ABOUT THIS ITEM

‘A conversation with the pushy-neighborhood cat, a haunted library, trying to get some friends to dance on new years day, the dangers and joys of nature, and the confusing beginnings of a relationship’ These are some of the stories that appear on ‘Lvov Swims the Willamete’. These themes reflect Jack Lewis’ constant, restless exploratory nature.

The songs were all recorded in different locations. Some Lewis recorded himself on the computer, others were done with his brother Jeffrey and a full band at Emandee and Olive Juice Music Studios in New York City, some tracks were emailed back and forth with friends in NYC, San Francisco and Paris, one song was recorded in Colmar, France and another in a basement studio in Harlem, NY.

Jack Lewis was born and raised on the Lower East Side of NYC, but has been making Portland, Oregon his home since 2006. The Willamette River divides Portland from East and West, the West being ‘downtown’ and the East being where most people live. He is best known as the bass player, singer and sometime songwriter for his brother’s band in Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard (Rough Trade Records). With his brother, Jack has toured all over including stops in Russia, China, Finland, South Korea and Israel.

‘Lvov Swims The Willamette’ is a continuation of Lewis’ ‘Lvov Cycle’ which includes Lvov’s Lament (2002), Lvov Reads His Notes (2004) and Lvov Goes To Emandee (2006). He has collaborated with the French band Herman Dune on numerous albums including their newest ‘Strange Moosic’.

Since 2001 he has toured the world with the likes of Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, The Vaselines, The Mountain Goats, The Cribs and The Thermals (and other non ‘The’ bands). Jack was also part of the supergroup The Bundles on K Records which included his brother Jeff, Kimya Dawson and Karl Blau. Most recently Jack joined his brother Jeff where they opened for Pulp at Radio City Music Hall in New York on April 11th.

Jack is a Jack of all trades, besides making music he also produces his own internet comedy and interview show East Side Buffet . The show has featured musician Scout Niblett, artist Martin Creed and comic book artist Craig Thompson. Jack also produces his own radio stories. His piece "He's A Little Heavy" about his complicated relationship with his older brother Jeffrey appeared on the BBC 4 show "Short Cuts". Jack is also a writer and has begun work on a memoir covering the last ten years of his life touring the world with his brother, sleeping on people's floors and eating interesting food all over the world.

"Despite the self-deprecating moniker, Jack Lesser Lewis is in comfortable possession of a style every bit as noteworthy as that of his brother, Jeffrey Lewis. Whereas the latter employs words by the deluge Jack and his band Awkward Energy tend to favor far more melody and far less vicious satire in their muttering indie compositions” - SHANE DANAHER, Willamette Week