A BIG CRUSH - and a little crush

I went and saw my BIG CRUSH, Jenny Lewis, in concert last night. She played at the Dallas Museum of Art. Which is the perfect venue for her music, by the way. No alcohol, no smoking, and everybody has their own seat.

A little while ago, I started to learn more about their opening band - a group called Whispertown 2000 (found at http://whispertown2000.rilokiley.net/). I wanted to know some of their songs before the show. So I downloaded what was on their website and become familiar with them. The website also said a new cd would be soon forthcoming so I really hoped this concert would help promote it.

I was right - it's called Livin' In a Dream. I was especially happy that many of the tracks were produced Jimmy Tamborello (electronic musical artist from The Postal Service) and many of the songs feature Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett.

Now, I have a new little crush - on their lead singer, Morgan Nagler. If Justine Bateman and Maya Rudolph had a child together, it would look just like Morgan.

Plus, she has the squeekiest voice that not even a dozen cans of WD-40 could fix. It's so cute.

Morgan and Jenny have been friends for years - that much I knew. But, I just realized that Morgan is the person mentioned in the song Absence of God from More Adventerous.

And Morgan says, "Maybe love won't let you down.
All of your failures are training grounds
and just as your back's turned, you'll be surprised," she says,
"as your solitude subsides.

Morgan, you're so wise.

While the second act was setting up, I went out to the lobby to buy their cd. I was rather impressed that the band itself was selling the cd and t-shirts. Just the fact that they had to do their own promotions made me like them that much more. Kinda like Daly setting up shop in the parking lot of Hooters.

After I got my cd, I asked Morgan when they changed the name of their band. She was a little surprised I had heard of them before and asked how long I've known of their band. I was forced to admit it was only for about a month, just after I learned they were touring with Jenny. Anyway, she answered that she changed the name after a visit to her gyno (The name of their old band, but with the same members, was Vagtown 2000) and she sheepishly whispered the band's name to her doctor. We chatted for a little bit and I went back to my seat for the second act giddy as a little school boy. If I had a proverbial jar of ink, I would have dipped her pig-tails in it.

The second act:

A couple of years ago, PBS aired a wonderful four-hour documentary about the early 20th century boxer Jack Johnson. A comment was made that pictures and film clips of his matches look like his image was Photoshopped. Meaning, he was too modern looking; not only his size, but his physical features, made him look like he lived in a era in which he didn't belong. I got that exact feeling from the second act, Dan Sartain.

Sartain, I believe, was plucked from 1955 and immediately placed in the DMA last night. He is heavily influenced by Elvis and Johnny Cash. He even has the big bouffant held in place with barrel of gel and the swinging hips when he plays his guitar. He also reminds of a lot of when Charlie Sexton was the same age - early to mid 20's. And the attitude to go along with everything else. At the end of his first song, some guy in the audience yelled out, "What do you call yourself?". Sartain paused for a bit, and with the most appropriate sardonic expression - "Effin' Awesome!" He got a big laugh.

But who we were there to see: Jenny is just simply amazing. It's astounding that such a mature and soulful voice can come out of that 5'1" body of hers. Plus, she is able to move from a very slow and mournful song to a up-tempo and lively song. Plus, her facial expressions are enough to make your heart melt. Or as a friend of mine once said about her innocent crushes, she makes you to want to take her home and make her a batch of chocolate-chip cookies.

I was glad she didn't sing any Rilo Kiley songs; it would not have fit. I was glad she sang a few songs that haven't been released yet. She sang a cover of an old standard, Cold Jordan, with her boyfriend Johnathan Rice; that was good to hear again.

I got home from a long but inspiring night just in time to hear the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on David Letterman.

A very good night of music, indeed.