Jeffrey Lewis - It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through (2003)

The second (more widely available album) by singer/songwriter Jeffrey Lewis, "It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through" is a neo-classic anti-folk treasure. The album's demeanor is reminiscent of early '90s releases by The Mountain Goats, not just for its lo-fi splendor, but also for the razor sharp wit it carries in songs like "Back When I Was 4," a fictional account of Jeff's life so far, from ages 4 all the way to 128. When the zombie apocalypse happens (yes, WHEN), we can find comfort in the fact that we listened to this album, and learned survival skills from the song "If You Shoot the Head You Kill the Ghoul." Just like Dylan and Oberst, he's not the world's most phenomenal vocalist, but that doesn't matter one bit. The songs are perfect just the way they are. If they weren't like this, they'd lose so much. Give this a listen and you'll see what I mean.

For fans of: Kimya Dawson, The Mountain Goats, Diane Cluck

***Hey guys, Jeff has contacted us and kindly asked us to take the link to the full album down, so I've done just that. I'm now directing you to http://www.TheJeffreyLewisSite.com. There are plenty of awesome downloads, samples and awesome things for your listening and viewing pleasure. Enjoy!