RiffDraft

I moved back to my hometown a few years ago and teach at the local university. Right down the road from my house is the university pool, where I used to swim as a kid. Back then, U2’s Joshua Tree was really big. So, I remember trying flips off the diving board while hearing “With or Without You.” I’d also hear other songs by Prince, Duran Duran, etc. Somehow they all sounded great coming out of a small boom box next to the lifeguard stand.

Nowadays, I occasionally go down to the pool for a swim. The music is not the same, so I bring my iPod and listen to it before I jump in. This year’s go-to pool jam? Rilo Kiley’s Under the Blacklight. It’s the perfect summer companion.

Unlike some of their other releases, this one is really upbeat. It’s a party-in-a-box. Each song is a completely different exploration. It’s truly remarkable what they’ve managed to do in 12 songs. One minute you’re hearing Euro-dance music, the next you’re hearing California-tinged Tom Petty, and then it’s on to Al Green and Mavis Staples. They switch gears flawlessly and have the confidence in their range and ability to have fun with it–which makes it light and lively.

Unlike a lot of the other music I consume, I have a feeling that I’ll be coming back to this album 5 years from now (perhaps on my way to the pool).