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There's a power, an interesting hook, something to remember. "Black Sand", while pretty, is subdued for a first track (especially considering that she opens her live shows with See Fernando), and "Pretty Bird" is much more of a complement for it in style, and possibly slower in pacing to boot. Once someone pops in Acid Tongue for the first time, especially if they're familiar with Rabbit Fur Coat, it is somewhat surprising. However, as you listen again, with the full context of the album, the earlier tracks become stronger.
On Acid Tongue, two consecutive slow tracks begin the album. After the first, and even second listen, I was firmly in the 3.5 star camp. Then the album takes a spike in tempo, as the rip-roaring and very fast "See Fernando" begins to shape the image of the album. A month ago, I would have rated it 4/5. "The Last Messiah" follows, which is nearly nine minutes, and the first time you hear it, you definitely notice it's nine minutes, as you're dying for something new.
For the remainder of the album, Lewis has several great efforts, with Godspeed being the only possible "miss" on the final half of the album.To this point, it sounds like a 3-4 star review. However, the album is just getting played more and more recently, and it is becoming better as time goes by. On RFC, after a small minute track to warm up, three of the next four songs were very upbeat or powerful songs (The Charging Sky, The Big Guns, and Rise Up With Fists., only with Happy intervening). Suddenly, "The Last Messiah" lasting nine minutes is a little more acceptable when you see the huge role of the supporting cast on the remainder of the album, and the impact of them as such. "Bad Man's World" goes back to a slower pace, which I know threw me off of my expectations for Acid Tongue on the first lesson.Luckily, the album does pick up after that.
The title track is still slow, but there's a spark behind it that I feel Pretty Bird and Black Sand are missing. Songs like "Black Sand" or "Bad Man's World" become significantly more listenable because you know that it will pick up later, and that this is the balance. It's not perfect, it needed to be in a different order and I felt like a few tracks could have been omitted if she wanted to, but I think it's just on the cusp of 5 stars, barely.
Are we sure Blake wasn't writing some of those old lyrics.But seriously, this is a put-on, right. Too many songs here feel like transcripts of AA meetings.
And not the good, "Rumors-era Fleetwood Mac" kind of El Lay that we got on the last RK album. More "Eagles/Sheryl Crow survivor-rock, confessional singer-songwriter, Bob Dylan Saved" kind of El Lay.
El Lay. Or maybe the problem is rehab.
What could it mean that her solo work---where she's presumably free to follow her every whim---comes across as the work of a completely artificial, shallow and calculated personality. Is this really her attempt to get back to her acting career.
Or is this really who she is. Right.
As is all her stuff. I'm not exactly sure what some of the other reviewers don't like about this CD. Never mind them, get this and enjoy.
This is one of the best albums I've bought in a long time. Every song is singing to my soul. Jenny's voice is so rich. I'll keep an eye out for more of her music.
Largely speaking, I feel like the mellower songs are the strong side of the album, adding to the first two tracks the beauty of Bad Man's World and Acid Tongue, and the melancholy of Trying My Best To Love You. Never heard of Rilo Kiley, never heard of her first album, and would have probobly never hear about her if it wasn't for this album.I picked it up after reading about Chris Robinson's involvement, and after getting some heartfelt reccomendations from friends with similar musical taste.I was overwhelmed by the beauty and simplicity of the album. I have never heard of Jenny Lewis before. The more rocking numbers are very fun as well, but I often find myself only listening to the mellow songs.I have read some reviews here questioning whether people would still like this album if it wasn't for Jenny Lewis. The humble majesty of the first two songs, Black Sand and Pretty Bird, cought me completely off guard. Jenny's voice and aesthetics often reminds me of Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris. As I said, I had no idea who she was before this album. I would even go one further and say that I'm not too keen to immediately explore her earlier recordings, as I feel like they can only dissapoint after the haunting beauty which awaits around every corner of this beautiful, simple album.One for the books.
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