Deep in the incestuous (professionally speaking) world of indie rock, there is Rilo Kiley. Based out of Los Angeles, it isn’t that much of a surprise that the band was founded by two former child stars, Jenny Lewis of Troop Beverly Hills fame, and Blake Sennett, aka Salute Your Shorts’ Ronnie Pinksy, aka Joseph ‘Joey the Rat’ Epstein from Boy Meets World. More interesting is the number of popular side projects on which these two have embarked. Lewis lends her vocal talent to the Postal Service, a Ben Gibbard side project, and has her own solo group Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, whose recent album Rabbit Fur Coat includes guest artists Conor Oberst and Gibbard himself. Meanwhile, Sennett also formed a side band of his own in 2003 that includes Rilo Kiley drummer Jason Boesel. All in all, quite the family tree.
That side project, The Elected, very appropriately visited D.C. last night to play at the Black Cat on a rainy election day, performing many tracks off of their second album, Sun, Sun, Sun. Sennett has apparently moved beyond his original shy act, as he faced the small crowd at the main stage with a confidence that, based on a few of his comments, we can only imagine was reinforced with a heavy dosage of some mind-altering substance. He ordered the stage lights down, and looking very Jack White with his hat and mustache, led the band and backup singers into their first song. “I’ll Be Your Man,” which stirred up images from the 1950’s, and could very well be mistaken at first for “Mr. Sandman.” While the voters were out making history, The Elected brought us back to a time of classic, mellow sounds blended with modern and emotionally edgy lyrics.
