Jeffrey Lewis released a new album, going on tour, is working with The History Channel
by Bill Pearis
DOWNLOAD: Jeffrey Lewis – Cult Boyfriend (MP3)
Jeffrey Lewis‘ new album, A Turn in the Dream-Songs, came out a few weeks ago and the East Village mainstay is about to head out on tour for it, one that concludes November 25 at Mercury Lounge (with Diane Cluck). That’s the day after Thanksgiving, and a good reason to get your butt off the couch. All 2011 dates are below.
A Turn in the Dream-Songs is another fine example of Lewis’ witty, thoughtful, boho worldview. For a taste, download single “Cult Boyfriend” at the top of this post. With lines like “When you’re a cult boyfriend life is always intense/They’re in love or they’re indifferent, no one’s on the fence” and references to WFMU and Meet the Feebles, this is pretty much an instant classic. (I bet JL superfan Eddie Argos wishes he wrote this one.) The whole record is pretty great and features appearances by members of The Wave Pictures, Au Revoir Simone, Schwervon, Dr. Dog and The Vaselines.
His songs are all the more charming live though. Anyone who’s seen him live knows Lewis does “documentaries,” which pairs his conversational folk with his comic illustrations, covering such topics as the Fall of the Roman Empire, The Fall (as in the band) and the history of Rough Trade Records (his current label). The History Channel, as briefly mentioned before, commissioned a series of these, including one on Sitting Bull which won a Webby for Best Writing.
A couple of those videos, plus tour dates and cover art (by Lewis) to the new album, are below.
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Jeffrey Lewis – Sitting Bull
Jeffrey Lewis – The Mayflower
UPDATE (11/4): Here are the confirmed dates:
Jeffrey Lewis — 2011 Tour Dates
11/8 Purchase, NY SUNY Purchase
11/10 Rochester, NY Bug Jar
11/11 Buffalo, NY Sugar City (Early Show) %
11/12 Toronto, ONT Dakota Tavern %
11/13 Ann Arbor, MI Arbor Vitae %
11/14 Chicago, IL Double Door %
11/15 Bloomington, IN The Bishop %
11/16 Columbus, OH Ace of Cups %
11/17 Cincinnati, OH Mayday %
11/18 Greensboro, SC Glenwood Coffee and Books
11/19 Durham, NC Duke Coffeehouse
11/21 Charlottesville, VA Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
11/22 Baltimore, MD Golden West
11/25 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
12/1 Vancouver,BC The Biltmore Cabaret
12/4 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
12/6 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop
12/9 San Diego, CA Soda Bar
12/10 Phoenix, AZ Trunk Space
12/11 Tucson, AZ Skrappy’s
% with Emperor X
and here are the dates as we originally posted them.,..
Jeffrey Lewis – 2011 Tour Dates
Thurs, Nov 10 – Rochester, NY – The Bug Jar
Fri, Nov 11 – Maybe Buffalo NY? Or…?
Sat, Nov 12 – Toronto, CANADA – Dakota Tavern, w/ Emperor X (switched from Friday)
Sun, Nov 13 – Ann Arbor, MI – Arbor Vitae, w/ Emperor X
Mon, Nov 14 – Chicago – Double Door, w/ Emperor X
Tues, Nov 15 -Bloomington – The Bishop, w/ Emperor X
Wed, Nov 16 – Columbus – Ace of Cups, w/ Emperor X
Thurs, Nov 17 – Cincinnati – Mayday, w/ Emperor X
Fri, Nov 18- Greensboro – Elsewhere
Sat, Nov 19 – Durham – Duke Coffeehouse
Sun, Nov 20 – Charlottesville – Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
Mon, Nov 21 – Can anybody help book a show in the DC area? Please email [email protected] – thanks!
Tues, Nov 22 – Baltimore – Golden West
Wed, Nov 23 – hoping for Philly…
Fri, Nov 25 – NYC – Mercury Lounge (w/ Diane Cluck!)
Thu, Dec 1 – Vancouver, Canada – The Biltmore Cabaret
Fri, Dec 2 – ? Seattle, WA? (Trying to find something…)
Sat, Dec 3 – ? Olympia, WA?? (Trying to find something…)
Sun, Dec 4 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
Mon, Dec 5 – Can anybody help book a show in N. California (Arcata area perhaps?)? Please email [email protected] – thanks!
Tues, Dec 6 – San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
Wed, Dec 7 – ?
Thu Dec 8 – ?? LA?? (Trying to find something…)
Sat, Dec 10 – Phoenix, AZ – Trunk Space
