The tone for Rilo Kiley's fourth release, Under the Blacklight, is set in the opening guitar notes of the first track, "Silver Lining." Here, it becomes clear that we're in for a deliberate, familiar melodic sound. And that's the beauty of it: Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett and company aren't reinventing the wheel here, they're refining it. Surely, they took note when reviews of 2004's More Adventurous lauded the band's letting Lewis run wild over the other members' backing. On Blacklight, she gets wholly unleashed. Sennett only takes the lead on "Dreamworld," a track that, while decent, doesn't fit in with the rest of the disc. It's not his fault few vocalists can keep pace with Lewis, who shines throughout, but especially on the title track and the New Wave throwback "Breakin' Up." Pete Freedman
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Various Artists
This Is Next: Vol. 1
Vice
Sounds like: A 2007 hipster's greatest-hits compilation
Short take: Nothing new? Then why care?
CD samplers are dicey. Approach #1: Maybe you don't know the bands that well, but heck, let's give 'em a try. Approach #2: You know what you're getting into, as it's basically a wrap-up of the year's greatest radio hits. What's frustrating about the inaugural This is Next is that it has so much potential, but falls into the latter category. Vice carries some great bands Bloc Party, Of Montreal, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah but instead of issuing previews of upcoming releases, little- known tracks, or introducing new bands, they choose to toss together hits that are pretty much old news sometimes around a year old, as is the case with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Cat Power cuts. Why bother shelling out for tracks you probably already own? Kara Luger
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Simian Mobile Disco
Attack Decay Sustain Release
Interscope
Sounds like: Klaxons for Kids
Short take: An irresistible dance-floor dumb- down
Pop music has swung from Inconsiderable to Guilty Pleasure to Considerable to, now, Necessary. And the genre's seeing its best treatment in years, with "real" artists across the board giving in to its bubble-gum glee. Simian Mobile Disco is actually two esteemed remixers and producers whose debut, Attack Decay Sustain Release, is bangingly great by dint of being unabashedly poppy. Its songs are all kept around three- and-a-half minutes; guest stars arrive, spout perfectly inane hooks, are overtaken by tidal waves of flayed analog synth, then promptly leave. The effect demands scenesters uncross those righteous arms and bob those skeptical heads. SMD asks: Why be difficult, when it's so much more fun to lobotomize yourself? Matt Martin
