More tender than On The Line, Jenny Lewis returns with beautiful reflections on age and life as she continues maneuvering her 40s on Joy’All. It’s a blissful cadence of Alternative Pop-Country-Rock notes meshed into one wild venture that have you hearing these fun songs that hearten Lewis’s character as she shifts between the cheeky and the serious. It shows this grounded, humbling nature where the writing speaks wonders, even when it aims for rich simplicity, like when she sings the chorus of “Puppy and a Truck,” “Like a shot of good luck/I got a puppy and a truck/If you feel like giving up/Shut up/Get a puppy and a truck.” Though it doesn’t have the splendor of On The Line or her album prior, The Voyager, the pizzaz of Jenny Lewis’s Joy’All is subtle and beautifully embarks on a more tempered journey where the instrumentals rarely dry out as it brings significant depth within minimalism, like the title track, where the bass and claps are more pronounced while the shakers and drums smooth out the textures. That consistency is how Joy’All shines bright, keeping the listener in tow with Lewis’s charming vocal performances and solid songwriting/production.
Joy’All is a fantastic equilibrium of seriousness mixed with amusing anecdotes that speak wonders about who Jenny Lewis is and how she thinks and creates. That first waft hits you significantly, specifically as Lewis takes it upon herself to define this rebel Americana that sings to her rhythmic and lyrical desire. Thus, it isn’t much of a shock when continuing after the opening song, which plays on this notion of being seen as a “Psychos” – one focus is being different, happy, and thriving, despite others thinking she’s out there. The content of the music stays grounded with its content, never seeming to exceed into fantastical territory, keeping it real with the choruses – bridging connectivity, you’re in lockstep with Lewis’s musical direction – co-spearheaded by Dave Cobb, a Nashville producer who has worked with Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, as examples. Joy’All isn’t a pure Country record, but as past acts have done, the inclusion of a Country music producer adds musical dimensions, as they have a more distinct ear for emotionally potent string arraignments – there’s a twang to the layer progression, furthering the emphasis of specific notes Lewis sings – Cobb is no stranger to it, especially working with the guitar-focused works of Chris Stapleton, or the rounded indie flair of Americana that he co-produced on Brandi Carlisle’s last two albums.
Dave Cobb’s delicate approach to the synchronization of instrument and vocal speaks wonders to how they boast each other to be at peak quality; unfortunately, some slight inconsistency comes into focus as the musical gravitas created by the instrumental/production isn’t as potent, like with “Giddy Up,” which is a sonic contrast to the term’s emotional semantics, meaning speedy, a quick jolt of impulse. That gets translated into a mellow performance that gets positively reinforced with the writing; it expresses strength as Jenny Lewis tries to convince her significant other to give her a chance, though it could be moot. Like many songs, the vocal performance is noteworthy, and Cobb brings that out. When talking to MusicRadar.com during an interview in 2014, “Cobb has said ‘he focuses on the performer’s voice, aiming for an end product which sounds natural.’ Cobb often plays guitar, and occasionally drums, on the records he produces.” You get more than hints of it on Joy’All, especially as many of the songs reinforce the potency of Jenny Lewis’s vocals, making it the focal point guiding the guitar and drums. On “Essence of Life,” the ballad-like nature of its orchestration adds a lot to the fold – it keeps the instrumental layers centered and focused on Lewis’s melodic rhythms, which is grand.
With a more grounded approach, Jenny Lewis doesn’t let it overwhelm the sentiments she wants to relay. Sometimes steering down some happy-go-lucky roads, the melodic splits adds the final definition toward its poppy structure, like on “Puppy and a Truck,” where Lewis sings about feeling lost as she grows in age; to her, she can ponder and drive carefree after purchasing a puppy and a truck – as she would tell us on the song – igniting similar sentiments to forget your troubles, like when Beyonce told us to quit our jobs on Rennaissance. The same goes for songs like “Cherry Baby,” where Jenny Lewis sings about sentimental faults, like that of someone eagerly becoming enamored with anyone who offers attention or touch, or when comparing a past lover to the current on “Apples & Oranges,” getting cheeky with the writing but offering absorbent depth. It leaves you with slight disappointment as the album runs short at 32 minutes, but it’s a beefy 32 minutes where no nook or cranny is left empty.
As I continued through the album, I noticed there is no direction Jenny Lewis seems to be shy of; with “Love Feel,” Jenny Lewis uses drugs as an analogy to describe the sensation of the feeling from this person she sings about. It’s about reinforcing the lyrical content and allowing the performer to get heard, despite some weaker production, like on “Chain of Tears” and “Giddy Up,” the former is a modest closer, especially compared to the tracks that preceded it. It makes you appreciate the other moments more, especially the first half, where each song comes powerfully and leaves an imprint in your mind, reminding you to replay and enjoy the performances. Though Dave Cobb’s co-production isn’t as poignantly layered as past productions, Cobb finds Lewis’s strong points and beautifully creates around them, especially in the string sections.
Joy’All is a great album that mildly whiffs on the production with two songs, but as it centers the vocals, you get transported into this world of introspective depth and some fun. It’s a definite recommendation to passing fans who didn’t know Jenny Lewis dropped an album and to the new listeners who will hear a beautiful balance between the production and vocals that getting enthralled with the sound just comes with the territory. Give it a spin, and let me know what you think in the comments below. I know I’ll be spinning it on repeat during those cool summer nights.
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