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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
If the debut album from Joanna Newsom, 2004's The Milk-Eyed Mender, suggested there was no-one in music quite like this elfin San Franciscan harpist, its follow-up Ys sees that gulf of difference become a universe of possibilities. Recorded by veteran engineer Steve Albini, with strings from Brian Wilson collaborator Van Dyke Parks and vocal contributions from Newsom's current beau, Bill Callahan of alternative country miserabilists Smog, Ys is an altogether bigger, broader, more fantastical and more ambitious offering than its predecessor. Only five tracks long, songs unfurl into grandiose narratives embossed with trumpet, violins, oboe, and French horn. But what's truly impressive is Newsom's extraordinary sense of command. On "Emily", cutesy observations of birds taking flight ("the meadowlark and the chim-cho-ree") blossom out into tales of falling meteorites, muddy-mouthed baboons and nautical adventures. Meanwhile, on the extraordinary "Only Skin" (which approaches 20 minutes in length) Newsom's voice and plucked harp flourish in strange, complimentary patterns, her voice at times born up on dramatic trumpets and cooing oboes, or for one passage, shadowed by Callahan's cobwebbed croak. It is testing in length, difficult to dip into, and not for those allergic to flights of fancy -- but Ys is a magnificent achievement, one you suspect no one else on this planet could mimic, let alone challenge. -- Louis Pattison
Review
Harpist and singer Newsom's debut album, The Milk-Eyed Mender established her as one of the most individual American new-folk artists, but Ys is a quantum leap out of that scene. Recorded by Steve Albini, mixed by Jim O'Rourke, and with orchestral arrangements by Van Dyke Parks, it's a visionary statement of such extraordinary beauty and invention that it seems to have sneaked in from some parallel world.
The cover displays the sort of allegorical tableau that Albrecht Dürer might have painted, and there is something ageless and troubadour-like in Newsom's glittering harp and poetic narratives. Although the shortest song is over seven minutes and the longest over sixteen, these are finely-wrought, suite-like creations, in which she investigates both mythical worlds and the strangeness of the here and now. On "Emily", Parks complements Newsom's swooning vocal melodies with mercurial flurries of strings, while on "Monkey And Bear", his ensemble arrangements evoke the sepia-tinged Americana of his Song Cycle album, and his work on Brian Wilson's Smile.
Newsom's cartoon-character yelp - a stumbling block for many would-be admirers - is much more settled and expressive now. In her more hushed moments her voice is reminiscent of Bjork's, and at full throttle attains a harder edge redolent of 70s singer-songwriter, Melanie Safka. Throughout one senses she is wrenching out something from deep within, which makes her delivery peculiarly moving.
Her lyrics may be childlike at times but there's nothing mimsy or fey about them. 'I was all horns and thorns, sprung out fully-formed, knock-kneed and upright', she exclaims on "Sawdust And Diamonds". Ys nods towards the panoramic sweep of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, the exquisite detail of Nick Drake's Bryter Later, and the billowing orchestrations of Joni Mitchell's "Paprika Plains". And there's no doubt that this fabulous, fantastical music belongs in such exalted company. --Mike Barnes
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a fantastic album, a song-cycle comprimised of only 5 songs, but running in at about an hour.
I'm reluctant to even try to describe this album. I think the best example to use is what generally happens after you've listened to it - little melodies, a line perhaps, tend to stick in the mind and won't be uprooted until you've found a quiet place to stick the record on.
I say a quiet place, because the obvious flaw of the album (is it really a flaw though, or is it a sad indictment about music today?), is that it demands your full attention. There are narratives hidden within the songs that overlap with others. There are garnishes of wonderful orchestral backing, but on 'Sawdusts and Diamonds' Newsom's Harp is the only other instrument, save her curious and captivating voice. 'Only Skin' is the album's longest track, a wistful blend of key changes and bizarre instrumentation. Newsom's lyrics are often fragmentary and loose, but suit her style well. Part of the fun seems to be that meanings are difficult to come by, but you will always leave this album feeling more fufilled and just a little bit wiser than you did the last time you listened to it.
I'm reluctant to even try to describe this album. I think the best example to use is what generally happens after you've listened to it - little melodies, a line perhaps, tend to stick in the mind and won't be uprooted until you've found a quiet place to stick the record on.
I say a quiet place, because the obvious flaw of the album (is it really a flaw though, or is it a sad indictment about music today?), is that it demands your full attention. There are narratives hidden within the songs that overlap with others. There are garnishes of wonderful orchestral backing, but on 'Sawdusts and Diamonds' Newsom's Harp is the only other instrument, save her curious and captivating voice. 'Only Skin' is the album's longest track, a wistful blend of key changes and bizarre instrumentation. Newsom's lyrics are often fragmentary and loose, but suit her style well. Part of the fun seems to be that meanings are difficult to come by, but you will always leave this album feeling more fufilled and just a little bit wiser than you did the last time you listened to it.
66 of 75 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
There are some times that I think that I and many other reviewers on here are too free and easy in giving 5 stars to albums. The problem is that when something comes along that is absolutely outstanding then it is difficult to differentiate it from that which is merely VERY good. Joanna Newsom's 'Ys' (pronounced 'ees') is one of those works that comes along as rarely as a blue moon and is not merely excellent but is 'out of this world', an instant classic.
It's all too easy to bandy words like 'classic' around but do I mean it? The answer here is most definitely yes. This is a work that you would call genre-defining - if only it didn't completely defy genre. 'Ys' stands up there with other classic albums (White Album, Pet Sounds, Dark Side of the Moon) as being so original that nothing even remotely approaching it has been released before. This is heady company to keep, but I truly believe that this album belongs in such company. Believe me, this is an album that transcends anything else that you will hear all this year.
Saying all that, will it be successful? It is so original and beyond anything that you will hear anywhere else that it's hard to imagine that it'll get much airtime. The whole album consists of only 5 tracks, the shortest of which is over 7 minutes and the longest of which is nearly 17 minutes long. There is no guitar, there are no drums. Already you can tell that this isn't any ordinary album. The songs are all centred on Joanna Newsom's beautiful voice, harp and background orchestral arrangement.
First, the voice. Joanna Newsom has a distinctive voice, though there are obvious comparisons to Bjork (occasionally you hear Billie Holliday and Kate Bush coming through). She manages to sound child-like and ageless in one. Second, the harp playing. This is exquisite. Newsom's vocals and her harp playing perfectly match each other but at the same time seem sometimes to be doing battle with each other to see which leads. Third, the orchestral arrangement. Produced by Van Dyke Parks, the orchestral arrangements are always only in the background and so never overpower the singing and the harp. This is excellent in itself and the whole work has a very full sound.
Then there are the songs themselves. Lyrically there can be few albums that have ever bettered this. Each song is a story within itself. But the stories are written as poetry. The words are pure magic. Utterly evocative.
I played this three times yesterday and again this morning on the way to work. Incredibly my usual Monday morning angry mood completely dissipated whilst listening to this. I absolutely love it.
Saying all that - is it for everybody. I guess this might just pass over some completely. If you want immediacy then you might not like this. This is something to completely lose yourself in. Something that might take you time. However, this for me is as perfect as it gets. Listening to this is like emerging from early morning mist into a lucid blue sky. Fantastic music. (10/10)
It's all too easy to bandy words like 'classic' around but do I mean it? The answer here is most definitely yes. This is a work that you would call genre-defining - if only it didn't completely defy genre. 'Ys' stands up there with other classic albums (White Album, Pet Sounds, Dark Side of the Moon) as being so original that nothing even remotely approaching it has been released before. This is heady company to keep, but I truly believe that this album belongs in such company. Believe me, this is an album that transcends anything else that you will hear all this year.
Saying all that, will it be successful? It is so original and beyond anything that you will hear anywhere else that it's hard to imagine that it'll get much airtime. The whole album consists of only 5 tracks, the shortest of which is over 7 minutes and the longest of which is nearly 17 minutes long. There is no guitar, there are no drums. Already you can tell that this isn't any ordinary album. The songs are all centred on Joanna Newsom's beautiful voice, harp and background orchestral arrangement.
First, the voice. Joanna Newsom has a distinctive voice, though there are obvious comparisons to Bjork (occasionally you hear Billie Holliday and Kate Bush coming through). She manages to sound child-like and ageless in one. Second, the harp playing. This is exquisite. Newsom's vocals and her harp playing perfectly match each other but at the same time seem sometimes to be doing battle with each other to see which leads. Third, the orchestral arrangement. Produced by Van Dyke Parks, the orchestral arrangements are always only in the background and so never overpower the singing and the harp. This is excellent in itself and the whole work has a very full sound.
Then there are the songs themselves. Lyrically there can be few albums that have ever bettered this. Each song is a story within itself. But the stories are written as poetry. The words are pure magic. Utterly evocative.
I played this three times yesterday and again this morning on the way to work. Incredibly my usual Monday morning angry mood completely dissipated whilst listening to this. I absolutely love it.
Saying all that - is it for everybody. I guess this might just pass over some completely. If you want immediacy then you might not like this. This is something to completely lose yourself in. Something that might take you time. However, this for me is as perfect as it gets. Listening to this is like emerging from early morning mist into a lucid blue sky. Fantastic music. (10/10)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a concept album (or a 'song cycle' as the classical world would have it), meant to be heard from start to finish, 5 songs over 55 minutes. First spins of many including me (I'll never forget it!) have the listener thinking 'doesn't this crazy woman ever shut up!'
Then we start listening to the lyrics and reading the gilt-edged lyric booklet, laid out with such precision that you know it's made for reading. It becomes clear... this is poetry set to music, and is best approached in that way. Although some might dismiss Newsom as a fairy princess, yes the words can be mystical but they are articulate, earthy and deeply personal - the first song 'Emily' is a love letter to her astro-physicist sister and positively aches with love for Emily and their father. The orchestrations of the legendary Van Dyke Parks swell and surge brilliantly throughout most of the album.
Although initially this harpist/singer/songwriter was associated with the indie music world, she deserves to be heard by anyone interested in serious (i.e. classical) music. For my part I'm a Verdi and Beethoven obsessive, but it sure is good to be able to appreciate this living poetic musical marvel. I've had this album more than 4 years and it remains a compelling listen.
Then we start listening to the lyrics and reading the gilt-edged lyric booklet, laid out with such precision that you know it's made for reading. It becomes clear... this is poetry set to music, and is best approached in that way. Although some might dismiss Newsom as a fairy princess, yes the words can be mystical but they are articulate, earthy and deeply personal - the first song 'Emily' is a love letter to her astro-physicist sister and positively aches with love for Emily and their father. The orchestrations of the legendary Van Dyke Parks swell and surge brilliantly throughout most of the album.
Although initially this harpist/singer/songwriter was associated with the indie music world, she deserves to be heard by anyone interested in serious (i.e. classical) music. For my part I'm a Verdi and Beethoven obsessive, but it sure is good to be able to appreciate this living poetic musical marvel. I've had this album more than 4 years and it remains a compelling listen.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent Product
I'm so pleased I bought this. This girl is so quirky, and listening to the CD is like going on an adventure. Brilliant!
Published 31 minutes ago by K. B. Barlow
No "Smelly Cat"
Utterly disgusted by this offering. You'd think they would include the one song any of us have ever heard before.
Published 2 months ago by Ibbots
Unexpectedly Brilliant
I bought the album after one listen of Monkey & Bear one evening on Radio 6. My success rate at buying music 'on spec' like this is somewhere around the 30% mark. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Marc Jones
What I imagined is better than what I heard
I've only just discovered Newsom and after listening to the track previews on Amazon I took the plunge and bought the CD. Read more
Published 15 months ago by ESP
Beautiful! The woman, the harp and the artwork.
Well I waited with barely concealed excitement for this album to arrive on my doorstep and I wasn't disappointed. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Dragonqueen
Inspiring
Loved it! Brilliant, imaginative and skillfully scored. Catchy melodies and interesting to listen to. Kate Bush with a harp!
Published 21 months ago by Taggart
Madness
Why so many five star reviews? It makes me laugh to read so many ways of covering up the fact that this gril cannot sing by describing her voice as 'distinctive', 'crazy',... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2010 by Bear
A brilliant album
This is one of those albums that took a bit of work before I got it. I liked it as soon as I heard it but now I absolutley love it. Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2010 by Michael tolley
really lovely if she didn't sing
The cover is striking in a medieval/folksy way, the lyrics are interesting, the music is beautiful (though the harp wasn't as strong as I thought it would be), the voice is tragic. Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2009 by Kristie Macknight
Amazing
There are five tracks on this cd, avaraging about 10 minutes per track. The songs do not get at all boring because of the length. Truly beautiful.
Published on 1 Jun 2009 by Megan Atkin
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