Rilo Kiley singer Jenny Lewis was pleased that her first solo tour got off to a rough start.
"It's a good way to start the tour," Lewis said in a phone interview from Seattle after a snowstorm forced her to abandon her bus and take an airplane and a van to make her Northwest shows. "Now that we know something has gone wrong, we're feeling optimistic."
She has reason to be feeling good. Her solo debut, 2005's "Rabbit Fur Coat," has created ample buzz and received positive reviews.
While it's a solo effort, many of Lewis' musical friends chip in, and the liner notes read like a who's-who list of modern indie rock. But with all the indie influences on this album, it doesn't sound like anything you'd expect.
"Rabbit Fur Coat" weaves soulful country, folk and gospel harmonies into a tapestry of wistful narrative tales of faith and failed relationships.
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"Without copping a retro sound, Jenny has tapped into a 50-year-old Americana, finding that sweet spot at the birth of rock 'n' roll when folk, country, gospel and vocal pop were all melding together," said a review in PopMatters.
While the title song is a heart-wrenching, sparse guitar and vocal solo, other songs are lush, and most include haunting backup vocals by gospel singers Chandra and Leigh Watson, who prove that there's no harmonizing more heartbreaking than that done by siblings. Indeed, it would be a different affair without the twins, whose gospel vibe provides a stark contrast to the godlessness and god-searching Lewis expresses throughout the record. Lewis gives credit to the singers who help set the mood by including them on the cover — "Rabbit Fur Coat" is by Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins.
But make no mistake — it's still a solo record.
"It's a collection of my songs," Lewis said. "I've been involved in every step of the process, the music and the mix and the album art and the video — everything. I think it's my solo record, for sure, but I also think the girls are an important part of it."
Musical guests from bands such as Maroon 5, Beck and the Decemberists also contribute to the album, but it's Lewis' cover of the Traveling Wilburys' "Handle With Care" that assembles a modern indie supergroup. Covering the parts originally done by George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan and Jeff Lynne are Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service fame; Bright Eyes' Connor Oberst, who released the album on his Team Love imprint; and singer-songwriter M. Ward, who co-produced the album.
"Asking some of my friends to sing the other parts was paying homage to our heroes in a way," Lewis said, "not assuming that we are on the level with those dudes. It was a lot of fun splitting up the song and having a fun singalong."
Lewis' solo record sounds very little like Rilo Kiley musically or stylistically, but it's the mood that ultimately makes the largest difference. "Rabbit Fur Coat" feels subdued compared with Rilo Kiley's raucous 2004 album, "More Adventurous."
"I think the laid-back nature reflects how it felt when we were recording it," she said. "There was so little stress. It was relatively quick and painless. I think the mood mirrors that. Within a band, there's conflict and complicated relationships, so the music we make with the band is sometimes more excitable, and that reflects our relationship there. It's an interesting study in what you need to create different kinds of music."
However, one song she wrote for her solo record has already become a Rilo Kiley song. The area of overlap between the soloist and the band singer is in the narrative lyrics, which Lewis took to a heightened level with her solo album after dabbling with them on "More Adventurous."
"I think there's some play between the two worlds so that songs can possibly bounce back and forth," she said.
Still, don't expect the next Rilo Kiley album to sound anything like "Rabbit Fur Coat." Lewis said she'd like to try something new when the band gets together to create its next album, due out sometime next year.
While the next project is for the band, Lewis hopes to make another solo record with guest appearances again soon.
"If I find the time, I would love to go elsewhere and make some music with other friends," she said, "friends I haven't even met yet."
Quick Take
Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins in concert
with Whispertown 2000, Michael Runion
When: 5 p.m. Friday, March 31
Where: Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St.
Tickets: $10 in advance through www.hotelcongress.com or 622-8848, $12 day of show