Album Review: Jenny Lewis, Joy'All

For her fifth solo album, Jenny Lewis moved to Nashville, where she recorded in the legendary RCA Studio A with eight-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb on production duties. The result is a cracking collection that veers from country to soul, all delivered with a laid-back feel and a genuine warmth.

Current single ‘Psychos’ is all mid-paced groove and toe-tapping melody. ‘Puppy And A Truck’ is arguably the catchiest three minutes of the entire album, delivered with a country twang, a few f-bombs and a whole heap of heart and attitude; it’s rivalled for addictiveness by the soulful, expletive-laden earworm of ‘Cherry Baby’.

On the breathless ‘Giddy Up’, she implores the song’s subject to “Take a chance on a little romance, we’re both adults” – while she explores the other end of the relationship spectrum on the ’70s-inspired break-up ballad, ‘Essence Of Life’, which wouldn’t feel out of place on a Carole King record.

‘Balcony Blessing’ is steeped in country soul, while ‘Love Feel’ is Nashville-tinged honkytonk, Lewis namechecking everyone from Hank Williams to John Prine. The title track is all hand-claps, skiffle drums and an almost jazzy groove, the catchy melody very much at odds with the dark subject matter, as she recounts a traumatic event at a teenage party which “almost destroyed me.”

Top class.

8/10