Jenny Lewis
Acid Tounge
Warner Bros. Records
Alternative Country
Grade: B+
When news broke that Rilo Kiley's frontwoman Jenny Lewis had announced another solo album, heads turned. This time around, without gospel duo the Watson Twins as backup singers or the Team Love label behind her, there was an air of uncertainty. Acid Tongue, this year's follow up to the critically acclaimed Rabbit Fur Coat is assuredly not more of the same, even though fans would have been content with just that.
Most know Jenny Lewis from her ventures as lead singer of the indie-rock mainstay Rilo Kiley. Fresh off Rilo's recent tour, Lewis returned to the studio to record Acid Tongue, a more rousing and grittier album compared to her intimate and ethereal solo debut. It is a much more natural-sounding album when compared to Rilo Kiley's latest and most disappointing album, Under the Blacklight.
Acid Tongue shows that even though the Watson twins aren't around, Jenny Lewis is never without friends. And something has to be said for the motley crew that she has assembled. On the excellent "Carpetbaggers," the duet between Lewis and legend Elvis Costello is a pleasant surprise, and it's easy to tell the two voices are genuinely excited to work together. A guest appearance by M. Ward intensifies the brooding "Pretty Bird" with his almost-weeping guitar. More talented musicians, like Zooey Deschanel and Johnathan Rice, join the mix to give the recording a very communal feel.
The album as a whole is quintessential Jenny Lewis. Her flare for narrative and songwriting is evident in each song, from the violent "Jack Killed Mom" to the toe-tapping "See Fernando." Lewis' vocals are alternately sultry and sweet, with a soulful innocence that she carries in all her albums.
But overall, the record does not invoke the same infatuation with the music that Rabbit Fur Coat did. Each track (except throwaway "Black Sand") is a compelling infusion of southern country, indie rock, blues and soul, but the album's title track is the standout of the bunch, bewitchingly classic and clearly powerful. In no way is this a horrible album, just not as dazzling as her previous effort. It's more of a sophomore sidestep than a sophomore slump.
2008 Woodie Awards
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