So far during the rollout of her upcoming album On The Line, Jenny Lewis has proven that she has a strong understanding of what made ’70s rock and folk so enduring. “Red Bull & Hennessy” is classic rock reincarnate, and now Lewis is back with “Wasted Youth,” which is about as good of a ’70s singer-songwriter song as anybody has made since then.
The song is highlighted by a catchy chorus, on which Lewis sings, “I wasted my youth on a poppy / Doo doo doo doo doo doo, just for fun.” The track also features some old school assistance, via Vox Continental and Mellotron organs played by Benmont Tench, a former keyboardist for Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, as well as bass from Don Was, who has collaborated with and/or produced for a long list of legends.
Speaking of youth, Lewis recently talked about her upbringing in a Rolling Stone profile, talking about her mother and saying that she enjoyed being on set as a child actress because of the family atmosphere: “I guess I liked being in that environment because it wasn’t home — it was this pretend-family vibe. My dad wasn’t around, so every time I got a job I kind of fell in love with ‘my father’ on set. I would just want that relationship.”
Listen to “Wasted Youth” above.
On The Line is out 3/22 via Warner Bros. Pre-order it here.
Jenny Lewis is a Warner Music artist. .
