
Rilo Kiley Announces Reissue of Rare Self-Titled Debut LP
The Album Will be Available on Vinyl and Streaming Platforms on October 2 via Little Record Company
Jul 27, 2020 Rilo Kiley
Before Rilo Kiley became one of the best indie rock bands of the 2000s, they were selling a 1999 self-titled debut album (also known as The Initial Friend EP) as a CD at their merch table. You won’t find it on Spotify, Apple Music, or anything like that. But today, the band announced their plan to reissue the vinyl for the first time in 21 years. On October 2, Rilo Kiley will be made available on limited edition vinyl and digital DSPs via Little Record Company, which is a label started by the band’s Pierre de Reeder.
The Los Angeles four-piece of Jenny Lewis (vox, guitar, bass, keys), Blake Sennett (vox, guitar, keys), Pierre de Reeder (bass, guitar, keys, vox), and Dave Rock (drums) played their very first show at Spaceland in Silverlake (which later became the Satellite, which just announced they will stop doing live shows because of the pandemic). And it just so happens that comedian Dave Foley (Kids in the Hall, NewsRadio) was in attendance.
Foley had this to say about that night in a press release: “January 1998, I was a young man, young compared to now, hanging out in L.A’s alt. rock club scene. One night in particular, I found myself at Spaceland, at the bar drinking when a band started playing. They were good, so good that I stopped fighting for the attention of the bartender and turned to see who it was. On stage was a very young, delightfully unpretentious group named Rilo Kiley. Between songs they were charming, smart and funny. During songs they were brilliant. After the set I introduced myself and learned that this was their first public performance. I was astonished. They invited me back to their rehearsal space for Thai food and to hear some songs they didn’t have room for in the set. Dreamily, I filled my belly with noodles and my head with one great song after another. I was in a full on, pop music fan swoon. Having decided to force myself into their lives, I suggested (insisted) that I should fund a demo recording. They relented. I also tried to talk them into changing the band’s name. They were unrelenting. A lot of years have passed. I remain proud to know Rilo Kiley and grateful that I had the opportunity and ability to be of some help.”
With the Foley-funded demo, the band made copies of the soon-to-be reissued CD. It included the cutesy song “Frug,” which was the first music video the band ever released. Watch the video below.
Rock was replaced by Jason Boesel on drums in 2001 and Rilo Kiley went on to release four more excellent studio albums: 2001’s Take Offs and Landings, 2002’s The Execution Of All Things, 2004’s More Adventurous, and 2007’s Under The Blacklight before disbanding that same year. Lewis went on to a successful solo career.
Rilo Kiley Tracklist:
1. Frug
2. Papillion
3. Always
4. 85
5. Glendora
6. Teenage Lovesong
7. Sword
8. Asshole
9. Gravity
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