Jenny And Johnny Debut Tour

The duo’s website explains that Lewis, who fans may know through her solo work or as the frontwoman of indie rock band Rilo Kiley, and Rice first started working together in 2005.

Rice played on Lewis’ solo debut album 2006’s Rabbit Fur Coat and Lewis in turned helped the Scottish-American singer-songwriter on his first full-length album, 2005’s Trouble Is Real. Lewis provided both songwriting and singing on Rice’s 2007 album Further North and he helped produce Lewis’ sophomore solo album 2008’s Acid Tongue.

After joining Lewis’ band for its 2006 Rabbit Fur Coat world tour, Rice has “played live with Lewis at every show of her solo career thus far.”

Lewis and Rice began writing songs together during downtime on the Acid Tongue world tour, penning tunes that were “fast, ultra-melodic, and often blended both of their voices into one, creating a completely new sound.”

The duo recorded the new tunes during a nine-day October 2009 session at Bright Street Recorders in North Hollywood, Calif. In December they joined their friend and producer Mike Mogis for five weeks of tracking, vocals and mixing at Mogis’ ARC studio in Omaha, Neb.

Jenny and Johnny’s debut tour begins Sept. 1 at Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz, Calif., with dates booked through an Oct. 3 support slot for Belle & Sebastian at Hollywood Palladium in California.

Additional solo dates include Great American Music Hall in San Francisco (Sept. 2), Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, Ore. (Sept. 5), Lincoln Hall in Chicago (Sept. 13), Black Cat in Washington, D.C. (Sept. 16) and 40 Watt Club in Athens (Sept. 24).

The duo is opening for Pavement Sept. 18 at Agganis Arena at Boston University and Sept. 19 at the Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn, N.Y., in addition to supporting Superchunk Sept. 22 at Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia.

You can also catch Jenny and Johnny Sept. 6 at Bumbershoot Festival at the Seattle Center.

The tour doesn’t include any stops in Arizona as the duo has joined the boycott in protest of the state’s anti-immigration policy bill SB 1070.

A limit number of pre-order ticket packages are available now. The band is also taking pre-orders for its debut album, including a limited deluxe package and digital downloads.

By joining the mailing list, fans can snag a free MP3 download of “Scissor Runner.”

The duo’s website explains that the new album contains “genuine and original pop music for Right Now. This is not a Rilo Kiley record, a Jenny Lewis record, or a Johnathan Rice record. This is Jenny and Johnny. They’re having fun now, and they want you to, too.”

Click here for Jenny And Johnny’s website.