Jenny Lewis hasn’t released an album since 2019's On The Line, but she’s still been recording new stuff for fun. She collaborated with Serengeti for four songs in the past year, and she debuted a brand new solo track while opening for Harry Styles on tour. That song is called “Puppy And A Truck,” and now fans who weren’t able to snag tickets for those shows can finally hear it.
The melody is reminiscent of her song “Late Bloomer” off 2014's The Voyager (with a hint of “Accidntel Deth”), but with a more blissed-out essence to it, one that makes you feel like cracking open a Modelo (blessed by Lewis, of course) by the ocean.
The musician remains as relatable and open as ever in her lyrics, noting past dating mistakes (“I was infatuated with an older man / And then I dated a psychopath”), but unlike her younger self (for example, on fan-favorite Rilo Kiley track “Glendora”), she’s done with dealing with other people’s bullshit. Now all Lewis says she needs is a puppy and a truck. Who needs a shitty partner when you can get unconditional love from a fluffy companion
And she has. The indie icon recently got a cockapoo puppy (whom she named Bobby Rhubarb), who joined her on tour. This is a tribute of sorts to the adorable dog, as Lewis sings, “I need a dog that’s hypoallergenic / In the poodle milieu and photogenic / Don’t shed, don’t bark / And can play in the band.” The song even features Bobby’s bark at the end, so you could argue this is a collaboration between them.
But even with her signature sense of humor, Lewis also reminds fans of the pain she’s been through, referring to herself as an orphan (On The Line was about her mother’s recent death, and The Voyager tackled her father’s passing).
Unfortunately, it looks like this single is a one-off and not part of an upcoming record, but it wouldn’t be too surprising if Lewis has secretly been planning her next album. She also recently reunited with her Rilo Kiley co-founder Blake Sennett to perform on Linda Perry’s Rock-N-Relief livestream, playing deep cut “Let Me Back In.” Still, no word yet on whether there’s a proper Rilo Kiley reunion in the horizon.