I'll preface my comments by saying I have never been a Rilo Kiley fan. The first thing that jumped into my head while watching the video was that Jenny Lewis is trying to morph into a hybrid version of Karen O. and Feist.
I have no idea whether the rest of the album will sound like the single, but in a sense I hope it does. As I said, I haven't been a big fan of Rilo Kiley, so this version of RK is an improvement, as far as I'm concerned.
However, I'm not a big fan of Jenny Lewis's vocals in the song. Her voice isn't made for that style of music, and it definitely shows. Also, the lyrics aren't great or even good. I like the guitar work throughout, but the vocal stylings and lyrics aren't doing it for me.
Anyway, thought I'd post this for bigger fans of RK to discuss.
It's awfully 80s sounding. Not that I don't like the 80s, but if Rilo Kiley are planning on hopping on that bandwagon, they're a few years to late.
EDIT: More specifically, it sounds an awful lot (the riff anyway) like the Cars' "Moving In Stereo". If you've ever seen the dream sequence in Fast Times At Ridgemont High where Phoebe Cates comes out the water and takes off her bikini top, that's the song that's playing.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: EricG75,
----- Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.
Posts: 5354 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
It's catchy, but I'm really anticipating the rest of this album more. This is the obvious single, I'm hoping the rest of the album has more depth. I'm a huge Rilo Kiley fan.
------ There's a golden age comin' round, comin' round, comin' round
Posts: 2248 | Location: ATL-abouts. | Registered: 24 October 2006
I've never been a Rilo Kiley fan... at all (although I'm a big fan of Jenny Lewis' "Rabbit Fur Coat") and "Moneymaker" is not going to change that. I was cringing the entire song. Seriously (I heard it on NPR yesterday )
I must be the only one who is really digging it. I love the swagger of the song, even if it's not (by far) the strongest song in their catalog.
It isn't Portions For Foxes (which may well have be a perfect pop song, to the point where I was positive that it would be a break-out smash hit for them); it's dirty, and grimy. But funky, and kind of sexy.
Of course, for those turned off by it, it's worth pointing out that the follow-up single "Silver Lining" (which was posted on Pitchfork last week) is radically different - not the old Kiley, but certainly a lot closer. Has a fifties' jangly pop feel to it, and is simply gorgeous.
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegut
Posts: 11 | Location: Windsor/Waterloo/Toronto | Registered: 14 August 2007
I listened to this album for the first time today. The riff-stealing is pretty shameless. I have nothing against lifting riffs or melodies, but really you should include the people you stole them from in the songwriting credits so that they get the recognition and royalties they deserve for their unwitting collaboration with you--especially as in this case when the stolen riffs make the songs. I presume George Harrison's heirs don't need the money and Ric Ocasek is probably doing ok as well, but who knows about Greg Hawkes, the guy who came up with the bassline that was stolen for "The Moneymaker".
As far as the stolen riffs go, track 1's is pretty obvious--"My Sweet Lord". Track 3's of course is from "Moving in Stereo". The one in the chorus of Track 7 also sounds very familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. Anybody else who's heard the album--can you figure that one out?
Posts: 130 | Location: New York | Registered: 18 September 2007
