Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at 2018 Newport Folk Festival in Newport, RI
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, NJ
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at SXSW 2016 in Austin, TX
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at Beacon Theatre in New York, NY on February 3rd, 2016
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at 2015 80/35 Festival in Des Moines, IA
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at 2015 Gentlemen of the Road Stopover in Waverly, IA
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at Bass Concert Hall in Austin, TX on January 31st, 2015
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at Terminal 5 in New York, NY on November 5th, 2014
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at 2014 Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, TX
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at Stubb’s in Austin, TX on October 3rd, 2014
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at 2014 Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at 2014 Newport Folk Festival
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at 2014 Boston Calling in Boston, MA
Click here for QRO’s review of Jenny Lewis at Battery Park in New York, NY on Fourth of July, 2009
Click here for photos of Jenny Lewis at Apollo Theatre in New York, NY on October 4th, 2008
Jenny Lewis brings back the past and comes back to Jenny Lewis. The singer/songwriter once of Rilo Kiley has gone a couple of different directions since Kiley went on hiatus in 2008 and she released her second solo record, Acid Tongue (QRO review), going on to release a record with her boyfriend Jonathan Rice as ‘Jenny & Johnny’ (QRO album review) and even participating in The Postal Service’s reunion tour (QRO photos). Rilo Kiley finally officially called it quits last year, which provided the spark for Lewis’ return to her solo work on The Voyager, which brings back more great American pop-rock stylings.
Whereas Acid Tongue varied in its revivals, The Voyager sticks mostly to the pop/rock/country that dominated airwaves in the seventies, like on opener “Head Underwater” or later “Aloha & The Three Johns”. The record hits its peak when Lewis puts more of herself into certain songs, like the sweet disco of him moving on in “She’s Not Me”, unable to be “Just One of the Guys”, or sweet & sexy & wistful crazy teenage summer “Late Bloomer”. She’s an effective and charming presence, even when just kicking back with the girls (before getting married) on “Love U Forever”.
There is an interesting strain of relationships in The Voyager that sets it apart from most ‘albums about love’, including getting married, threesomes, and babies (hers and his). However, sometimes the record slips back, as the songs that don’t stand out really don’t stand out, making it some great songs – and some filler. For instance, “The New You” comes off as some relatively simple ‘up with people’ country.
Jenny Lewis has had some ups and downs, but has a well-earned confidence and she draws from the past on The Voyager.