Lewis and Sennett are former child actors and were introduced to each other by Tara Subkoff, a mutual friend, in 1993. In 2001, original drummer Dave Rock left the band and was replaced by Boesel.
They began their career on Barsuk Records, releasing Take Offs And Landings in 2001. They moved to Omaha-based indie label Saddle Creek for their second album, 2002's The Execution of All Things. But come time for their third release, More Adventurous in 2004, the band left Saddle Creek for Brute/Beaute, a Warner Bros. imprint.
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 (Death Cab For Cutie) indie electronic 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 Fall 2005, Rilo Kiley were the opening act for the North American dates of Coldplay's Twisted Logic Tour.
Lewis released her first solo album in January of 2006, with Leigh and Chandra Watson as Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins. The album, entitled Rabbit Fur Coat, was co-produced by Clifford M Ward and Mike Mogis. Furthermore, The Elected released their second album, sun, sun, sun on the same day as Lewis' album.
The 4th Rilo Kiley LP, Under the Blacklight, was released in August 2007. This has a more pop-influenced sound and received mixed reviews.
The band broke up in 2011 after vague statements made by Blake Sennett comparing the band to a "corpse" and referring to disagreements among members.
Spectacular Views
Rilo Kiley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In steep cliffs, rocks all piled up
Mysteries of your passing luck
Ages past, shells and bits of bone
Forming new limestone
To give things their turn.
There are no bad words for the coast today
You never knew why you felt so good
in the strangest of places
Like in waiting rooms and long lines that made you late and mall parking lots on holidays.
There are no bad words for the coast today
When we hold our breath until nothing's left
It all starts to fade.
We can see the stars
From where the birds make their homes
staring back at us
Indifferent but distanced perfectly
Projected endlessly
It's so fucking beautiful.
There are no bad words for the coast today
Then you ask what's a palisade
And if we're too late for happiness?
The lyrics of Rilo Kiley's song "Spectacular Views" can be interpreted in multiple ways. The song starts by describing the majestic view of the coastlines with steep cliffs and rocks piled up, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue. The mention of ages past, shells, bits of bone, and new limestone formation suggests the beauty and complexity of nature's cycles, how the erosion and creation patterns shape the landscape of the coast. It also hints at the fleeting nature of life and how things come and go, giving way to something new and equally magnificent. The chorus of the song talks about the absence of negative words to describe the awe-inspiring beauty of the coast, capturing the sense of wonder and amazement that one feels when they behold the magnificence of nature.
The second verse of the song shifts from the description of the coast's beauty towards the personal experiences of the singer. The verse talks about how the singer feels good inexplicably in strange places, such as waiting rooms, long lines, and mall parking lots on holidays. It captures the idea that beauty can be found in unexpected places, and happiness can arise from simple things. The verse again invokes the imagery of breath-holding, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement, leading to a feeling of fading away. The song then takes a philosophical turn, talking about the stars shining above, indifferent to human existence. The stars, like nature, seem to exist in their infinite beauty and grandeur, regardless of human perceptions, adding a surreal element to the song.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the beauty of nature and how it can inspire, provoke wonder and joy, and provide a sense of liberation. The song's dreamy and melancholic tunes add to the overall sense of nostalgia and bittersweetness.
Line by Line Meaning
In steep cliffs, rocks all piled up
The large formation of steep cliffs with rocks piled up reveals the majesty of nature
Mysteries of your passing luck
Nobody knows the exact reason for your fate and destiny
Ages past, shells and bits of bone
Over centuries, broken shells and bone pieces have been transformed to form a new kind of limestone
Forming new limestone
The natural process of sedimentation and accumulation has given rise to a new form of limestone
To give things their turn.
This transformation happens in its own course of time and helps achieve balance in the environment
There are no bad words for the coast today
The beauty of the coast is inexplicable and there are no words to describe its magnificence
You never knew why you felt so good
Sometimes, we experience good feelings in unexpected and unexplainable situations
in the strangest of places
These unusual feelings can happen even in unfamiliar or weird surroundings
Like in waiting rooms and long lines that made you late and mall parking lots on holidays.
The places mentioned here are commonly associated with stress, but it's possible to find joy and peace in these ordinary situations
When we hold our breath until nothing's left
Sometimes, we try to cling onto moments of tranquility and happiness for as long as we can
It all starts to fade.
But eventually, everything fades away and changes into something new
We can see the stars
The sky holds the most beautiful sights imaginable, including the stars
From where the birds make their homes
Even birds know the beauty and importance of the sky, as they build their homes in the trees with a view of the stars
staring back at us
The stars seem to look back at us, silently reminding us of our place in the universe
Indifferent but distanced perfectly
The stars don't care about us, but their positions and movements are precise and exact
Projected endlessly
Their light travels through space and time, reaching us for infinite periods
It's so fucking beautiful.
The beauty and vastness of the universe can be overwhelming and awe-inspiring
Then you ask what's a palisade
This line is a rhetorical question, asking if we can define every term and concept in the natural world
And if we're too late for happiness?
This line raises the question of whether happiness is always within our reach, or if we can miss our chance if we're not careful
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Blake Sennett, Jenny Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind