance-friendly rises. Crescendos and tempo switches provide more bite and immediate appeal to appease the radio aspect of their listenership. Underworld has shown yet again, their ability produce a fresh and searching tune. They maintain that ability to expand their songs and generally create a bigger impact than many of their contemporaries.

By Dave Adair

Biffy Clyro - Who’s Got A Match?

Biffy Clyro since the release of their latest album “Puzzle” has enjoyed a much deserved wave of success. This is the 6th single off “Puzzle” if you count download only “Semi-mental” and it just seems like a bit of enough is enough on this album. Typically, you always go with your strongest material early on in the single releasing campaign so naturally “Who’s Got A Match?” is a fine album track and just ends right there. I would of rather of seen “Semi-mental” given the full single treatment as I have forgotten how good of a song this is. If you haven’t purchased “Puzzle” by now, no time like now and surely you can find it in some sale bins.

By John Siwicki

Paperlung - The Day That God Sold You

Paperlung are Sice (Vocals),Simon Gardiner (Bass),Ben Datlen (Guitar) and Guillaume Jambel (Drums). This new bunch formed in August of last year and the vocalist used to be the frontman of the one and only Boo Radleys. It is been released by the fine people at Shifty Disco Records as well. Musically, the track is pretty average your typical indie pop soundscape. But Sice’s vocal is what really makes the track pop out at you. It’s got a rather catchy hook but it doesn’t really add much new to the table. But that song title does crack me up.

By John Siwicki

Crash My Model Car - Maybe

I’ve never heard of Crash My Model Car. If I’m honest, I thought they’d be an emo band. The title is a giveaway, or not as it has turned out. Signed to My Dad Recordings, this Glasgow based four piece are seemingly a Snow Patrol inspired outfit, which is rather uninspiring for us. This, however, was my first impression.

It is the bold and rather generic guitar twanging, and then the archetypal soft and frankly boring numbers that make up this four track EP. It is not bad. It is just not very interesting. The best song on here is the opener