Don't Forget About Jenny Lewis
I’ve always had a thing for redheads. I think it might have started with Raggedy Anne and then maybe moved on to Pippi Longstocking, but the crimson haired gal that has held my attention the longest is the lovely Jenny Lewis. My interest in Jenny started in the late ’80s with the classics (well, classics to me) Troop Beverley Hills and The Wizard. In both films, her characters were sassy and cute and had a take-charge kind of attitude. From those first movie roles I saw, she seems very much like the real life Jenny that I love today. She writes songs about love, relationships, and break ups, but does it without sounding trite and without making life a cliché.
Lewis is probably best known for her work in the indie rock band Rilo Kiley. In addition to her work in the band, she has released two solo albums. I’d suggest you give a listen to anything by Miss Lewis, but Take Offs and Landings as well as Rabbit Fur Coat (in which she got support from The Watson Twins) are not to be missed. Her most recent work can be heard in I’m Having Fun Now, which she recorded with boyfriend Jonathan Rice. Jenny and Johnny (as they are now known) have put together a pop gem that is full of songs that sound carefree, but upon further listen it is apparent that the two really have something meaningful to say. Don’t let the upbeat, sing-along, “do do do” in Big Wave fool you; this is a song in which the pair speak to the current economic crisis. Pretty heavy stuff, right? But Jenny sings with such whimsy that it’s easy to forget about your problems and hum along.
Having been a fan of Jenny Lewis for years, I am anxious to see what she will do next. In my eyes the girl can do no wrong–-she’s smart and cute, quirky and fun, and oh yeah, she is an amazingly talented singer and songwriter. She simply exudes confidence in everything she does. Go dig your way through her collection and see what this indie pop goddess has to offer.
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