Getting to know April Smith

Tamara and I with April Smith!




If you don’t know who April Smith is, I guarantee you will soon. This girl is blowing up and shows no signs of slowing down. In the past six months, the New Jersey born, Brooklyn-based singer's music has been featured on Showtime’s “Weeds,” multiple commercials, and her band, April Smith and the Great Picture Show, also released their new music video for the dark and mischievous song, “Terrible Things.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg9-I0ULERA She just finished up a successful tour and most recently, April’s song, “Can’t Say No” (a song inspired by her adorable dog, Scout) was featured in a montage on the season premiere of “American Idol.”

I caught up with April recently to chat all about her whirlwind year and what’s on the horizon for her in 2011, starting with her reaction to “American Idol” using her song. “I was so excited. People started calling me and were like, ‘Oh my God, your song is on ‘American Idol!’ I think they were just looking for a song that fit and I guess mine kind of came up in the search. I'm really excited!”

Seeing as how over 26 million viewers saw the premiere of "Idol," April is sure to gain even more momentum. This kind of success doesn’t come easily, though.

“I don't have a label, so it's basically a DIY operation. You kind of have to get a team together that's 100% gunning for you at all times. After you make the album, it's like you’ve planted the seed and now you have to water it. You have to get promotion and radio and marketing and all that stuff and you have to pay for a tour and it's all so expensive... I've been pretty lucky as an artist without a label that I've gotten the opportunities that I've had because it's really tough to get those things happening.”

With the success of April Smith and the Great Picture Show’s album, “Songs for a Sinking Ship,” April is just now starting to hit her stride and has big plans ahead for the coming year.

“I've been writing. When you're involved in the business side, it's so hard to take off the ‘business hat’ and say, 'Now I've got to be creative.' So, I'm trying to find the balance between the two. I'm writing now and I'd like to have the next album written by the end of the year.”

The underlying style of her most recent album is a retro pop ‘30s and ‘40s inspired sound fused with vintage, jazzy vocals. She says she's looking forward to exploring and developing that sound even more.

“The retro/swing/big band sound has always been a favorite of mine, so it was definitely a different direction for me when it started influencing my writing. And I'm really happy with the way that 'Songs for a Sinking Ship' sounds, but I think as an artist you should hope that you evolve and change a little bit, even if it's not a drastic change. I definitely feel that on the next album, it'll be a little bit of a different sound, different instrumentation. It'll still have that retro sound, but maybe different elements.”

Perhaps why April is doing so well is because her music really is unlike anything else people have heard before in our generation.

"I feel like it's accessible, but it's not typical mainstream music," she continued. "I hope that works in my favor.”

If you read my previous review on April’s album, you’ll remember that I marveled at her powerful, moving voice and it had me wondering exactly when she discovered she could sing like that and how she got her signature sound.

“When I was little, I used to sing all the time. I would not shut up. I loved the ‘Annie’ soundtrack, so I used to sing that anywhere. When I was 13 and I realized I wanted to sing, I had this horrible stage fright and I was really nervous and gradually I got less nervous. It's just really important to find your voice and not try to sound like other people. You should always try and be unique in your style. When I tried to tune out everything around me, all the mainstream music, I think that's when I became a better singer. It was really easy for me to find my own voice."

If you listen to the entire album, each song tells a story and they all seem to be connected in a way, which led me to believe it could be turned into a pretty stellar musical. I asked April if she would ever consider taking on the task of turning her songs into a musical someday.

"I would love to do that, actually. My first college major was musical theater, but I switched to broadcasting. My big passion is to create my own music. I would love to do a musical. I've been approached by a couple people who are playwrights who have asked me if I wanted to write something and that would be a really fun thing to do when I have some downtime between albums, even if it's a really short show or writing a couple of tunes for a musical."

While a musical isn't out of the question, there is one goal that April would love to attain:

“What I really would love ultimately, is I would love to have one of my songs on ‘Glee.’ That would seriously rule. If someone told me I'd have sell my kidney, I'd say, ‘All right.’ I just want to have a song on that show. I think ‘Colors’ would be an amazing song for them to do.”


OK Gleeks, so have a listen to April Smith -- and after you discover exactly what I've been raving about, let’s get a Facebook campaign going to get one of her songs on “Glee”!


5 Quick Questions With April Smith:

What is the song that made you want to become a musician?
"'Somebody to Love' by Queen."

What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
"Listening to Wham."

What is one thing you want to try that you've never tried before?
"I would love to jump out of a plane someday. With a parachute, of course!"

What is your favorite city to play live in?
"Spokane, Washington."

What is one thing you can't live without on tour?
"A fingernail brush. I am super creeped out by dirt under my fingernails."

AvLav is back!

I’ve been waiting a long time for this: new Avril music!!! Nearly four years since her last record, her fourth studio album, “Goodbye Lullaby” is set for release in March. The track list has already been revealed. While I’m anxiously awaiting the release, the Max Martin produced kick-off single, “What the Hell,” gives us a taste of what’s to come from the new album and if this song is any indication, we definitely have a lot to look forward to from Avril this spring.

With synth-filled, steady beats and a prominent keyboard sound that doesn’t let up, “What the Hell” is an infectious, in-your-face, fist-pumping good time. Avril shows off her young, carefree attitude with taunting and teasing lyrics reminiscent of her lead-off hit song from her third album, “Girlfriend.” Her cheekiness is unrelenting in the power-pop single as she sings, “All my life I’ve been good but now I’m thinking ‘What the hell?’/ I don’t really care about if you love me, if you hate me, you can’t save me…” She even ends the number with a few playful “la la la’s.”

Avril kicked off the New Year by debuting the catchy, party song on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” to an amped-up audience. Based on that performance, the new single and the forthcoming album, it looks like 2011 is poised to be the year of Avril.

So… have you still not heard the song yet? “What the Hell” are you waiting for?!

Ingrid Michaelson at the Troubadour

Closing out her North American tour, singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson headed to the Troubadour for the first to two sold out shows in Los Angeles. I’ve seen her live before, but after this performance, I have made myself a solemn vow to see her in concert every time she comes to LA. This girl puts on a hell of a show. She is a consummate entertainer, to say the least, and left me with a perma-smile on my face the entire night.

Shortly after 10:15pm, the band entered to Led Zepplin’s “Immigrant Song” and started playing their version of the song. Immediately following the cover, Ingrid went right into her song “Soldier” (off her current album, “Everybody”). After a bit of ukulele trouble, she moved over to her keyboard to perform an older song, “Breakable.” After sharing a story of how Leann Rimes quoted her lyrics on Twitter, she busted out in to a short little ditty, appropriately titled “Famous People Know Who I Am” then dedicated the bubbly sounding, but lyrically heartbreaking “Once Was Love” to none other than Leann Rimes.

Then came time for “Die Alone” - her obligatory ‘happy song’ (as she called it). Don’t let the title fool you, it really is a song about hope in finding true love and realizing that maybe you won’t die alone. See? Happy song! With the ukulele problem now solved, it was audience participation time where we all sang back the chorus to “Mountain and the Sea.”

During the fun and catchy love long, “You and I,” each band member got to sing a little line and everyone joined in on the foot-stomping and hand-clapping at the end. After that, Ingrid was left alone on stage to regale the audience with her story of meeting R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, then proceeded to make my heart nearly explode with delight when she covered my favorite R.E.M. song, “Nightswimming.” It was a remarkable a capella rendition using a looping pedal to record her voice harmonizing the melody as she sang the lyrics over it. The entire crowd was captivated, even the ones who had never heard the song before.

After throwing in some new tunes, including “Annihilate” (which is a pending title) and her current single, “Parachute,” she began to sing one of my favorites: “The Chain.” At this point, I’d like to take a moment to really convey exactly how insanely good her vocals are. This girl has got chops. I’m really not a fan of that expression, but there’s really no other way to put it. Her vocal prowess is top notch. During “The Chain,” her voice filled the entire room, with Allie Moss and Bess Rogers singing the backing vocals in a round.

Learning her lesson the hard way in previous shows, she knows now never to play ‘the hit song’ first for those who just came to hear that one song. Her big hit, “The Way I Am” came about an hour into the show followed by another hit, “Maybe” (which is the song that takes me days to get out of my head once I’ve heard it.) I don’t think her fans could have asked for a better closing number than Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” which came complete with synchronized line-dancing and a fun little cheer-type pyramid at the end. While I love her original songs, I always look forward to seeing her live just to hear her cover songs, whether it’s Radiohead’s “Creep,” Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” or the theme song to “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.”

Instead of doing the traditional “run off stage and come back on two minutes later for the encore,” Ingrid and the band opted to simply have the lights go down and they each found a hiding spot on stage until the audience applause grew to deafening heights, waiting for an encore. We were all very pleased with her playing “Be OK” and then she got us all dancing around to a raucous, punk rock version of “The Way I Am.” She covered her own song and made it even more awesome than it was…if that’s possible.

She had the crowd laughing and singing all night and we all hung on to every word of her little anecdotes, not wanting her witty badinage to end. But I was lucky enough to get to meet and talk to her after the show. She's an absolute sweetheart. Her tour may have come to an end, but she does have four dates in Australia later this month. In the meantime, while you’re waiting for her to come back around to your city, be sure to download her current single, “Parachute.”

The Magic of TayTay

So, if you haven’t heard by now, Taylor Swift sings about the people in her life, and her exes in particular. Yes, some are famous. Yes, she doesn’t hold back. And yes, she’s done it in the past and she’ll continue to do so in the future. We can speculate all we which song is about what guy, but that would just overshadow the album itself, wouldn’t it? So let’s just put that aside and focus on Taylor’s music and impeccable songwriting.

At 16, Taylor broke ground with her sweet and mellow hit song, “Tim McGraw.” That’s when I first took notice of her. As a country artist, she definitely had what it took to maintain staying power. I knew she’d be going places, but I never imagined how huge she would become until I heard 2008’s “Love Story.” When a teenage girl can write a song that even my sixteen-year-old nephew (who is considered, by all definitions, a “jock”) likes to belt out, then obviously Taylor knows she’s struck a golden chord. Now nearly 21, Taylor continues to mature and grow into her role as prolific songwriter with the release of her third disc, “Speak Now,” an album that speaks volumes about heartache and regret. And Taylor, we’re listening.

“Mine” is the first single and the song that kicks off the album. A warm and lighthearted love song, it reached number 3 on Billboard Hot 100, making Swift the second female artist in the history (along with Mariah Carey) to debut multiple tracks in the top five during a calendar year – not an easy feat.

“Back to December” reminds us that we all have regrets, even Taylor. She’s usually the one who’s scorned, but in this number, she’s the one who made a mistake, and now wants to assuage the situation. We see a different side of Taylor in the title track “Speak Now,” in which she breaks up a wedding, claiming the guy deserves better than the girl he’s about to marry. The song contains one of her secret messages in her liner notes stating, “You always regret what you don’t say.”

As for “Mean,” this song is country through and through, complete with the twang of a banjo and the use of hand clapping as percussion, while “The Story of Us” leaves no metaphor left unturned as she describes the demise of a once perfect relationship.

“Innocent,” as we all know from Taylor’s VMA performance, is the “Kanye” song. Cleverly, her secret message in the liner notes for this song is: ‘Life is full of little interruptions.’ Regardless of the subject matter, it’s still a really affecting song. Making mistakes and having regrets seems to be a common theme on the album.
The claws come out on “Better Than Revenge,” which is a lot of fun lyrically with Taylor singing “…she’s an actress, but she’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress…She thinks I’m psycho ‘cause I like to rhyme her name with things…no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity.”

“Last Kiss” is heartbreaking ballad that focuses on the little details of a broken relationship, as opposed to the big milestones. It paints a vivid picture we can all relate to. At one point or another, we’ve all been crying on the floor, lamenting on what was and could have been.

There is not one ancillary song on the album and in spite of some of the more serious tracks, it’s clear that she knows how to have some fun. The album really does read as a diary put to music, which is excellent. So many great songs are based on personal, real-life experiences. The important thing to remember is to include your listeners by making it something they can relate to and avoid making it too self-indulgent. By not specifically naming names, Taylor pulls this task off very well. Having been a fan from the beginning, I’m glad to see she’s only getting better and better. And despite being in my late 20’s, I too find myself sometimes grabbing a hairbrush and singing along to Taylor. It can’t be helped. And I know I’m not the only one who’s done it, so no judging. That’s just my point. She reaches a wide variety of people and has a diverse audience, which bodes very well for the future of this talented young lady.

Kings of Leon - "Come Around Sundown"

It’s hard to believe it has been two years already since Kings of Leon’s highly successful breakout album, “Only By the Night,” was released. Songs from that album are still reverberating all over radio. Now brothers Caleb, Nathan, and Jared, along with cousin Matthew, are releasing “Come Around Sundown” — their fifth studio album. I think one question on everyone’s mind is: Can it compare to 2008’s commercial juggernaut? Well, I am lucky enough to have heard the new album already… and I have the answer: Who cares?

The album is a strong and unyielding endeavor. If you’re looking for the “Use Somebody” Kings that shot to uber-stardom with their last album, you might be a bit disappointed. Parts of it are there, but it’s very understated and I don’t want to make comparisons because they sound different with each progressing album. This is one of those bands that I love to see explore new sounds because they can do so much experimentation and still sound incredible.

The album kicks off with “The End.” With a transcendent bass line, the brooding song has almost a Killers(-ish) sound to it. The first single off the album, “Radioactive,” is a thrashy, riotous number with a fuzzy guitar sound, complete with falsetto backup vocals.The backing falsetto continues on “Mary,” a song that holds a steady beat as Caleb pledges, “No I won’t, never once, make you cry / Just to kiss, how I’ll miss your goodbye.”

Several songs pay homage to the band’s home state of Tennessee. “The Face” suggests, “If you give up New York, I’ll give you Tennessee, the only place to be.” The tribute to their roots continues with the southern anthem, “Back Down South.” With a country tinge and a hint of steel guitar, it’s a mesmerizing song, highlighted by Caleb’s lackadaisical singing. The juxtaposition works great. While on the surface, they are singing about the south, upon closer examination of the lyrics, the song could also simply be construed as another “Sex On Fire,” as the descriptive imagery suggests. I love the double meaning behind their words!

“Birthday” is a good-time drinking song all about taking someone home and “Fallin’ and laughin’ at the drinks we spilled / Just one of those nights that I had to share.” As for “Mi Amigo,” I have a hard time trying to figure out if he’s being literal or if what he’s singing about is symbolic of something else. It’s hard to tell, but it’s a fun song, nonetheless. The album closes with “Pickup Truck,” an intensely passionate track that alludes to getting caught having an affair.

Lead singer Caleb Followill’s soulful, raspy voice echoes through the entire album and if you’re a longtime Kings fan, you’ll notice “Come Around Sundown” evokes some elements of their earlier albums, “Aha Shake Heartbreak” and “Because of the Times.” Still, this album also propels them forward into a new realm. It’s a little more subdued than strident, focusing more on the laid-back, meandering musicianship and thought-provoking words. It’s a solid effort and a great album to listen to whether you’re at the gym, on a road trip or if you just want to unwind.

Paramore/Tegan and Sara concert

Me w/ Tegan and Sara (or Sara and Tegan if we're going from left to right)


Pop rock, chick rock, punk-pop rock, alternative rock… however you want to categorize Paramore, the operative word here is: rock. And what I witnessed at the Honda Center in Anaheim this past Sunday was a genuine rock show in every sense of the word. These guys really know how to put on an entertaining concert — full of energy, pyrotechnics, and even a little head banging. But I’ll get to that in a minute…

The Anaheim show was the very last night of the 2010 Honda Civic Tour. Kicking off the night in this four-band event was Kadawatha, who was then followed by New Found Glory. As an old school NFG fan, I was pleasantly surprised and glad to see that they’re still touring and going strong as a band. Their set was short but memorable and even included their cover of Sixpence None The Richer’s “Kiss Me” and they surprised the crowd by bringing out Paramore’s Hayley Williams for their song “Vegas.”

After New Found Glory, one of my all-time favorite musical acts, Tegan and Sara, took the stage. This was my sixth time seeing them in concert and I truly never tire of seeing them. Usually, their music comes across much better in a smaller, more intimate venue, but they sounded GREAT in the arena! It just so happened to be the twin sisters’ 30th birthday and they celebrated it with perfection as they opened their set with “Living Room,” leading straight into “I Bet It Stung,” followed by “The Con.” When they started playing “Walking With a Ghost,” things took a comical turn when people dressed in sheets came out on stage as ghosts and started dancing around.

After performing more of their old favorites, like “So Jealous” and “Where Does the Good Go?” the twins played some stuff off their current album, “Sainthood.” Meanwhile, I was loving every minute of it because this arena was filled with nearly 15,000 screaming fans waiting to see Paramore and those who hadn’t heard of Tegan and Sara before were getting a lesson in how great they really are. Of course, many were there to see Tegan and Sara as well, but I think it’s safe to say these girls will now have a lot more fans thanks to this tour. After closing yet another fun and perfectly executed set with “Hop A Plane,” the ladies left the stage following an erupting applause.

And now to the main event — I’ve been a fan of Paramore for a couple of years now, but this was my first time seeing them in concert, so needless to say, I was pretty excited to see what was in store. The music started with the band behind a curtain. After only seeing their silhouettes for a few minutes, the curtain finally dropped and they opened with “Ignorance.” I was immediately sucked in. After “No Sympathy,” the band had everyone (including me) singing and dancing along to “That’s What You Get.”

Hayley Williams is the ultimate frontwoman: charismatic, engaging, and fun with a powerhouse voice. Donning a Girl Scout sash, she was full of energy, running around on stage and head banging to a point where I had to question how many Red Bulls she had consumed. This girl must run daily marathons uphill while singing. How else could she have this much energy and be able to sing like that while being so active on stage? But I guess that’s just how talented she and the rest of the band are. They made it very clear how grateful they were to all their fans and made this show worth the fans’ while.

After sending the audience into a frenzy performing “Decode,” the band paid tribute to their roots. Having formed in Tennessee (the country music capital) Hayley busted out a rendition of Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough To Take My Man.”

For the acoustic part of their set, Hayley and the boys (lead guitarist Josh Farro, drummer Zac Farro, bass player Jeremy Davis, and rhythm guitarist Taylor York) were sitting on and gathered around a stylish red couch playing their songs campfire-style. During the acoustic portion, they dedicated the song “Overlap” to all their fans and ended with “Misguided Ghosts,” before taking a brief break.

Upon returning, they kept the nonstop energy up and had everyone in the arena on their feet for “Crushcrushcrush” and then slowed things down a bit with their current hit “The Only Exception.” This is where my one complaint about the show comes in (and it had nothing to do with the band at all). This song is the typical “Bic lighter” song where everyone holds up a lighter and sways back and forth, which is great. It’s tradition. Every great band has at least one of these songs. And maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I was bothered by everyone (and I mean everyone) using their cell phones instead of a lighter. Or using their “lighter app” on their iPhone, which is just a poor substitute. It distracted me.

For that matter, I was also distracted by every third person constantly holding up their video cameras throughout the entire show. I find this happening more and more with every concert I attend. Maybe I’m being too picky, but doesn’t it take away from the concert experience by watching the whole show through a tiny screen on your camera? A word of advice to all concert-goers: just take a few pictures and maybe film them singing your favorite song, and then put the technology away and just be in the moment. Be there with your favorite band and experience it with them. The memory of it will be far more effective than a grainy video taken from 200 feet away. It’ll also be less distracting to the people around you. Sorry for the tangent… I just had to vent for a minute.

Now, back to the show. After leaving the stage, the crowd was clamoring for more and Paramore gave us exactly what we wanted. For their encore, they began with “Brick By Boring Brick” and followed that up with their very first hit, “Misery Business,” which is what closed out the night along with sparklers and falling confetti. None of this, however, before making one lucky fan’s entire year by inviting him up on stage to sing with the band. Seeing as how he said he had seen them in concert 21 times and it’s pretty much everyone’s dream to be pulled up on stage by their favorite band, I’m assuming he can cross this off his bucket list and will probably never want for anything again.

It may have been my first time seeing Paramore in concert, but after an explosive and lively show like this, it definitely won’t be my last. Their touring continues overseas in October starting in New Zealand, but I’m hoping they’ll make it back to the states soon.

My Interview with Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice

Me and J.Lew

Ooookay...so I got to interview THE goddess of music, my favorite singer, ruler of my iPod and biggest musical inspiration, Jenny Lewis. Cross that one off the bucket list.


After two previous solo albums under each of their belts, Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice have finally decided to join forces on a full-length alum entitled “I’m Having Fun Now.” I, for one, could not be more excited. Each of them is an established artist in their own right. Jenny Lewis (who happens to be my favorite singer) is the lead singer/frontwoman of beloved, semi-defunct, LA band Rilo Kiley and she also earned critical praise on her two solo albums, “Rabbit Fur Coat” and “Acid Tongue.” Virginia-bred Johnathan Rice brought his Dylan-esque attitude to his past solo albums, “Trouble Is Real” and “Further North.” After previously collaborating on each other’s records, they’re taking it to the next level performing as Jenny and Johnny.

I had the incredible opportunity to interview Jenny and Johnny about their new album and asked the real-life couple about the collaboration process.

Johnny: “We've developed a pretty easy working relationship. For this album, anyway. There were no Fleetwood Mac levels of strife.”Jenny: “It wasn't fraught, but I think the more you play music, the more you learn the language of music and being able to express what you hear. It's one thing to hear it, it's one thing to play it, but I think you have to be able to communicate what you want. With this, we worked with Pierre de Reeder from Rilo Kiley and he is very open. So, we were actually able to get our hands on the controls in the studios, plug stuff in, where in the past it was a little more hands off.”

The finished product is pretty extraordinary. This is a fun album (as the title so aptly states)! Serpents, sharp shiny objects, withering relationships, and the seemingly unending recession are all motifs thoroughly explored and exposed on the eleven-track collection. The laid back and upbeat sound is juxtaposed with the lyrics, which offer a more dark, brooding, ominous tone. When I asked if they were going for a specific sound on the album, Johnny told me, “I think the sound kind of emerged into its own thing. We didn't want to make something that sounded like it was from another time. We wanted it to sound like it was from right now.”
“Right now via the ‘90s rather than the ‘60s,” Jenny added.

Some songs on the album have a kind of beach-feeling sound to them. The kick-off single, “Scissor Runner,” and the catchy and relatable “Big Wave” (which is all about lack of money and self-medicating) are prime examples of that. Johnny explains, “We made a concerted effort to spend much more time at the beach because this is the most time that we've had off. We spent a lot of it at the beach.”

“Renting bikes,” Jenny added. “We had actually gone bike riding in Venice. And I actually have a tan for the first time since I was in ‘The Wizard’” (alluding to her fair skin and her acting past).

The album is full of memorable tracks. “Switchblade” is all about what happens when you go from being broke to finally getting some money in your pocket with lines like, “It was poverty that kept you sweet / And dreams that kept you young. The money started rolling in / You stopped having any fun.”

“My Pet Snakes” is a thrashy, beat-laden number about a conflicted relationship (whether personal or professional). Once the NRE (new relationship energy) is over, what comes next? Do you stay and keep at it or do you bail? While in “New Yorker Cartoon,” we’re taken for an acid trip of a ride complete with vampire bats and saluting paper bags. “Committed” is a song I appreciate for personal reasons. Being a huge Michael Jackson fan, I got a kick out of the line, “For God and for country, for Michael Jackson’s monkey…” -- an homage to the singer and his chimp, Bubbles.

“I’m Having Fun Now” is transcendent, reaching every level of emotion, making it easy to listen to no matter what kind of mood you’re in. Johnny (sporting a spiffy new haircut as a result of losing a bet) easily blends his raspy, growling voice in with Jenny’s hypnotic, rich, honeyed vocals.

The two of them have the ability to create something beautiful. Their personal relationship is balanced perfectly with their professional relationship as they both seem to have genuine respect for each other’s work. I asked what Jenny’s favorite Johnathan Rice song was. “Animal,” she responded. “But it’s hard because songs change... your perception of them.” And Johnny’s favorite Jenny song? “Silver Lining.”

Working with each other hasn’t stopped them from branching out and working with other people. I asked them whom they would love to collaborate with the most.

Johnny: “We’ve both been so lucky and serendipitous. I feel like we'll probably get to collaborate we everyone we want to. Almost. Jenny has sung with Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, all these great artists… and it all happens very naturally and beautifully and you couldn't ask for anything more, really.” Jenny: “Well, when you get a chance to work with Elvis Costello, at that point you’re kind of like ‘OK.’ But actually, I'm a fan of collaborating with people who are just kind of beginning their musical careers in a way. I love working with women who are just starting to embark on that journey. It's always great to have a bunch of girls in my band that are on their first tour. Like the [Watson] twins when we toured “Rabbit Fur Coat,” it was so much fun.”

As for Jenny’s band, Rilo Kiley, many are wondering what will become of the cherished group. I asked Jenny if I witnessed the very last Rilo Kiley concert at the Greek two years ago, or if they had something in the works. She told me, “I don't know. I know we don't have any plans to make a new record right now but we are putting together a compilation of B-sides and rarities, which is taking a bit longer than we originally expected, so we're hanging out and compiling a bunch of stuff. So, we'll see what happens with that.”

Jenny and Johnny kicked off their tour in Jenny’s native Los Angeles on Sunday night at Three Clubs in Hollywood to a crowd of about 200. The intimate show is just the first of many over the next few months. I asked them what is their favorite city to which to play. Jenny loves playing in Los Angeles and Austin, while Johnny likes D.C. and Chapel Hill.

Be sure to catch them on tour in your city! If it’s anything like Sunday night’s show, you’re in for a great time with artists who genuinely love what they do.


5 Quick Questions with Jenny and Johnny:

What is the song that made you want to become a musician?
Jenny: “Pass the Dutchie.”
Johnny: “ ‘Cinnamon Girl’ by Neil Young and Crazy Horse.”

What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
Johnny: “Sleeping when everyone else has to work.”
Jenny: “I don't really have any guilty pleasures…Mum's the word.”

Something you want to try that you’ve never tried before?
Jenny: “Uni. Sea Urchin. It looks so gross.”

Favorite location to get away from it all?
Johnny: “Big Sur”
Jenny: “The back yard.”

What is the one thing you can’t live without on tour?
Jenny: “A soft pillow.”