Jenny Lewis - The Voyager

Lewis is more interested in pop and the better writer.

...now, at any rate. Mann isn't interested in a mass audience.

This beings fabulously, four of her best songs, then it sags in the middle to pick up again in its last two songs.

agree with that assessment alfred, but dogwood and do si do are very solid too

Lewis is more interested in "pop" how, exactly? Because this sounds as boomer indebted as Mann. (And not just due in part to all the boomers boosting it - hats off to Benmont Tench!).

Boomer indebted for sure -- and the new boomer cohort that dug Rilo Kiley -- but Lewis likes big hooks and promotes herself in a way that Mann no longer does.

Promotion (presentation) for sure, but I'm not convinced Lewis's hooks are necessarily bigger or more inescapable. Maybe she just varies the tempos a bit more, but I just put on Lost in Space and I can totally imagine Jenny Lewis singing most of these songs.

oh! I thought you referred to recent Mann.

Oh, no, ha. Current Mann is chill to the point of invisibility. I'm just surprised I never encounter people citing peak Mann the way they praise Lewis, when to my ears they have a lot in common, from the lost in LA vibe to the lyrics, at least to an extent. Lotta Mann songs about drugs and hard living.

I was listening to both Mann's peak stuff and Rilo Kiley at the same time in the early '00s.
(And I still love Mann, honestly - the latest one has some real good stuff on it, if obviously she's gotten much more subdued. You might wanna check out The Both as well)

The Both is great. I think I heard they were working on new stuff? I get the feeling things aren't going so well for Ted, or maybe he's just the rare rock dude to open up about financial difficulty.

Last time I saw Mann live, last year, she was great. Smaller band than usual, though.

This beings fabulously, four of her best songs, then it sags in the middle to pick up again in its last two songs.

(Though what the heck is "Bobby forever" in "On the Line"?)

Also, I really do love the production and general sound of it all, in particular the keys, reverb and drum effects (like Josh brought up, similarities to Aimee Mann's work). A lot of great contributors - besides the Benmont Tench keys, many other seasoned session players, and Beck did some consulting and backup vocals. Definitely feeling those Heartbreakers / Travelling Wilburys / Springsteen vibes. Kind of incredible that Ringo Starr contributed to "Heads Gonna Roll" and "Red Bull and Hennessy".

But yeah, "Heads"/"Red Bull"/"On the Line" are all among her best ever work, "Wasted Youth" and "Rabbit Hole" also great tracks.

new single is GREAT omg HYPED for the album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tA0ewSoW14

Jenny Lewis - Psychos

a bit of a letdown, "Psychos" remains the standout for me, but "Puppy and a Truck" is also really good, enjoying the production here a lot more than "On the Line"

wouldn't go as far as Alfred though but that's because I don't see it as a failed country album

enjoyed the writing here all the same https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jenny-lewis-joyall/

title track goes quite hard

this was an interesting read https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/04/jenny-lewis-joyall-interview-rilo-kiley-harry-styles-puppy

Thanks!