Acid Tongue
Debut solo album by Jenny Lewis, released September 2008.
Acid Tongue, Jenny Lewis's debut solo album and second overall release, came out in September 2008 on Warner Bros. and Rough Trade. It reached number twenty-two in the US and number fifty-five in the UK.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Jenny Lewis
- Released
- September 23, 2008
- Recorded
- December 2007–March 2008; Sound City Studios, Van Nuys
- Genre
- Indie rock, alternative country
- Length
- 47:24
- Label
- Warner Bros., Rough Trade
- Producer
- Jenny Lewis
- Johnathan Rice
- Dave Scher
- Jason Lader
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Sand | Jenny Lewis | 2:53 |
| 2 | Pretty Bird | Lewis | 3:46 |
| 3 | The Next Messiah | Lewis, Johnathan Rice | 8:47 |
| 4 | Bad Man's World | Lewis, Rice | 3:40 |
| 5 | Acid Tongue | Lewis | 3:54 |
| 6 | See Fernando | Lewis | 3:33 |
| 7 | Godspeed | Lewis | 4:32 |
| 8 | Carpetbaggers | Rice | 3:33 |
| 9 | Trying My Best to Love You | Lewis, Rice | 3:07 |
| 10 | Jack Killed Mom | Lewis, Rice | 5:27 |
| 11 | Sing a Song for Them | Lewis, Rice | 4:09 |
| 12 | The Highs and Lows of Being Number One (Japanese bonus track) | Lewis, Rice | 4:12 |
| 13 | Pelican Bay (iTunes/Japanese bonus track) | Lewis | 3:09 |
| Total length | 47:24 | ||
Track listing from the source article.
Influences and recording
Lewis began work on Acid Tongue after writing the title track during her Rabbit Fur Coat tour. She had attempted to arrange the song for Rilo Kiley's Under the Blacklight but instead recorded it for a second solo album. House parties at Jonathan Wilson's Laurel Canyon home inspired the album; Lewis described these jams where older session musicians and younger locals sang Grateful Dead and J. J. Cale covers. She contrasted Acid Tongue with Rabbit Fur Coat's folk rock, saying it "rocks a little harder," and used Under the Blacklight's polished sound as a reference point to go in the opposite direction. The album was recorded in three weeks at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, and co-produced by Lewis's boyfriend Johnathan Rice, Dave Scher, and Jason Lader. Lewis aimed to capture a live feeling, recording many songs live. She noted the sessions were less focused than Rabbit Fur Coat, emphasizing vibe and collaboration. A source described the album as sounding "super natural, nice, and simple." The music draws from alternative country, Americana, indie rock, and soul.
Composition
The title track "Acid Tongue" was Lewis's "thinly veiled way of getting out of writing a strictly 'confessional' song," referencing her experience with LSD at age 14. "The Next Messiah," a nine-minute ode to Barbra Streisand and the devil, was tracked completely live and consists of three songs Lewis and Johnathan Rice wrote together. The album includes a duet with Elvis Costello, "Carpetbaggers," written by Rice for the Rabbit Fur Coat tour. Zooey Deschanel provides backing vocals on several songs, and M. Ward plays guitar on "Pretty Bird." Other contributors include Jason Boesel, Davey Faragher, Benji Hughes, Ana and Paz Lenchantin, Chris Robinson, and Jonathan Wilson.
Release
In February 2008, Entertainment Weekly reported Lewis was working on the album. Before release, listeners could hear the title track by calling 1-888-717-ACID; the song was later replaced with a recording announcing secret performances. Videos on Lewis's YouTube page showed Ben Gibbard visiting with balloons to hear the album. On September 9, the full album streamed on Lewis's MySpace page. It was released on CD and LP in late September, with select independent stores giving away a 7" single of "The Next Messiah." Lewis toured in support, including an appearance at the Austin City Limits Festival and opening for Conor Oberst.
Critical reception
Acid Tongue received generally favorable reviews, scoring 75 out of 100 on Metacritic. Creative Loafing noted Lewis "stomps her boots" on similar terrain to Rabbit Fur Coat, with well-placed jolts giving greater balance. The Sunday Times called the results magnificent but occasionally shaky. Jim DeRogatis of the Chicago Sun-Times described the album as "sensual and entrancing." The Daily Trojan found the tracks "psychedelic, occasionally sexy, but always timeless," though lacking thematic focus. Filter praised the title track as "simply beautiful." The Times said Lewis's songwriting was "leagues ahead" of her past work. The Detroit Free Press highlighted her versatile vocals. However, Angela Zimmerman of Crawdaddy! felt Lewis used a "pervasive soprano that she can't quite execute" on several tracks.
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