Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue

johnny_ultimate

New Jenny Lewis album on the way in a fortnight, and Irish gig in the Button Factory on the 19th of October.

Just listening through the new material here. Seems great - New Messiah is a really epic song, very different to any of the stuff from her last album or Rilo Kiley material.

Cadeaus

Sweet. her last solo was good, but still way preferred the Rilo Kiley stuff.

johnny_ultimate

Anyone else at the gig? What a show - superb performer, a load of energy on stage. Live definitely suits some of the newer tracks which really shone live while they lack a bit on the record. Still a massive Rilo Kiley fan, but she sure can put on a show with her solo stuff too.

Driver 8

Aye, very good show last night, even if I thought the Village show in 2006 was marginally better. That, and if I have to suffer one more crowd of indie fans who won't so much as tap their feet during a gig, I'm gonna scream :P Not her fault though, quality show.

johnny_ultimate

Driver 8 wrote: »

Aye, very good show last night, even if I thought the Village show in 2006 was marginally better. That, and if I have to suffer one more crowd of indie fans who won't so much as tap their feet during a gig, I'm gonna scream :P Not her fault though, quality show.

Yeah twas a shame the crowd weren't particularly energetic, considering the energy coming from stage. Was up at the very front and even there there seemed to be a very small amount of people excited. Second time seeing her and looking foward to her return in another two years :pac: Still yet to see Rilo Kiley live though.

Driver 8

I imagine it was just you and me showing any enthusiasm Johnny :P

I want to see a Johnathan Rice stand up show, by the way, funny man.

machiavellianme

What energy? Apart from the actual sound waves and photons of light?
Twas a god awful set. Near no life in it if you were just listening and not watching (found it hard to see the stage due to people in the way staring at the ground glumly). She finished well but I'd agree with Driver 8, she was better before. Slow country twang does not a good set make unless you're really upset or trying to look cool. She's capable of more and might be better off dropping the band and playing solo or in Rilo Kiley.

Driver 8

Well to be fair, the last time had even more slower songs.

And also, the last Rilo Kiley record was their worst by some margin

johnny_ultimate

machiavellianme wrote: »

What energy? Apart from the actual sound waves and photons of light?
Twas a god awful set. Near no life in it if you were just listening and not watching (found it hard to see the stage due to people in the way staring at the ground glumly). She finished well but I'd agree with Driver 8, she was better before. Slow country twang does not a good set make unless you're really upset or trying to look cool. She's capable of more and might be better off dropping the band and playing solo or in Rilo Kiley.

It did take a song or two to get into it but I really felt it worked. I don't know what kind of set you were expecting, but she played more or less all the standout songs from her two albums. Yeah a Rilo Kiley set would be more exciting, but her solo stuff is a different beast, and I think she had some great opportunities to show off her voice and compositons. I do agree that many of the songs on the new album lack spark, but live they felt far worthier. It was a show that got progressively better, and myself and the others I was with thought it was a fantastic show. Wasn't at the Villiage so can't compare (other show of hers I was at shall remain anonymous) but a great night was had.

PrivateEye

New album is quite good, and I'd probably go as far as to call it very good were it not for the fact Rabbit Fur Coat is among my favourite albums full stop.

As a follow up to such an album, it's meh....

Still yet to see Rilo Kiley live though.

Tell me about it

Driver 8

To be fair, Rilo Kiley have never played anything other than festivals over here. I'd imagine it'll be a while before they make another record, if ever.

I don't think Acid Tongue's that much worse than Rabbit Fur Coat. RFC is probably more cohesive, but i like the variety of songs on Acid Tongue too. I mean, in terms of recent output:

More Adventurous > Rabbit Fur Coat= Acid Tongue > Under the Blacklight

johnny_ultimate

Driver 8 wrote: »

More Adventurous > Rabbit Fur Coat= Acid Tongue > Under the Blacklight

You know I really like Under the Blacklight. I like the retro vibe. It isn't as consistent as More Adventurous or Take-Offs and Landings, but the great songs are fun as hell. But otherwise I agree. More Adventurous (and Take-Offs) is at the top, followed by Rabbit, followed by Under The Blacklight, followed by Acid Tongue. I really enjoy all of them, but the further down you go they do tend to have one or two skippable songs.

Driver 8

What about Execution? That's the best one! :P

johnny_ultimate

Driver 8 wrote: »

What about Execution? That's the best one! :P

Really must pick that up, never got around to it.

Although better than all: The Frug. A song that makes me what to similtaneously vomit and smile at the same time. Not many songs can make that boast.

Driver 8

You don't know how hard it was not to yell "Frug" Sunday

But yeah, Execution is far and away the best Rilo Kiley record.

Acid Tongue

Love it (obviously). I was also at the gig, up the front. I thought Jenny was fantastic, she put on a great show. That was my first time to see her live though