Singer/songwriter Jenny Lewis wears a rainbow pantsuit during tour stops to promote her most recent album, “Voyager,” the same suit she wears on the album’s cover , and performs in front of a whimsical, something-out-of-a-children’s-book rainbow banner.
But make no mistake – Lewis is no cutesy moppet, and many of her songs are more stormcloud than sunshine, as she proved during her Friday night show at Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, her third time in Atlanta in the past year-and-a-half (she played the Fox Theatre with The Postal Service in 2013 and had a strong set at this year’s Shaky Knees Festival)
The red-headed singer has gone through several musical incarnations – she provided backup vocals on the much-lauded 2003 Postal Service release “Give Up”, served as the frontwoman for indie rock group Rilo Kiley, recorded an album with the help of indie-folk sister act The Wilson Twins and is one half of Jenny and Johnny with her boyfriend, Johnathan Rice.
But Lewis shines the most when the spotlight is squarely on her. She made a strong impression from the beginning of her set, with a deeply felt rendition of the Rilo Kiley tune “Silver Lining” and a tuneful version of “Just One of the Guys,” a standout from “Voyager.”
Lewis’ multi-layered voice was showcased on the bluesy “The Next Messiah” and the Ryan Adams-influenced “The New You” (Adams produced most of the songs on “Voyager”), and she pushed the late-70s folk-rock vibe she pulls off so well on tunes like the Grateful Dead cover “Shakedown Street” and “You Are What You Love.”
But while she benefits from catchy songwriting and powerful pipes, what really sets Lewis apart in her onstage charisma. She struts around the stage with the swagger and confidence of a Stevie Nicks-inspired peacock, and moves effortlessly between playing keyboard and guitar and just helming a tune with her lovely voice.
For an encore version of “Acid Tongue,” from the 2008 album of the same name, Lewis enlisted her excellent backing band, including Natalie Prass and Megan McCormick, and opener Waxahatchee, to provide backing vocals while she strummed her guitar, and followed it up with the ‘70s country-tinged “She’s Not Me.” Brightly colored balloons It was a perfect closing one-two punch of tight musicianship and throwback tunes with a twist.
About the Author
