CD Odyssey Disc 1266: Jenny Lewis

I have a lot of errands to run today, and I’m behind schedule getting them done but before I head out, I want to get this review written. This will allow me to spend that errand time grokking some new album. What will that album be? I have no idea – I don’t allow myself to roll a new one until I’ve reviewed the current one. That way I stay focused.

Disc 1266 is… On the Line

Artist: Jenny Lewis

Year of Release: 2019

What’s up with the Cover? Ostensibly this is just Lewis giving the same torso shot she uses on her previous record, 2014’s “The Voyager” (reviewed back at Disc 675). However, I’m sure you’ll note there is something else going on as well. I’ll give you a clue. 58008. On a calculator. Upside down.

How I Came to Know It: I am a long-time Jenny Lewis fan and bought this as soon as it came out.

How It Stacks Up:  I have four of Jenny Lewis solo albums and one album called Jenny + Johnny that for some inexplicable reason I decided to include in the stacking up section years ago. That gives us five records, of which I put “On the Line” in at second place, bumping “The Voyager”, “Jenny + Johnny” and “Acid Tongue” all down a spot each in the process.

Ratings: 4 stars but almost 5

“On the Line” proves that Jenny Lewis is still on top of her game as a singer and songwriter. As with 2014’s “Voyager” she once again demonstrates her inimitable talent to write top notch innovative pop hooks which anchor songs that are cutesy on the surface, but powerfully insightful underneath.

“On the Line” is reminiscent of AM radio songs, with an easy sway and a sing-along quality that had me thinking of Fleetwood Mac or Linda Ronstadt combined with a mastery of emotional pacing and narrative flair on par with St. Vincent’s latest work. The production is just the way I like it; crisp and distinct with a little empty space to help you appreciate the songs’ progression, rounded on the edges like a pill from Miracle Max to make it go down easier.

For all that chocolate coating, these songs have a lot of sadness and regret in them. “Wasted Youth” and “Party Clown” are both earworms. On one level they present as celebrations of youthful enthusiasm; a summer garden party that goes on a little too long. But with lyrics like “Everybody knows it’s a tightrope/The cookie crumbles into dust” you know that while much fun was had, there was also a lot of self-destructive behavior.

While Lewis explores the mistakes of youth, “On the Line” is principally a break-up record, and a great entry in that canon. Lewis channels an unfaithful lover and a lost relationship into some quality music. “Taffy” is a poignant exploration of the moment of discovery of that broken faith on a phone left unlocked. When I hear her sing:

“If you’re not willing then I’m not giving

You my heart of gold”

You get the full force of someone who has both a broken heart, but a whole lot of resolve to move on nonetheless. I just wanted to hug her and tell her it was going to be OK, but of course she already knows this. Phone imagery returns on the title track, with Lewis singing:

“He left me for a super fan

Called Caroline, uh

Before you let her

Under your sweater tonight

Listen to my heart beating

On the line.”

By the time the album wraps up with “Rabbit Hole” you have a full appreciation for Lewis’ journey. She sings “I’m not gonna go down the rabbit hole” leaving you a minute to wonder what just happened throughout the record, before she clarifies in the next line… “with you”. It goes to show that if you break up with a great singer-songwriter you are going to be immortalized, but you’re not likely to enjoy the experience.

“Rabbit Hole” is also the most up-beat pop ditty on the record, which – coming as it does after the raw and sensitive admissions of “On the Line” – is a nice reminder that Lewis is going to be alright. The album features moments of nastiness and regret, but also a good sense of self and self-worth. Lewis has been through a lot lately but this record shows she’s taking it in stride. No hugs from random fans required.

All the songs on “On the Line” are earworms, that are then further enriched with emotionally evocative lyrics. I listened to the album three times over the last couple of days and I never got tired of it. The songs have that quality that is the hallmark of every great pop song work - the anticipation of the melody so that the more you hear it, the more you enjoy it. I’ll be putting that to the test in the years ahead, as I expect this record will get lots of play outside of the confines of the CD Odyssey.

Best tracks: Heads Gonna Roll, Wasted Youth, Hollywood Lawn, Party Clown, Little White Dove, Taffy

CD Odyssey Disc 1182: Jenny Lewis

I’m fresh off a lovely three day weekend where I got all kinds of chances to do fun things, hear great music and generally enjoy the company of wonderful people.

Disc 1182 is… Acid Tongue

Artist: Jenny Lewis

Year of Release: 2008

What’s up with the Cover? A blotter sheet of Jennys. I know what Hunter S. Thompson would have done with this cover, but I need a place to keep the CD.

How I Came To Know It: I loved Jenny Lewis’s 2006 album “Rabbit Fur Coat” so I took a chance on “Acid Tongue” without having heard a single song.

How It Stacks Up:  I have four slight variations on Jenny Lewis’ solo career: two solo records, one with Johnathan Rice and one with the Watson Twins. Taken together (as I choose to do) that’s four ‘solo’ records. Of those four, I put “Acid Tongue”…fourth. Hey, someone has to be last.

Ratings: 3 stars

It is no surprise Jenny Lewis has so many different solo projects; she is constantly experimenting with her sound.

On other albums Lewis explores stripped down folk (“Rabbit Fur Coat”) and highly produced pop (“Voyager”) and masters them both. On “Acid Tongue” there her usual brand of indie pop made (relatively) famous with her old band Rilo Kiley, mixed with a lot of traditional blues riffs. While I admire the ambition of it all, I found the crossover awkward in places. 

First the good stuff, and there is plenty. “Pretty Bird” is a moody atmospheric piece that showcases those pure vocals and with its mix of bluesy bass groove, Latin guitar flourishes, and ambient feedback it takes a lot of risks and manages to make them pay off.

The title track is less musically risky, but one of the finest tracks on the record. here Lewis opts for a stripped down acoustic guitar strum and a narrative style that would have been equally at home on her previous album, the folksy “Rabbit Fur Coat”. The song has Lewis in familiar territory, as she walks the line between hippy wisdom and lovelorn regret:

“By the rolling river is exactly where I was

There was no snake oil cure for unlucky in love

To be lonely is a habit like smoking or taking drugs

And I've quit them both, but, man, was it rough”

Unfortunately, many of the songs explore the blues, and the twee indie pop doesn’t suit the grit of the blues. Lewis’ vocals are so pure and light by nature and while the musicians find the spirit of the blues in their delivery, the combination with the more pop elements is a bit strained.

This is particularly noticeable on the long and bloated “The Next Messiah”; an almost nine minute song where Lewis explores pretty much every classic blues riff, one after the other. Every piece of it is well played, but stitched together it felt a bit too much like an end-of-the-night bar band medley.

Johnathan Rice (from Jenny and Johnny) was on the album, but his presence didn’t excite me. What did excite me was Zooey Deschanel of She and Him singing backing vocals on a number of tracks. Deschanel’s amazing vocals add a nice touch of sugar on the backing vocals wherever she appears.

“Carpetbaggers” has a nice rolling melody that reminded me of mid-eighties Tom Petty but the moment was slightly spoiled by the warble of Elvis Costello making an appearance halfway through. More Zooey, less Elvis!

The album ends on a high point with “Sing a Song for Them” an anthem for the down and out. Deadbeat dads, weekend tweakers and “Boulevard freaks” all get a shout out, among many other folks living a life less travelled, and often not escaping unscathed from the experience.

The CD packaging for “Acid Tongue” failed to impress. It is a simple slip of cardboard, making it impossible to put the title on the edge. As a result, I rarely am inspired to put the CD version on as I scan my collection. Most of the time, I don’t even see it.

Instead of liner notes, it comes with four pictures featuring candid shots of the band recording the album. The shots didn’t look artsy so much as they look like pictures not good enough to make it into your photo album (back when photo albums were still a thing).

Overall, “Acid Tongue” has a few flaws, but it also has its fair share of beauty, and Lewis deserves credit for always finding ways to infuse new ideas into her sound. It doesn’t always work, but it works enough on this record to warrant a solid 3 out of 5.

Best tracks: Pretty Bird, Acid Tongue, Godspeed, Sing a Song For Them

CD Odyssey Disc 842: Jenny and Johnny

Despite being in bed by 10:30 last night I was tired all day today. I feel like I need a weekend and it is only Tuesday.

Disc 842 is….I’m Having Fun Now

Artist: Jenny and Johnny

Year of Release: 2010

What’s up with the Cover? A sexy summer-clad Jenny Lewis reclines in a driveway. There is some annoying dude also in the photo who I totally don’t remember including when I invited Jenny over for some driveway lounging in our beach wear. Let’s call him “Johnny” since that is probably who he is. Just having him in the shot is making me see red! No, wait - that’s just a filter. I’m fine.

How I Came To Know It: I already knew I liked Jenny Lewis from her previous solo work and work with the band Rilo Kiley. When I heard she had done a collaboration with boyfriend Johnathan Rice I decided to give it a chance.

How It Stacks Up:  This is the only “Jenny and Johnny” album I have. It is kind of like a Jenny Lewis solo album, and since I included it when ranking Lewis’ solo album “The Voyager” back at Disc 675 I’ll do so again. Of those four albums, I’ll put “Jenny and Johnny” third.

Ratings: 3 stars but almost 4

When I bought “Jenny and Johnny” it was billed to me as a solid summertime ‘go to the beach’ type of album and that’s what it turned out to be. This is an album of solid pop songs that give you a pleasant relaxed vibe, but the production gets in the way of the more thoughtful qualities the album also aspires to.

The hallmarks of Jenny Lewis’ solo career are still here, with the easy melodies and lyrics that are straightforward and personal. Lewis has a talent for taking dark and depressing subject matter and wrapping it up in upbeat pop songs so it takes a few lessons for you to realize everything isn’t just fun in the sun.

The music has a bit of a Beach Boys “Pet Sounds” feel, with a lot of fuzzy wall-of-sound stuff, and melodies between Jenny and Johnny. It reminded me a bit of the Blake Sennett songs from her time in Rilo Kiley; airy and light. It is very well done (and generally better than those Sennett tracks) but I still found myself wishing for more Jenny and less Johnny.

The songs would benefit from a bit less of the fuzz that infuses the record and let the songs stand on their own merits. The constant high singing and thick coating of sugary production sometimes makes everything feel a bit too twee and precious. A song like ‘Just Like Zeus’ is best in the first bar, when it is just Jenny singing, and when Johnny joins in it feels kind of like the Carter Family before Johnny Cash; precise but lacking an edge.

“New Yorker Cartoon” has a pretty tune but the imagery is too strained, and it drew me out of the experience. It was like they fell in love with the idea of a New Yorker cartoon a bit too much for their own good, which is odd, because New Yorker cartoons aren’t even that good. I’d rather read Dilbert.

But I digress…

Back to the good stuff on this album, because despite my lukewarm tone there is plenty of it. “My Pet Snakes” is full of energy and has Lewis in full throat. Johnny’s raspy and airy voice works here as a nice offset to hers. I liked them trading lyrics back and forth rather than working harmonies all the time.

“Big Wave” is an infectious song that just makes you want to go surfing, even though Jenny sneaks in lyrics about living beyond our means. The tune makes you feel like you are just one big wave away from the best time of your live, but the actual big wave here is debt and excess, about to crash down around your ears. As usual with Jenny Lewis, she is a master of juxtaposing fun and tragedy.

Like a lot of Jenny Lewis’ work, “I’m Having Fun Now” has a lot more going on than is immediately apparent. It is a fun trip to the beach, but also one that when you look around a bit you find some bums sleeping behind the public toilets. There is enough substance to give the album a full 4 stars, but some of the production decisions held it just south of that mark for me.

Best tracks:  My Pet Snakes, Switchblade, Big Wave, Just Like Zeus, Straight Edge of the Blade

CD Odyssey Disc 675: Jenny Lewis

The day I bought this next album (unheard and entirely on spec) I did the same with Tom Petty’s new album, “Hypnotic Eye.” It was a good day for guessing.

Disc 675 is…. The Voyager

Artist: Jenny Lewis

Year of Release: 2014

What’s up with the Cover? Even Jenny Lewis’ torso is stunning, particularly in this kick-ass blazer. Other pictures in the liner notes reveal that she has matching pants and guitar, which looks even cooler. She’s like a female California Elvis.

How I Came To Know It: Sheila first discovered Jenny Lewis as an artist, but I bought this album because it was new music by an artist I already liked and the first single was promising – I hadn’t heard anything else. Basically the way we used to buy music back in the day.

How It Stacks Up:  I have three Jenny Lewis solo albums, plus one with her working as one half of Jenny + Johnny with her boyfriend Johnathan Rice. I’m gonna count this last one in the ‘stack up’, because I feel like it. I’ll exclude the five albums she did as part of Rilo Kiley, though, because I feel like doing that too.

Of the four solo/Jenny + Johnny albums, I put “The Voyager” strongly in second place – almost first. To know what does take first, you’ll just have to keep reading my blog – possible for years.

Rating:  4 stars

Fifteen years in, Jenny Lewis has released her purest pop record yet. And if you think pop hooks are simple and easy then try writing one. It is hard to write pop that serves a song’s story, is pleasing to the ear, and doesn’t rip off something you heard on the radio on the way to work that morning. Jenny Lewis’ melodies are like water in a river; easy, free and fluid; meandering at times, but never without direction.

“The Voyager”s opening track “Head Underwater, ”a fitting starting point for the river of songs to follow. Both musically and lyrically this is a song that is uplifting, while staying mindful of life’s many challenges. Jenny’s voice climbs up and down he melody effortlessly as ever (until I tried to sing along, and found out just how hard a song this is). The song’s chorus…

“There's a little bit of magic, everybody has it

There's a little bit of sand left in the hourglass”

…is an understatement. “The Voyager” shows that while she might be thinking about her own mortality, Lewis’ talent is still going strong.

The songs on “Voyager” are beautifully served by producers Ryan Adams and Mike Viola. They manage to capture the simple beauty of Lewis’ first record “Rabbit Fur Coat” but also incorporate the pop-infused joy of her later work with Rilo Kiley.

Like a lot of Jenny Lewis’ work, the album has a lot of introspection, but “The Voyager” has replaced some of the self-doubt of her earlier work with some thoughtful perspective on her journey so far. “She’s Not Me” is thinking back on a relationship that didn’t work out and “Slippery Slopes” is about trying to make one work through whatever means necessary.

Most good albums will have a song that sneaks up on you, and for me “Slippery Slopes” is it. It isn’t a song about holding on despite temptations; it’s a song about holding on through temptation. Booze, drugs and ultimately other women all serve as the glue to keep from slipping. This leaves you wondering whether you should feel sad for the song’s character for her sacrifices, or happy she’s found love in an alternative arrangement.

The song bookends beautifully with the next track, “Late Bloomer,” which is a song about a young girl meeting another woman in Paris (Nancy) and falling in love with her, even as Nancy is looking for the man of her dreams:

“How could I resist her, I had longed for a big sister

And I wanted to kiss her, but I hadn't the nerve

We found the writer, he was just some kid from Boston

I was jealous as I watched him talking to her

But man was I astonished, he didn't look like no Adonis

But as Nancy had promised, he was heavy as lead

And he said "Come with us late bloomer, for a little while

We wanna feel that fire burning, in you little child."

Unlike the negotiations of “Slippery Slopes” the sixteen year old in “Late Bloomer” soon moves on, never seeing Nancy or the ‘Non-Adonis’ again. Timing is everything.

Despite all this sexual ambiguity, the most revealing song on the album is the single, “Just One of the Guys.” It has a beautiful down-beat, a resignation established by the music long before Jenny’s voice chimes in, beautiful like a canary in a cage. The song is an ode to the sacrifices made when you pick up your guitar, let the songs hit you, then hit the road, with the stars fading in the distance as enticingly as those in the collar of your stage-blazer. Listeners with kids will no doubt take a measure of schadenfreude when Jenny breaks it down to:

“There's only one difference between you and me

When I look at myself all I can see

I'm just another lady without a baby”

But as one of the fellow childless couples out there, I take solace in how she breaks the song down musically at the end and gives a gentle rebuke to herself and all her doubts:

“I'm not gonna break for you

I'm not gonna pray for you

I'm not gonna pay for you

That's not what ladies do”

There’s a defiance there, and an arrangement that mixes triumph and minor keys to subtly reconcile itself with the regrets of missing the road more traveled. There’s lots of ways to be a lady, and lots of ways to leave your mark; at the end of the day it is about the voyage, not the destination.

Best tracks:   Head Underwater, Just One of the Guys, Slippery Slopes, Late Bloomer, the Voyager