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Ys (pronounced 'ees') is Newsom's second album, and is a rather more lavish production from her debut 'The Milk-Eyed Mender'.
She plays harp, in a slightly unconventional, but nonetheless pleasing manner, and sings her own highly obscure lyrics with an equally quirky voice.
The words ... Read review
Ys - Joanna Newsom
If the debut album from Joanna Newsom, 2004's The Milk-Eyed Mender, suggested there was ... more
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 ...
Ys - Joanna Newsom
If the debut album from Joanna Newsom, 2004'sThe Milk-Eyed Mender, suggested there was ... more
no-one in music quite like this elfin San Franciscan harpist, its follow-upYssees that gulf of difference become a universe of possibilities. Recorded by veteran eng...
Ys - Joanna Newsom
If the debut album from Joanna Newsom, 2004's The Milk-Eyed Mender, suggested there was ... more
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 ...
Ys - Joanna Newsom
If the debut album from Joanna Newsom, 2004'sThe Milk-Eyed Mender, suggested there was ... more
no-one in music quite like this elfin San Franciscan harpist, its follow-upYssees that gulf of difference become a universe of possibilities. Recorded by veteran eng...
Ys [VINYL] - Joanna Newsom
If the debut album from Joanna Newsom, 2004's The Milk-Eyed Mender, suggested there was ... more
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
Ys [VINYL] - Joanna Newsom
If the debut album from Joanna Newsom, 2004'sThe Milk-Eyed Mender, suggested there was ... more
no-one in music quite like this elfin San Franciscan harpist, its follow-upYssees 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,Ysis 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 -- butYsis a magnificent achievement, one you suspect no one else on this planet could mimic, let alone challenge.-- Louis Pattison
A review by dobieg on Ys - Joanna Newsom November 21st, 2006
Author's product rating:
Originality
Groundbreaking
Lyrics
Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks
Flawless
How does it rate alongside the competition
Outstanding
Value for Money
Excellent
Advantages:
Highly individualistic
Disadvantages:
won't be to everyones tastes
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
If you're the sort of person who likes 'X-factor' Joanna Newsom very unlikely to 'rock your boat'.
On the other hand, like me, you despise everything the TV reality show stands for, appreciating the offbeat and quirky, this could be right down your street.
I first heard Newsom around a week ago on Radio Three, I was driving the car and wasn't really paying a great deal of attention, but found myself trying to remember the tune until I eventually looked up the track listing on the BBC website.
A quick search on GOOGLE revealed a number of sites offering streaming content of this, and other works - for someone so relatively unknown she seems to have a highly supportive fan base.
Newsom doesn't so much write the sort of catchy ditties that everyone can sing along to after four bars, but manages to create what the Germans call an Ohrwurm, literally 'ear worm'
Whilst I'd want to fall into the easy trap of trying to describe her in terms of simple comparisons, if you took Bjork, a bit of Kate Bush (without the shrillness) and mixed in a bit of Macy Gray, you wouldn't be that far off.
Ys (pronounced 'ees') is Newsom's second album, and is a rather more lavish production from her debut 'The Milk-Eyed Mender'.
She plays harp, in a slightly unconventional, but nonetheless pleasing manner, and sings her own highly obscure lyrics with an equally quirky voice.
The words (which frankly don't make much sense) are published in a lavish 32 page insert - Ys is a mixture of folky solo and sophisticated orchestrated tracks - the production of the album is absolutely superb.
The outer cardboard sleeve features a reproduction of a (somewhat flattering) acrylic portrait in Renaissance style, heaped with allegorical symbolism - to me it resembles a mirror image parody of Albrecht Durer's 1498 self portrait - but I'm probably being too clever for my own good there!
Newsom herself, in real life, could be best described as 'elfen' - and at times looks like she'd just walked off the set of 'lord of the rings'.
The inside if the album is made to look like an 1870's embossed book cover in red leather and gold detailing.
At around eight quid, I find it hard to believe anyone will be making any money on this album, but perhaps the record company's in it for the 'long haul' and are concentrating on producing quality over hype.
If you were brought up with the 1970's prog-rock / folk 'concept album' then this will seem very familiar territory - there's almost certainly a message in there, doubtless the arty types would claim to know all about what it's about, personally I couldn't care less it just sounds cool to me!
Unless she's especially lucky, this is unlikely to make it into the top 20 albums, especially being released in the run up to crimbo 2006 - I suspect, however, it'll be one of those 'slow burners' which will find it's way into a lot of CD collections and get played when nothing else quite matches your mood.
Newsom is an undeniably talented woman, unconventional enough to make a mark, but probably lacking the mass appeal that would make the public want to forget her in a couple of years.
To sum up Ys in two words I would suggest; 'compulsively intriguing'
Don't try to make any sense of the album, just enjoy the originality.
Advantages: Beautiful sounds, beautiful lyrics and a much needed rest from over-produced pop music Disadvantages: Newsom's voice may not be appealing to all listeners
...voice, although in my opinion this adds to her charm and makes her sound more appealing as in some way it appears more honest.
Ys is an outstanding album as it is rare to hear such innocence and intelligence so beautifully entwined in popular culture.
Worth a listen! ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Label / Distributor: Drag City / PIAS UK/Sony DADC
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Stereo: Stereo
Format: Performer
EAN: 781484030324
Catalogue Number: DC 303CD
Additional notes
Album Notes: Personnel include: Joanna Newsom (vocals, harp); Grant Geissman (electric guitar); Lee Sklar (electric bass); Don Heffington (percussion). It shouldn't be a surprise that an artist as stridently unconventional as Joanna Newsom would make a second album that overturns all the expectations established by her first. While Newsom's harp, highly poetic lyrics, and distinctive, child-like voice will be familiar to fans of THE MILK-EYED MENDER, YS takes Newsom's art in a new, startling directions. The quaint, self-contained folk portraits of the debut are obliterated here in favor of sprawling epics that recall sea shanties, Homeric myths, and progressive rock. Newsom's words are still highly literate and evocative, though they seem more narrative and symbolic than the surreal expressions of MENDER. The album is graced by string arrangements from Van Dyke Parks which create a swelling, dramatic counterpoint to Newsom's performances. Production assistance from indie-rock titans Steve Albini and Jim O'Rourke helps make this stellar effort one of 2006's most provocative releases.
Album Reviews: Spin (p.95) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "Newsom plays her part with total, unblinking conviction, luxuriating in the lovely imperfections of her voice....The album functions as one long suite, a spellbinding poem." Entertainment Weekly (p.109) - "[C]o-producer Van Dyke Parks and a gorgeous full orchestra have an ameliorating effect....Lovely..." -- Grade: B+ Q (p.141) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[U]tterly entrancing...Part Renaissance poetry, part fairy-tale." Mojo (p.118) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "YS sees Joanna Newsome rapturously create her own crepuscular, unsettling world, riper than a full-bellied pomegranate." Alternative Press (p.190) - "[T]he beating heart of Newsom's tales, at turns whimsical and melancholic, enchant with a simple calculus: A woman, a harp and a story to tell."
Titles on disc 1
1.: Emily
2.: Monkey And Bear
3.: Sawdust And Diamonds
4.: Only Skin
5.: Cosmia
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Listed on Ciao since : 21/11/2006
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