Acid Tongue BY Jenny Lewis Reviewed by Adam D. Miller    Jenny Lewis has spent the last decade building up her musical resume with rock band Rilo Kiley. With the release of 2006’s Rabbit Fur Coat, however, the singer-songwriter proved that she was perfectly capable of going at it as a solo artist. The album was well-received, offering listeners a glimpse of another side of Jenny Lewis: low-key, soulful, and some might even say countryish. It’s no surprise that Lewis decided to follow Rilo Kiley’s 2007 release Under the Blacklight with another solo record, and this one is a real gem.Acid Tongue is a more satisfying listen than Rabbit Fur Coat, largely because it offers more variety and consistently stronger material. Although a few songs, like “Black Sand” and the title track, evoke Rabbit Fur Coat, other songs like “The Next Messiah” and “Jack Killed Mom” are completely different than anything Lewis has done before. “The Next Messiah” is the album’s most interesting track, virtually fusing three different pieces into one song. It starts with an upbeat, slide-guitar driven blues rock, before kicking into a funky Rolling Stones movement. Ultimately Johnathan Rice takes over as lead vocalist for the final bit, which coolly evokes the Cowboy Junkies at their darkest and most sinister. Play it loud. If “The Next Messiah” manages to speed up your heartbeat, “Acid Tongue” will cool it back down. The song is the latest in a long line of classic drug songs, and featuring the simple backing of acoustic guitar and vocal choir (Chris Robinson, Jonathan Wilson, Johnathan Rice and Farmer Dave Scher), Lewis tells us about the drugs that have managed to find their way out of one’s life. Elsewhere, as she did on Rabbit Fur Coat, Jenny Lewis channels the late great Laura Nyro with simple piano ballads featuring memorable backing vocal performances. This is particularly evident on “Bad Man’s World” and “Trying My Best To Love You.” Lewis also wears her influences on her sleeve with “Jack Killed Mom,” a twisted take on 1960s girl groups that features a creepy narration from singer-songwriter Benji Hughes. Jenny Lewis has plenty of friends in the indie rock circle, but none of them are as high profile as Elvis Costello. After Lewis offered her backing vocals to Costello’s Momofuku album, Elvis is back to return the favor on “Carpetbaggers.” Fans of Costello’s early work will be happy to hear his angry sneer on a few of the verses of this country rock song. Acid Tongue proves that even without the help of her Rilo Kiley bandmates, Jenny Lewis is a force to be reckoned with. Some may argue that her special guests – which also include M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel – are what make Acid Tongue a great album. However, apart from the occasional guest vocal, Lewis’ talents are what ultimately carry this album from start to finish. The result is not only a career best for Lewis, but also one of the best albums of 2008. |  |
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