Joanna Newsom, Ys - Page 3

sonicl · 10.05.2007, 09:47 AM

Michael Gira is pretty godlike in my books, but I really cannot forgive him for his role in popularising the whole freak-folk thing. He was the one who inlicted Devendra upon us, and I think that if that hadn't happened then Ms Newsom, and Akron Family, and many others like them, would have remained underground where they belong. And Angels of Light might still be a great band instead of just a pretty good one.

10.05.2007, 10:00 AM

Joanna Newson sounds like a toddler trapped into a fairy tale queen body to me. There's not much I can do about the fact that I find her voice irritating. And those other two, what's their name? The two sisters who sound like newly born kittens?

nicfit · 10.05.2007, 10:02 AM

coco rosie.

10.05.2007, 10:03 AM

Yes, them. Kittens miaowing through a cheap microphone.

Savage Clone · 10.05.2007, 10:06 AM

The only artists who made me more apoplectic in a live setting than Ms. Newsom.
Way to go!

Everyneurotic · 10.05.2007, 11:51 PM

say what you want about her voice, but you can't deny van dyke parks' time travelling string arrangements.

i love ys.

atsonicpark · 10.06.2007, 08:44 AM

"new weird america" / "freak folk" is a really dumb genre but damn are there a lot of good artists lumped into it..

atsonicpark · 10.06.2007, 08:45 AM

Oh, and I mean the term "freak folk"/"new weird america" is really dumb; the "idea" behind it is great.

Glice · 10.06.2007, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savage Clone

I'm pretty sure I am on record as loathing the voice and/or vocal stylings of all three of your examples.
I don't like squeaky voices. While we're at it, I will mention again my allergic reaction to Kate Bush, Tori Amos, etc.
She is a very talented player and I would never say she "sucks," but that doesn't mean I can't find her music appalling on a personal taste level.

I don't think 'the ability to play the harp' is quite the same as 'good at the harp'. Just because there aren't many visible harpists doesn't mean that Newsom is any good. Rhodri Davies, a bit. Newsom, no. I wouldn't say Zeena Parkins was brilliant, but she does make a pleasant sound with the instrument.

Newsom smacks of novelty to me, but then nearly everyone I know loves her, so what do I know?

Savage Clone · 10.06.2007, 09:15 AM

I saw Zeena once; it was god-fucking-awful.
It was when she had a duo called "OWT," which made awful music.

Glice · 10.06.2007, 09:18 AM

From what I've heard, she seems to fall into that Zorn trap of patchiness. The duo with Ikue Mori I liked, other things less so.

zedius · 12.24.2019, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zedius

Muppet babies?

It's funny to see how dismissive I was 13 years ago. I was completely wrong to be. In 2010 I heard Good Intentions Paving Company and thought "This is amazing! Oh shit... This is Joanna Newsom isn't it?"

I've been a convert ever since. In a lot of ways the most impressive musician of this era.

!@#$%! · 12.24.2019, 07:21 PM

Ys was a fantastic album

after that... 50/50?

zedius · 12.28.2019, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

Ys was a fantastic album

after that... 50/50?

HOOM is what brought me on board with her. For about 3 months a new song was my favourite for a week, then even the ones I felt were kinda duds grew in me dramatically over the next few years.

It took me 5 years before only skin kicked my ass. I still aren’t enamoured with sawdust or cosmia, but honestly I think one day they’ll click. It seems to be that way with her.

!@#$%! · 12.29.2019, 12:44 AM

ah, that one was a big letdown for me unfortunately, i wanted to like it but it bored me a little, like it was trying to be more normal. it wasn’t bad, i might like it some day, maybe, but milk eye mender and Ys remain the definitive ones for me.

Ys actually i heard before all of milk eyed mender i think, i had a track from MEM in a compilation but not the full album. so i went straight to Ys first. it was in a record store (they still existed) i put on the headphones and my first reaction to the ethereal weirdness and complexity of it all was “bjork ripoff” and ok, it wasn’t really, but you know, closest reference, some influences i guess, but i walked away thinking i had a better use for the money that day, came back the following week, listened again, went home with it, then later returned for milk eyed mender which is easier/catchier but still bizarre. Ys takes work, you gotta sit down for it, it’s not a singalong while you chop vegetables. difficult, demanding, but worth it. milk-eye mender, sure, let’s make beer while we play it or something, still so unusual, refreshing, and it holds over time.

but after Ys, i don’t know, the music is not bad, but it doesn’t blow me away anymore, and the clock keeps ticking so i have to make choices, focus, etc.

10.05.2007, 09:47 AM	#41
sonicl invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,527	Michael Gira is pretty godlike in my books, but I really cannot forgive him for his role in popularising the whole freak-folk thing. He was the one who inlicted Devendra upon us, and I think that if that hadn't happened then Ms Newsom, and Akron Family, and many others like them, would have remained underground where they belong. And Angels of Light might still be a great band instead of just a pretty good one.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

10.05.2007, 10:00 AM	#42
sarramkrop Posts: n/a	Joanna Newson sounds like a toddler trapped into a fairy tale queen body to me. There's not much I can do about the fact that I find her voice irritating. And those other two, what's their name? The two sisters who sound like newly born kittens?
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

10.05.2007, 10:02 AM	#43
nicfit invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: banana boat Posts: 15,570	coco rosie. __________________ 11:11 11-11-11 I Ascended.
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10.05.2007, 10:03 AM	#44
sarramkrop Posts: n/a	Yes, them. Kittens miaowing through a cheap microphone.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

10.05.2007, 10:06 AM	#45
Savage Clone invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,290	The only artists who made me more apoplectic in a live setting than Ms. Newsom. Way to go!
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

10.05.2007, 11:51 PM	#46
Everyneurotic invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mexico Posts: 15,713	say what you want about her voice, but you can't deny van dyke parks' time travelling string arrangements. i love ys. __________________ Richard Clayderman found alive and still bland! Repo Man has all night! Photographic evidence of Monosodic's existance! New Kiddieriot shit after all! Never too late to share fave rex from the year before! David Keenan is a douchebag! Ron Asheton missed!
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10.06.2007, 08:44 AM	#47
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	"new weird america" / "freak folk" is a really dumb genre but damn are there a lot of good artists lumped into it.. __________________
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10.06.2007, 08:45 AM	#48
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	Oh, and I mean the term "freak folk"/"new weird america" is really dumb; the "idea" behind it is great. __________________
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10.06.2007, 09:15 AM	#50
Savage Clone invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,290	I saw Zeena once; it was god-fucking-awful. It was when she had a duo called "OWT," which made awful music.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

12.24.2019, 07:21 PM	#53
!@#$%! invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: mars attacks Posts: 42,648	Ys was a fantastic album after that... 50/50?
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

12.29.2019, 12:44 AM	#55
!@#$%! invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: mars attacks Posts: 42,648	ah, that one was a big letdown for me unfortunately, i wanted to like it but it bored me a little, like it was trying to be more normal. it wasn’t bad, i might like it some day, maybe, but milk eye mender and Ys remain the definitive ones for me. Ys actually i heard before all of milk eyed mender i think, i had a track from MEM in a compilation but not the full album. so i went straight to Ys first. it was in a record store (they still existed) i put on the headphones and my first reaction to the ethereal weirdness and complexity of it all was “bjork ripoff” and ok, it wasn’t really, but you know, closest reference, some influences i guess, but i walked away thinking i had a better use for the money that day, came back the following week, listened again, went home with it, then later returned for milk eyed mender which is easier/catchier but still bizarre. Ys takes work, you gotta sit down for it, it’s not a singalong while you chop vegetables. difficult, demanding, but worth it. milk-eye mender, sure, let’s make beer while we play it or something, still so unusual, refreshing, and it holds over time. but after Ys, i don’t know, the music is not bad, but it doesn’t blow me away anymore, and the clock keeps ticking so i have to make choices, focus, etc.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|