Jenny Lewis Doesn’t Do Drugs

When Jenny Lewis took her first steps away from Rilo Kiley, she had the Watson Twins as a sonic compass to help guide her through uncharted waters. It was an interesting new direction for the former child TV star, but ultimately lacked focus and ended up a bit muddy. Many, myself included, have really been looking forward to hearing what she’d do all on her own.

Acid Tongue was recorded mainly live over just three weeks in Van Nuys, CA, and produced by Johnathan Rice, the knob-twister on Rilo Kiley’s most recent LP, 2007’s Under The Blacklight (he’s also her boyfriend). Acid doesn’t possess nearly the same polished shine as Blacklight (an entirely intentional move), but through the more stripped, grittier delivery fans will find familiar ground in Lewis’ clever little lost-love meditations and meanderings. There’s just a lot more stompin’ going on.

On Tongue, Jenny comes across as the kind of dusty-road girl with britches too big for her little country town, like the fire-maned girl from back in 5th grade, in a world all her own; the one you couldn’t take your eyes off of but never quite mustered the guts to talk to.

There’s a soft start to the bluesy opener Black Sand, deep bass coupled with a breathy, falsetto melodic design. Even with the rise of strings and percussion towards the end, it’s a deceptively minimalistic start to an album that’s anything but sparse.

Lucinda Williams’ brand of country rock and gospel are prevailing currencies on Acid Tongue, but stylistically it’s all over the place. This is really the only measurable flaw of the album, and if variation is your biggest downfall, chances are you’re doing alright.

The Next Messiah is a pulsing fit of soulful, psychedelic sexy, like PJ Harvey in a good mood after a few beers. Sure, it may not have needed to be three songs in one (clocking in at nine minutes and change), but the song’s atmospheric progression couldn’t have been achieved in segmented sections. A little dirty Southern rock never hurt anybody either- and the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson makes an appearance to back up that claim. 

Speaking of guests, Lewis pulled in an eclectic mix of collaborators for Tongue. Album standout and upbeat drifter tale Carpetbaggers features a duet with a red-hot Elvis Costello (and kicks the almighty shit out of any other country transplant out there- that means you Jessica Simpson), while Zooey Deschanel from She & Him (and Elf, haha) provides backing vocals on a number of songs and bandmate M. Ward contributes a “moody guitar part” to Pretty Bird. Other appearances include Rilo Kiley member Jason Boesel, Davey Faragher of Costello’s band The Imposters, Rilo Kiley producer Jason Lader, Ana and Paz Lenchantin (the latter being the former bassist for A Perfect Circle) and Farmer Dave Scher. Even the family got involved this time; Jenny’s sister Leslie Lewis provides backing vocals on two tracks, while her father Eddie Gordon plays the bass harp and harmonica throughout.

Lewis has only dabbled with LSD once, in her early teens. The experience, full of knives, a psychotic friend and a pilgrimage to the gates of an elementary school, is something she’s not looking to ever repeat. But the Kiley-esque title track refers to just that- slipping a tab under her tongue and headin’ down to Dixie. It’s a country-laced ballad featuring Robinson and Ward on backing vocals, and if you give yourself to it, the chorus can be a real heart-melter.

Lewis’ heartbreak confessionals conflict with the album’s often-exuberant, raucous feel. The seventies-ballad Godspeed addresses a friend in a damaging relationship, pleading to a reluctant muse. 

She’s not a soul singer by nature, but Jenny’s depth of sensuality bleeds through at just the right moments, such as  over the clipped guitars and quivering strings of the slow, sweetly psychedelic Bad Man’s World. There’s some weird psychedelic shit dropping here, and the song would be better off without it.

Fernando is a Rilo Kiley rocker, searing two-tone slide guitars and an impassioned vocal delivery stomping around in Spaniard boots. I’ve officially fallen in love with this girl’s voice.

Trying My Best To Love You is lovely, a strings-and-piano number that flirts with outright gospel. It’s beautiful, like slow-motion floating in some sunlit, hazy daydream. 

On the rising confidence of the metronome-centered Jack Killed Mom, Lewis admirably channels a little bit of Loretta Lynn. In fact, the song could really hit a hard stride if one Mr. Jack White were to step in on the six-string, and hell, maybe even sing a couple bars. 
 
Come to think of it, Jenny Lewis and Jack White seem like they’d be a hell of a collaboration. Certainly a damn sight better than what he did with Alicia Keys, but that’s another story.

The album goes out gently with Sing A Song For Them, a sad little ditty for the outcasts with pretty harmonies and an achingly beautiful piano refrain. It’s a great solo debut, and if nothing else, Acid Tongue showcases Lewis’ maturing talent as an eclectic and increasingly formidable songwriter. This album reaches for a more grown-up audience, more the soul-seeker types, but doesn’t abandon the pop genius of her previous work. It’s going to be exciting to see where she heads next.

Acid Tongue
WEA/Reprise
September 23, 2008

1. Black Sand
2. Pretty Bird
3. Next Messiah
4. Bad Man’s World
5. Acid Tongue
6. See Fernando
7. Godspeed
8. Carpetbaggers
9. Trying My Best To Love You
10. Jack Killed Mom
11. Sing A Song For Them