Rabbit Fur Coat is not an indie rock album. Nor is it an indie pop album. This is modern folk music, thoroughly American and thoroughly enjoyable. The album succeeds primarily because it is crafted around Lewis’ strong songwriting. The Watsons’ fine harmonies are simply the candle on the cupcake.
Lewis’ voice serves her songs well. Admittedly, she’s no Neko Case. But her voice is pretty, clear, and friendly. In the song “Big Guns,” when she sings “Then you kiss his lips / He forgives you for it / He forgives you for all you\'ve done / But not me, I\'m still angry,” it’s not quite the vicious snarl that a singer like, say, Lucinda Williams might use. However, her voice really adds a pleasant quality to the music. Even when the words reflect anger or bitterness, her vocals keep the music itself relatively light, which is no bad thing at all.
“Rise Up With Fists,” in turn, sounds reminiscent of a traditional gospel song, thanks in no small part to the Watson Twins and their marvelous voices. The arrangement is quite exquisite and the melody is pretty enough to float in your head for days.
Even the songs with sparser arrangements sound wonderful. The understated “Happy” has an optimistic tune despite some dark lyrics and a vague but prowling demolition guitar lurking in the mix. Elsewhere on the album, “Melt Your Heart” Lewis’ voice takes on an almost fragile tone and the Watsons accentuate the general sense of self-pity in the song. Tellingly, this sad song ends abruptly, and quickly segues into the more upbeat and playful “You Are What You Love.”
Rabbit Fur Coat constantly flirts with sadness and regret. Despite the stories Lewis tells through many of the lyrics, the album still feels optimistic. “Handle Me With Care,” a cover of a song by the Traveling Wilburys, exemplifies this general feeling. Featuring cameos from Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab For Cutie) and Conor Oberst himself, it’s a cover that feels absolutely genuine and meaningful, and it belongs in the context of the album.
While Rabbit Fur Coat may not be a world-destroying record, it’s further evidence that Jenny Lewis is more than just another pretty face. Who knew mellowing out was meant to be so ambivalent?
"Rabbit Fur Coat" is on sale December 31, 1969 from Team Love.
