Uncle Zeke's Top 20 o' 2014: #8 - JENNY LEWIS: "The Voyager"


#8 - JENNY LEWIS: "The Voyager"


Jenny Lewis. Former lead vocalist of Indie band, Rilo Kiley. Yeah... let's talk about Rilo Kiley, shall we? A band that is every bit as much Nebraskian as they are Los Angelian. Is that a word? Angelian? My computer doesn't think so.... Anyhoo.... Rilo Kiley.  Yeah... one of the staples of Saddle Creek Records, based out of Omaha, Nebraska. Whoduthunk that a Midwest town like Omaha would house one of the most important record labels of the last 10-15 years. What I don't get about Rilo Kiley... or, rather, the FANS of Rilo Kiley...is how so many people said that Rilo Kiley had "sold out" with their last album, "Under the Blacklight". Why, because they signed to Warner Bros. Records?  Well what in the Sam Hell would YOU do if you were a band on a relatively small label and one of the biggest labels in the world wanted YOU? Yeah, I thought so. So shut up and leave Rilo Kiley alone. 

Lest I digress...

Jenny Lewis managed to maintain a solo career, even when Rilo Kiley was a thing. (I should point out that they aren't any more)  She even collaborated with the quirky Watson Twins, which I thought was good. No, it was REALLY good. Jenny even collaborated with her then-boyfriend, Johnathan Rice, doing the one-album act, "Jenny and Johnny". That, too, was good. No, it was DANG good.

2014's "The Voyager" was Jenny Lewis' first solo album post-Rilo Kiley and it proves to carry on where Rilo Kiley left off... doing smart Pop flavored music with great melody and thoughtful, honest lyrics. I really like this album. Like a LOT. #8 a lot. 


"She's Not Me"




"Just One of the Guys"




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