BuzzSugar

Album Review: Jenny Lewis's Acid Tongue

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:38:53 PDT

When Jenny Lewis first went solo from Rilo Kiley, she had the Watson Twins to help her let us into her most soulful, folksy thoughts with each song. That debut was excellent and, like Death Cab's Ben Gibbard, I've been excitedly awaiting her next solo project, Acid Tongue. Today we can hear the whole thing for the first time on her MySpace page.

I've read that she was interested in rocking out this time, and that's definitely the case on this new album which is full of (non-twin) collaborators. There's M. Ward, Zooey Deschanel, Chris Robinson and even Elvis Costello! At times the vibe is psychedelic and trippy, but mostly I'd describe the album as eclectic. There's still twang there - even in her rock - which is smart because that's what suits her voice best, I think. But she also brings in the gospel ballads, along with tunes that sound exactly like some good ol' Rilo Kiley stuff.

What I appreciate most after taking a first listen is how ambitious it all is, and overall I like the way her tracks transported me to another hazy time. This is definitely an album that will be awesome to hear live. I've jotted down a few thoughts on each of the songs for your consideration, so

"Black Sand": Starts softly with deep bass and a melody that sounds almost Abbey Road-ish. Her voice is high up in a soft falsetto. It's bluesy, there are strings, and I believe that atmospheric guitar is M. Ward.
"The Next Messiah": This song is long, almost nine minutes, and has three distinct parts to it. There's a pulsing rock 'n' roll vibe to start, then it turns into an uptempo toe-tapper, and descends into a duet between Lewis and a male voice. Unexpected and cool.
"Badman's World": She darkly sings "It's a bad man's world" over and over again. This song is slow and trippy. There are sparse strings, and the whole thing just makes me think "wasteland."
"Acid Tongue": I like this song a lot. The pretty harmonies with male voices in the background during the chorus are just lovely. It's a melancholy country tune. She's so effective at making me really feel her lyrics, like "Now I am tired/ It just made me tired." Gorgeous stuff.
"Fernando": Kind of expected, least surprising track of the bunch. I could see Rilo Kiley rocking this song. I like the fun lady singers in the background.
"Godspeed": Effecting piano ballad, it's a song about getting away from a no-good kind of guy. And she's been there before.
"Carpetbaggers": This is her duet with Elvis Costello. A super country rock song with a lot of "Whoa, yeah"s Not sure how I feel about their sound together. . . going to need a couple more listens.
"Trying My Best to Love You": Oh, man. Oh, goodness, this song is lovely. The strings, the piano. It almost sounds like gospel singing behind her. I feel like Aretha Franklin would have enjoyed belting the crap out of this song. Love it.
"Jack Killed Mom": Another gospel, down-home piano song. Tells a somewhat twisted story about Jack and his mom.
"Sing a Song for Them": Sad little song with pretty harmonies. A song for the outcasts and the forgotten. Nice ending.

Source

What to Download: New Music on iTunes

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:36:36 PDT

Tuesdays are big in entertainment-ville: Not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores, including iTunes. So I take a spin through each week's iTunes music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. In addition to the artists featured below, you can also download the first single from Jessica Simpson's forthcoming country album, new music from dance club sensation Hercules and Love Affair, and a new album from the Oscar-winning musicians Three 6 Mafia. Here are today's selections:

I don't know what they're saying, but I like it: If you haven't discovered the Icelandic band Sigur Rós yet, now's the time: Their new album, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (translated to With a Buzz in Our Ears, We Play Endlessly), sounds so far like the band's most upbeat to date. I love the percussion in the first track, "Gobbledigook," and "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" makes me smile.

The '80s called. They want their music back: Mötley Crüe's ninth album, Saints Of Los Angeles, is the first album with all four original members in more than a decade, and instead of reinventing the wheel, the guys stuck with what they know: big-haired rock 'n' roll. The reviews so far have been so-so, but tracks like "Down at the Whiskey" and "Chicks = Trouble" (and by "chicks" surely they mean "Pam") are mostly getting the thumbs-up.

Two more selections to go, so

Double the pleasure: Most people know the Watson Twins from Jenny Lewis' solo foray, but on their first full-length album they demonstrate that they can stand alone (together) as well. The LA Times called the album "voluptuously pleasurable", and I've already downloaded their lovely cover of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven."

Get a head start on Wall-E: Seriously, those sad eyes on that little robot are so adorable! If you're as excited as I am for this movie, you can prep yourself by downloading the entire original soundtrack by Thomas Newman as well as a new single from Peter Gabriel called, ""Down to Earth."

Song of the Day: Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, "Handle With Care"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 06:37:05 PST

One of the more exciting things about today's independent rock scene is the way it fosters new musical collectives, from the multi-spoked community surrounding Broken Social Scene to the collaborations between M. Ward, Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, and Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley. The latter is personified by this Traveling Wilburys cover, "Handle With Care." It may not be the best song of the year, but it's without a doubt one of the most collectively fun tracks of 2006. (It also happens to feature two artists from my Top 20 Albums of 2006.)