From Jesuit to Jenny Lewis

This week at work I've been exploring NPR's Live Music Archive and, to put it simply, its the only thing that got me to the weekend. After listening to much-expected solid shows from Wilco, Bon Iver, and Stephen Malkmus, I was blown away at how much I got out of Jonathan Rice.


I had heard of Rice many years ago through a friend. He's actually the older brother of a kid who was on my 8th grade basketball team. Forgive me, Keiran, for not taking you seriously when you said "My older brother writes songs, you know."

Jonathan Rice graduated From Gonzaga College High School, one of the top Jesuit high schools in the nation, and a close brother school to my alma mater, St. Joseph's Prep (our list of noteworthy alumni includes the Phillie Phanatic, among other, non-ATV driving world leaders).

Anyways, his performance from this year's SXSW sounds particularly Neil Young-ish circa On the Beach. How can a stringy Scotsman make such twangy roots-rock drenched in melodies evocative of pie crusts and Texas highways?

Jonathan Rice @ SXSW 2008 from NPR's All Songs Considered

Oh, and he apparently dates her...