Saddle Creek is a label well-known among the hip boys and girls for churning out the kind of records worthy of an all-night sobbing session or perhaps a cathartic shaking fit. But the eclectic quartet Rilo Kiley, a recent addition, produce a particularly diverse, mellow pop that sounds more like Ani DiFranco on an emo kick than, say, the wailing sentimentality of Bright Eyes.
The band’s sophomore effort, The Execution of All Things, is an inviting collection of songs that combine poetic lyrics and an abundance of melodic hooks with an appealingly innovative style. Singer/songwriter Jenny Lewis brings something highly refreshing to the underground scene, which is already loaded to the brim with dangerously emaciated frontmen sporting the same, pre-packaged voice-boxes. Her twangy, folk-rock vocals range from riot-grrl (“A Better Son/Daughter”) to a depressed, haunted siren (“Paint’s Peeling”). Execution speaks to anyone with a taste for vibrant melodies and smart, lyrical treasures.
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