Rilo Kiley = Awesomeness x 2

In September of last year I wrote an entry celebrating the indie rock band Rilo Kiley, with a top-ten list of some of my favorite songs (Rilo Kiley = Awesomeness). The list and albums are below.

1. With Arms Outstretched, The Execution of All Things
2. Spectacular Views, The Execution of All Things
3. Portions for Foxes, More Adventurous
4. The Good That Won't Come Out, The Execution of All Things
5. I Never, More Adventurous
6. The Frug, The Initial Friend
7. It's a Hit, More Adventurous
8. A Better Son/Daughter, The Execution of All Things
9. A Man/Me/Then Jim, More Adventurous
10. More Adventurous, More Adventurous

I saw Rilo Kiley in concert for the first time last year at Terminal 5 in NYC where I took the really crappy picture to the left. My digital camera at the time, the Olympus D-595, really sucked at taking photos in low-lighting without the flash, and it was actually the extreme disappointment of failing to capture my favorite band live that prompted an investment in the sublime Nikon D80 Digital SLR. Beautiful, isn't it? Now I just have to wait for their next NYC concert so I can take some real photographs.

It's been more than six months since I was blown away their Terminal 5 performance, and since then, my obsession has grown. Their quirky lyrics and mellow musical stylings are perfect for my daily subway commutes and for looping on my iPhone during a long work week of data entry and graphic design.

I now own all of their CDs (with the exception of The Initial Friend, which is hard to come by), and my top-ten changes daily as their songs speak to me differently depending on my mood and state of mind. Which is why I must amend my original list by tacking on 15 more top songs, finally giving Take Offs and Landings the recognition it deserves.

*I was really tempted to put Accidntel Deth on this list, but it's a little too depressing for a top 25. An honorable mention goes to Bulletproof which, at 2 minutes, was just too short.*

Rilo Kiley - Another Top Ten and Then Five More:

1. Wires and Waves, Take Offs and Landings

And sometimes, planes, they smash up in the sky
And sometimes, lonely hearts, they just get lonelier
And lonelier, and lonelier, and lonelier

2. My Slumbering Heart, The Execution of All Things

And I've become just like a terrible mess
Searching the lines in my face for
Something more beautiful than is there
The crowds keep me coming back
Cheering

3. Breakin' Up, Under the Blacklight

Betrayal is a thorny crown
You wear it well
Just like a king
Revenge is the saddest thing
Honey, I'm afraid to say
You deserve everything

4. Plane Crash in C, Take Offs and Landings

How do you do it and make it seem effortless?
When it's all the stupid things, so overwhelming to me
Like paying my bills, or showing up for work early
Or laughing at your jokes

5. Absence of God, More Adventurous

And Rob says you love, love, love, and then you die
I've watched him while sleeping and seen him crying with closed eyes
And you're not happy but you're funny and I'm tripping over my joy
But I just keep on getting up again

6. Pictures of Success, Take Offs and Landings

I'm a modern girl, but I fold in half so easily
When I put myself in the picture of success
I could learn world trade or try to map the ocean

7. Paint's Peeling, The Execution of All Things

And oh, I'm not going back
To the assholes that made me a perfect display
Of random acts of hopelessness

8. The Execution of All Things, The Execution of All Things

And if you’re well off,
Well then I’m happy some for you
But I’d rather not celebrate my defeat and humiliation
Here with you

9. Capturing Moods, The Execution of All Things

And I don’t mind waiting if it takes a long, long time
I don’t mind braving the coldest winter of our time
I don’t mind racing through our goodbyes

10. Silver Lining, Under the Blacklight

And I was your silver lining, as the story goes
I was your sliver lining, but now I'm gold

11. August, Take Offs and Landings

Someday we'll meet beyond the stars
And it'll be away from here
Someday we'll meet beyond the time and the bars
And it'll be away from here

12. Always, Take Offs and Landings

I should've known with a boy like you
Your middle name is Always
I'd always love you

13. Science Vs. Romance, Take Offs and Landings

I used to think
If I could realize I'd die
Then I would be a lot nicer
Used to believe
In a lot more

14. Three Hopeful Thoughts, Execution of All Things

And the hero that you'd hoped you'd be
Never seemed to show up
And if I can keep on talking
There won't be time to give up

15. Go Ahead, Take Offs and Landings

If you want to find yourself by traveling out west
Or if you want to find somebody else that's better
Go ahead