Rilo Kiley More Adventurous

The surprise buzz band out of L.A. in 2004, Rilo Kiley skirt many styles as singer Jenny Lewis does her Petula "Downtown" Clark best to sound as if she's the coolest chick in the room. Releases on credible indie labels (Barsuk, Saddle Creek) grew the band's reputation. However, with major label distribution and their music's sheer will, they're poised for a major breakthrough. "It's a Hit" features a seven-letter expletive guaranteed to keep it off radio, but the rest of the album's hooks are never so defiant. Blake Sennett's guitar chugs behind, as Lewis sets up center stage with convincing pop ("Accidental Death"), unflinching looks at reality ("Absence of God," "Love and War (11/11/46)") and even a soul number ("I Never"). This isn't a band looking to find one spot on the musical map and settle. With strings and synths augmenting the quartet, this is a group in search of possibilities.