A couple weeks back Jenny Lewis and her boyfriend Johnathan Rice released their first album as a duo known as Jenny and Johnny. Lewis you may know from Rilo Kiley or her own solo work, and Rice has had his own solo project for awhile as well. In my review of their record “I’m Having Fun Now”, I wasn’t overly kind to Rice, basically saying he was the weak link in an otherwise lovely album from Jenny Lewis. Well, having heard this interview and live session with the both of them, I stand by that claim. Still, this session is interesting, with simple acoustic guitars and the two voices it works surprisingly well. There’s a small touch of piano as well on “Switchblade”. In the interview, the pair talked about how the project came into existence, why the album title is what it is, and doing some work with Elvis Costello. It’s one of the better artist interviews I’ve heard recently, though things do get a bit awkward when the interviewer goes off on his love for Costello’s TV series “Spectacle”. Good stuff to start your weekend with though, and I hope you enjoy it thoroughly.
Jenny and Johnny, Live on Minnesota Public Radio, 9-12-10:
Jenny and Johnny – Big Wave (Acoustic Live on MPR)
Jenny and Johnny – Animal (Acoustic Live on MPR)
Jenny and Johnny – Switchblade (Acoustic Live on MPR)