Most people know as her as the glamorous yet nonchalant frontwoman of Rilo Kiley. Even more devoted fans have supported her solo act with local The Watson Twins. Our own lady of Silverlake, Jenny Lewis, is now coming out with her second solo studio album. However, unlike the extreme studio finish of Rilo Kiley’s latest best seller Under The Blacklight, Lewis plans on going in the opposite direction. Going for as much of a live vibe as possible, her new album Acid Tongue, due September 23, is stripped down to further reveal herself. According to Billboard Magazine, Lewis has a slew of guest appearances on the album.

The album features guest spots from a number of Lewis’ friends, including Elvis Costello, who duets with her on “Carpetbagger”; the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson; and current beau Rice. Zoeey Deschanel offers backing vocals on several tracks (”I love being Flanked by hot brunettes,” Lewis says), and Deschanel’s She & Him cohort M. Ward provides a moody guitar part on Pretty Bird.

There is even a nine-minute song which she and Jonathan Rice wrote together as a homage to Barbra Steisand. Lewis explains,

I happen to be a Barbra Strisand fan, and Barbra Striesand fancies a medley, so we discussed stringing the three songs together.

It may have taken her a decade to get a fan base with as much anticipation as she has for herself, but having her own unique style and rhythm is what got her here.

Photo from undertheradarmag.com

So in an attempt to both lower my blood pressure and make the world a happier, sunnier place, I’ve decided to forgo my usual “music industry is evil/ Sarah Palin/ Economy” rant and instead give you some deep breathing exercises to lead off my Music News post.

Ready?

Here we go:
Deep breath through your mouth.
Breathe in through your nose.
Hold it…
Think about fluffy bunnies and wacky platypus’
Hold it…
Breathe out.
Feel better? Good, let’s start with the music news.

METALLICA ROCKS! (THE CHARTS)

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• Pam Anderson clearly states her opinion of Sarah Palin.  When Pam was asked what she thought of the photo of Governor Palin, an avid hunter, with an animal pelt (a bear) draped over a couch behind her,  Pamela eloquently said, “I can’t stand her.  She can suck it!” Click here to see the video.  Ha, Pam Anderson.  Ha ha.
• Kanye West was arrested in, where else, the airport.  That is, of course, the place to get busted if you’re a celebrity.  But, no Kanye wasn’t packing heat or hiding illegal drugs.  He allegedly attacked a photographer who was trying to get a shot of him.  Actually, I don’t even need to say “allegedly” because TMZ got it all on tape.  Dude.  When good ole’ Kanye saw the TMZ guy filming, he rushed at him and yelled, “Gimme that f**king tape!”  Whoa.  Scary chipmunk coming at ya!

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Wow, what a week: Angels clinched, Dodgers are hot, hockey season is around the corner, Fringe was better then expected and it was proven that no matter what contradictory things Sarah Palin has done or said in her past, the focus always must be on unrelated pig and lipstick comments.

Here are a few concert on sales to close out your work week and bring you into your drunken weekend.

- As mentioned in this week’s Music News article, the Decemberists have announced a headlining tour, a headlining tour which in fact hits the Wiltern on November 24th. Tickets for this show go on sale today at 10 am and cost around $28. A night of fun sing alongs and highly visual songs will ensue.

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Due to the fact that we will all soon die because of the Hardon Collider in France, let’s all get through the music news in an efficient, orderly?manner before saying goodbye to our loved ones and pets.

Britney Sweeps the VMA’s

While it’s kinda stupid to get angry at an awards show that is not really about awards but instead just a place to be seen, I still have to ask you the following questions: Were any of you fine readers able to sit through the entire MTV Video Music Awards show Sunday night? While it was a slight improvement over last years Las Vegas abortion, this years show felt about as comfortable and exciting as a Sarah Palin book club meeting.

Britney Spears was the big winner winning Moonmen for Best Pop Video, Best Female Video and Video of the Year for her, ummm, quasi- music video for “Piece of Me”. The awards weren’t really too much of a surprise, though, as the show seemed essentially a vehicle for Britney’s “Coming out party”. While the (once) troubled singer did not perform following last years debacle, she did open the show with a skit co-staring Superbad’s Jonah Hill, and a 15-second introduction that was read quickly from a teleprompter.

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• Posh upgrades her do.  She chopped off the angled alien bob and was photographed sporting a much chicer pixie cut at the Marc Jacobs show in NYC last night.  Mrs. Beckham looks hot, man!  And, not in a plastic creepy way but in a real-live-girl-with-a-pulse way!  Who knew she was actually pretty under all that hair and bronzer and those sunglasses?
• Minnie Driver gives birth to a bouncing baby boy! Henry Story Driver, weighing in at 9 lbs., 12 oz., was born Friday here in Los Angeles. Minnie is keeping quiet about the identity of her baby daddy.  She revealed that he is English and “sort of in the same business,” to the U.K.’s Independent in May.  Wow, Minnie.  So mysterious.  Hmmm.  English and in the same business? 10 bucks it’s Mr. Bean!

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I personally think it’s way too early for Oscar talk and don’t care too much about the International FIlm Festivals (and won’t until someone decides to send me to Venice to cover one), but that’s what going on this week.  There’s nothing worth seeing at the movies (Bangkok Dangerous??) and fall TV hasn’t even started yet.  Time to go back to bed.

• In this week’s Gold Derby blog at latimes.com, Tom O’Neill confronts the question: could Peter O’Toole beat out Heath Ledger for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar?  Then he goes on to describe O’Toole’s latest vehicle, Dean Spanley that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, as “lollipop sweet” and “a nice Disney or Hallmark pic.”  The whole (imagined) conflict is at the core of how basically unimportant and random the Oscars are.  How could Ledger’s Joker even be in the same category as a curmudgeonly but sweet grandpa?  The question I want to confront is: How do I get a cushy and completely unnecessary job like Tom O’Neill?

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PhoBrother and sister found dead in home both died of natural causes, contrary to all evidence - OK there is something seriously messed up here. The coroner said that 51-year-old Daniel Savage, who swallowed three bullets and had black shoe polish smeared on his face, died of a stroke and this his 57-year-old sister Jacquelyn, who was found with blood on her mouth and bruises on her face and neck, died of a heart disease. Something REALLY isn’t adding up here.

School can longer ban bible studies group - Until now, students had been prevented from starting a Bible club at Esperanza High School in Anaheim. School District officials argued that only curriculum-related groups are allowed on campus, but because they allow the Red Cross club, they therefore must allow the Bible club. So Jesus, take your spot on the lawn.

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Hello everyone, and welcome back for a new season of music news here on LA.CityZine.com. I wish I had some really cool guest star or medical mystery to kick of this first episode (or post, as we say in the industry), but unfortunately Ray Romano was busy and the stomach pain that our patient was experiencing ended up just being gas.

Without a special guest star, I wish I could lead off this article by telling you that some new exciting change has occurred in music, but instead Live Nation still owns everything, “Chinese Democracy” hasn’t hit music stores (or China) yet, and CD sales are still down in the dumps. In all honesty, besides a female VP and a well thought out disaster plan for New Orleans not much has changed in the past month. I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe they could have discovered a sea serpent, or warlocks or maybe even a good low fat cinnamon roll. But alas, it was just more of the same.

At least there are a few good music stories out there, so before I ramble on more about warlocks let’s get to it.

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Student study death in order to better understand life - This story, let alone the actually experience is enough to bring anyone to tears. Students are on a three year waiting list for a class in which they learn to better understand death from the inside out. They watch a mortician dissect a body of a murdered victim, learn about his/her’s life story, and then meet convicted criminals who have killed people and ask them questions. They learn about the “highs” of death, write a goodbye letter to their loved ones, and apparently deal with issues that they try to hide. And here you thought kids went to college to get laid.

Westside moves forward with subway plan - On Tuesday local officials decided to go ahead and pursue planing for a subway that will move along Wilshire Blvd from Santa Monica to Downtown LA. This would be an amazing step towards mass transportation in a city with virtually none and to reducing the traffic that is suffocating our city. They have yet to find the full 9 billion plus they’ll need to do it, but at least it’s beginning.

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• Van Halen is pissed that McCain used their song without asking. Yup, the Senator used “Right Now” for his big entrance in Ohio but the band wants everyone to know that they don’t approve. Van Halen told TMZ, “Permission was not sought or granted nor would it have been given.” Political Burn!
• David Duchovney, star of Showtime’s Californication, checked himself into rehab for sex addiction. “I have voluntarily entered a facility for the treatment of sex addiction,” he said in a statement. “I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family.” Because of his character on Californication, there’s been speculation that he’s pulling an Eva Mendes (researching his role) but I don’t know. I hope he gets the help he needs, if he needs it.

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LAPD breath new life into an old serial killer who has been killing for two decades - He/she has been linked to 10 slayings in South LA and Inglewood. The killers normally targets young black woman, although he did attack one man, and sexually abuses them before killing them and leaning their bodies in a corridor along Western Avenue. After 20 years of the case going hot and cold, the killer has tried to kill again, and the LAPD is on the case.

McCain chooses his VP Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin - Palin carries potential to strengthen McCain’s run for President. She appeals to woman, including a portion of those who voted for Hillary Rodham Clinton. It’s one now!

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