On the Line (Jenny Lewis album)

Last updated
On the Line
On the Line (Jenny Lewis album cover).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 22, 2019
Studio Capitol (Hollywood)
Genre Indie rock
Length47:15
Label Warner Bros.
Producer
Jenny Lewis chronology
The Voyager
(2014)
On the Line
(2019)
Joy'All
(2023)
Singles from On the Line
  1. "Red Bull & Hennessy"
    Released: January 23, 2019
  2. "Heads Gonna Roll"
    Released: February 14, 2019
  3. "Wasted Youth"
    Released: March 15, 2019

On the Line is the third solo album and fourth overall by American singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis. The album was released on March 22, 2019, by Warner Bros. Records. [1] Recorded at Capitol Records' Studio B, the album has contributions from Beck, Ringo Starr, Ryan Adams, Don Was, Benmont Tench, Jason Falkner, and Jim Keltner. [2] [3]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.0/10 [4]
Metacritic 85/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The A.V. Club B+ [7]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [8]
The Daily Telegraph Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [9]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [11]
Pitchfork 8.0/10 [12]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Uncut 7/10 [15]

On the Line was met with widespread critical acclaim. [5] The Daily Telegraph called it "a smart, swaggering break-up album from a major talent", [9] while The Independent said Lewis "adds a California sheen to melancholy and nostalgia". [10] Robert Christgau was somewhat less impressed in Vice , giving it a three-star honorable mention. He said Lewis, "the rare 21st-century singer-songwriter whose level of craft renders her good enough for 76-year-old master drummer Jim Keltner", "loses the spring in her step that made her so 21st-century by proving it", naming as highlights the title track, "Rabbit Hole", and "Dogwood". [16]

In a year-end essay for Slate , Ann Powers cited On the Line as one of her favorite albums from 2019 and proof that the format is not dead but rather undergoing a "metamorphosis". She added that concept albums had reemerged through the culturally-relevant autobiographical narratives of artists such as Lewis, who "confronted the ghost of her mother by invoking the musical touchstones they had shared in the fearless On the Line". [17]

Ryan Adams' involvement

A month prior to the album's release, Ryan Adams, who helped produce the record, was accused by several women of sexual misconduct. [18] After the album was released, Lewis told Pitchfork : "The allegations are so serious and shocking and really fucked up, and I was so sad on so many levels when I heard, I hate that he's on this album, but you can't rewrite how things went. We started the record together two years ago, and he worked on it — we were in the studio for five days. Then he pretty much bounced, and I had to finish the album by myself." [19]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Heads Gonna Roll"5:14
2."Wasted Youth"4:13
3."Red Bull & Hennessy"4:49
4."Hollywood Lawn"4:35
5."Do Si Do"3:54
6."Dogwood"4:29
7."Party Clown"4:09
8."Little White Dove"4:49
9."Taffy"4:28
10."On the Line"3:49
11."Rabbit Hole"2:46
Total length:47:15

Charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
Irish Albums (IRMA) [20] 59
Scottish Albums (OCC) [21] 11
UK Albums (OCC) [22] 27
US Billboard 200 [23] 34
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [24] 2
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [25] 4
UK Americana Albums (OCC) [26] 1

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References

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  2. "Jenny Lewis Announces New Album Release Date, Shares Song: Listen". Pitchfork . 23 January 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  3. Young, Alex (January 23, 2019). "Jenny Lewis premieres new single 'Red Bull & Hennessy'". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved January 29, 2019.
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  5. 1 2 "On the Line by Jenny Lewis Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved March 26, 2019.
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  8. Kot, Greg (March 22, 2019). "Jenny Lewis' lush songs tell a chilling story on 'On the Line'". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  9. 1 2 McCormick, Neil (March 21, 2019). "Jenny Lewis, On the Line, review: a smart, swaggering break-up album from a major talent" . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  10. 1 2 Bray, Elisa (March 21, 2019). "Jenny Lewis, On the Line review: Indie rock star adds a California sheen to melancholy and nostalgia" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  11. Hunt, El (March 21, 2019). "Jenny Lewis – 'On The Line' review". NME . Retrieved November 28, 2019.
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