If you’re a child of the ’80s, 90s or even early ‘00s, chances are you’re well acquainted with the alternative rock band Rilo Kiley. Their music perfectly mined the ennui of both Gen X and impressionable Millennial youths, charting the peaks and valleys of the transition from young person to adult. And though they parted ways in 2011—and lead singer Jenny Lewis moved on to a successful solo career—their music continues to be beloved by generations.
That’s why we’re extra excited about today’s news. Rumors started swirling last week, but now it’s official: Rilo Kiley will reissue their rare 1999 self-titled album digitally and on vinyl later this year. The news comes via Rolling Stone, who point out that the album was previously only available on CDs the band handed out at shows or ripped online. Their first official LP release was Take Offs and Landings in 2001.
Little Record Company
Rilo Kiley gets its reissue under the Little Record Company umbrella. Its nine songs will get a limited edition vinyl printing and a digital release.
Fans of Rilo Kiley might remember the album as The Initial Friend, which is what it was known by in smaller circles. It includes songs like “The Frug,” “Glendora,” and “Papillon,” as well as a hidden track known by fans as “Keep It Together.” Rolling Stone only mentions nine songs in the release and doesn’t list the tenth hidden track in their list, so it’s unclear if it will make it into the reissue
This is the first “new” release from Rilo Kiley since 2013, when they dropped RKives, a collection of previously unreleased tracks. That release also officially marked their split. Before RKives, their last full, fresh studio album was Under the Blacklight in 2007.
Does this reissue signal a future for Rilo Kiley? We don’t want to get our hopes up, but it would be such a welcome thing to happen in this miserable year. And even if they don’t get back together, we’re happy their joining the ranks of Nine Inch Nails and Fiona Apple and other ‘90s artists giving us any new or reissued music to chew on during quarantine.
We can’t wait to check out Rilo Kiley when it lands on digital and vinyl this October 2.
Featured Image: Dese’Rae L. Stage/WikiCommons