Under the Blacklight - Rilo Kiley
Metascore
71 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
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  1. Uncut
    100
    Under The Blacklight is by far and away the most accessible album that Rilo Kiley have ever made.
  2. MSN Consumer Guide (Robert Christgau)
    100
    Terse and beaty, with Dr. Dre referral Mike Elizondo going half on the baby, this isn't a pop record, but it does avoid guitar-band shapes, sonics and truisms.
  3. The A.V. Club
    100
    The L.A. quartet has returned with an album that's teeming with creatively executed ideas, to the point where it almost feels like the band was just using its first three albums to warm up.
  4. Lost At Sea
    94
    Every one of the eleven songs attached to Blacklight is a stunner in purely musical terms.
  5. Blender
    90
    Creamy and precise, every coo and arpeggio blows through your ear buds like the ruffle of crisp bills.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 50 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 34
  3. Negative: 4 out of 34
  1. Alex470
    9
    I actually had to create an account to throw in my .02, so I hope the ragey Rilo Kiley fans reading through the disappointed negative reviews will possibly get some light shed on the intentions of the band with this album. I never actually cared for this band up until a few weeks ago until my Last.fm played a few tracks from Under the Blacklight and I thought "That's a cool classic rock band. Who's the artist now? Let's see...Rilo Kiley??" I listened through all five of their albums consecutively to give myself a perspective on just what the band was. It's pretty clear that each of the band members have a say in what is recorded. Everyone has a different taste. Once I hit Under the Blacklight after just hearing "More Adventurous" a handful of times, it did sound on first listen to be the band "selling out". It sounded pretty sketchy. I understood exactly what the longterm RK fans had been saying in reviews about them trying hit it rich by sounding more mainstream. I have to wonder though, are any of those negative reviews actually listening to the content of this music? Under the Blacklight was still very distinctly RK. A mainstream group wouldn't have you thinking you were listening to Fleetwood Mac or Dusty Springfield. After listening to a few interviews with them, they stated very clearly that everyone had their turns at playing what they wanted to in the previous albums and they wanted to pull from (solely) their parents' music they'd hear on those "long car rides" and the sort. It's not the band selling out, no...it's just them doing something else yet again. Under the Blacklight was intended to be a cheer for the influences they grew up on, and if you can't hear that in the album, there might be a need to question if you've been truly listening to music or just the sound of it.… Full Review »
  2. Vampire25
    8
    Under The Blacklight has some really good tracks. Jenny Lewis's vocals are amazing as always. She's just a natural born singer. The melodies are great. The songs are really catchy but somewhat falls flat towards the final half of the album but All In All, Under The Blacklight is a great album by Rilo Kiley. B+… Full Review »
  3. EinarJ.
    6
    Sometimes, you love something about this album, other times you're wondering what you liked. 'Close Call' and 'Silver Lining' are the best tracks. 'Smoke Detecter' is atrocious.… Full Review »
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