Post by Lauren Curtis on Dec 16, 2006 4:34:00 GMT -5
Rilo Kiley is a Los Angeles-based indie band. They have released three albums, all of which include country, folk, and pop sensibilities. Fronted by former child actors Jenny Lewis (Troop Beverly Hills, The Wizard) and Blake Sennett (Salute Your Shorts, Boy Meets World), the band originally signed with Barsuk Records, an independent label, for their first full-length album, Take-Offs and Landings, in 2001. Rilo Kiley went on to sign with Omaha's Saddle Creek Records and released The Execution of All Things in 2002. In 2004, they released More Adventurous on their own imprint, Brute/Beaute Records, which was distributed by major label Warner Bros.. The band later signed directly with Warner Bros.
They have sold nearly 75,000 records in three years and toured the United States repeatedly. Lewis sings lead vocals and shares writing credits with guitarist/vocalist Sennett, who provides lead vocals for some songs. The band also features Pierre de Reeder on bass and Jason Boesel on drums.
2004 saw a great increase in recognition for the band, as Sennett and Boesel released an album with their band The Elected and Lewis sang backup on Ben Gibbard's indie electronic Death Cab For Cutie side project The Postal Service. Lewis toured with The Postal Service before heading out on two tours in support of Rilo Kiley's More Adventurous in the summer and fall of 2004. The album spent late 2004 high on Billboard Magazine's Heatseekers Chart, success only furthered by appearances on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live. The band opened for Bright Eyes on the international leg of Conor Oberst's tour for 2005's I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.
In May of 2005, Jenny Lewis announced in an interview that Rilo Kiley had signed with Warner Bros. and that the label is preparing to re-release More Adventurous. An exact release date has not been set, she says. In fall 2005, Rilo Kiley was the opening act for the North American dates of Coldplay's Twisted Logic Tour.
Jenny Lewis released her first solo album in January of 2006, with Leigh and Chandra Watson (aka The Watson Twins). The album is titled Rabbit Fur Coat and was co-produced by M. Ward and Mike Mogis.
The group's songs have frequently been used on television programs. In 2005, their song "Portions For Foxes" appeared on the pilot episode of hit TV show Grey's Anatomy.