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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Utterly bonkers. This sounds like Bjork and Kate Bush giving Toyah Wilcox a kicking behind the bike sheds while the Penguin Cafe Orchestra look on. By no means bad but perhaps you should listen to the clips on the Amazon page to help you decide if you should acquire the taste or not. "This side of the blue" and "The book of right on" are the standouts for me but maybe that is because I was familiar with them to start with. Strange but rewarding.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
First heard Joanna Newsom on Later...with Jools Holland and she blew me away. A winning combination of highly unusual voice, unusual choice of instrument (the harp instead of the ubiquitous guitar) and unusual but highly melodic, enchanting songs, it stuck right out of the usual crowd of dour indie-boys strumming their own egos.
Certainly that voice will not win over everyone - think Bjork as a shrill six-year old on a swing, singing nursery rhymes to an audience of adoring parents - so in some ways it's a bit of a Marmite challenge: you'll either love it or hate it.
I loved it. Fans of afore mentioned Bjork, Will Oldham, Devendra Banhart etc will probably appreciate the tender soulfulness and eccentric delivery while Newsom's blend of folky earthiness and Lewis Carroll surrealism gives her the context to justify the style.
Admittedly, about two-thirds of the way through, that voice can become a little grating and you may wish she could tone it down, just a tad for a song or two.
But stick with it and you'll be rewarded with a highly bewitching, moving, joyful listen.
25 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I confess that I discovered this album after hearing some of 'This Side of the Blue' on a TV advert! After humming the same few bars irritatingly for a few days it might have ended there. But then my brother made me listen to a dubious recording of 'Book of Right On' on the internet and I was hooked. These two songs alone are a good enough reason to buy this album.
For those people who like comparisons, Joanna Newsom's voice could be (very loosely) likened to Bjork, Melanie or even Janis Joplin. She has an unusual voice which can be sweet and vulnerable as a child or harsh and nasal like a hedonistic 30-a-day jazz singer.
However, the comparisons pretty much end there. How many other musicians combine quirky, vivid lyrics, with an eccentric range of musical influences and make the result even stranger by using the harp as the predominant instrument?
Joanna Newsom defies convention and convenient musical labelling.
This album is unique. There are hauntingly lovely melodies and intriguing lyrics. The harp playing is at times beautiful enough to bring tears to your eyes. Her voice changes remarkably according to the particular piece of music.
'Song' does not do justice to the result.
While I defy anyone to criticise the harp playing, not everyone will enjoy this album due to Joanna Newsom's unconventional voice, and unusual style. However, for those with an open mind this is a real treat
For those people who like comparisons, Joanna Newsom's voice could be (very loosely) likened to Bjork, Melanie or even Janis Joplin. She has an unusual voice which can be sweet and vulnerable as a child or harsh and nasal like a hedonistic 30-a-day jazz singer.
However, the comparisons pretty much end there. How many other musicians combine quirky, vivid lyrics, with an eccentric range of musical influences and make the result even stranger by using the harp as the predominant instrument?
Joanna Newsom defies convention and convenient musical labelling.
This album is unique. There are hauntingly lovely melodies and intriguing lyrics. The harp playing is at times beautiful enough to bring tears to your eyes. Her voice changes remarkably according to the particular piece of music.
'Song' does not do justice to the result.
While I defy anyone to criticise the harp playing, not everyone will enjoy this album due to Joanna Newsom's unconventional voice, and unusual style. However, for those with an open mind this is a real treat
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
ZERO STARS...Excruciating Unlistenable Rubbish!
Its been said by other reviewers who actually listen to the sound what they review, rather than the reviewers telling us all about their own preconcieved notions of music: The... Read more
Published 23 months ago by RIAA
Just amazing!
I've only heard a couple of tracks so far (first one on MTV) and was totally transfixed.
Published on 13 Oct 2008 by Mr. S. Rafferty
A legend in the making
Joanna Newsom, a Californian singer-songwriter whose instrument of choice is the harp, is already a huge name in the world of alternative music and rightly so. Read more
Published on 5 Oct 2007 by S. Clarke
A work of genius
This album is excellent. It's one of those albums that gets better the more you listen to it, Joanna's funny too. My favourite line is "I killed my dinner with karate". Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2007 by M. D. Finney
Good songs marred by excruciating vocals
Dont let the reviews below fool you! This album is a collection of quite nice little songs - nothing outstanding, but pleasant and well structured, although maybe a bit... Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2007 by Just Dave
nutty
melodic, rhythmical. impassioned but delicate. slightly piercing but thoroughly fun. she's mad - i love it.
Published on 10 July 2007 by mr ben
Poor at best
This album would be far better if Ms Newsom had any singing talent what so ever. The lyrics are good and background harmonies are involving and the music is light and enjoyable if... Read more
Published on 2 July 2007 by M. Bowden
Wonderfully weird
melodiously manic, quintissentially quirky and undeniably unique, Ms Newsom and her harp will either enthral you or send you in urgent search of the "Off" button, before she drives... Read more
Published on 12 April 2007 by bugrit
Difference between the sprout and the bean
When my husband first played this CD for me he had a smile on his face but he's an engineer and doesn't always evaluate music with aesthetics in mind so not knowing his real motive... Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2007 by Leigh Anne Dear
I do not know my way to the sea
Joanna Newsom is one of the weirdest folksters around today, with her trippy little pastoral melodies and that incredibly weird, stoned-fairy voice. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2007 by E. A Solinas
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