Harps, Other Strings and Quieter Things

The next album from the list I have pulled is Joanna Newsom’s Ys. Newsom is a young singer-songwriter whose primary instrument is the harp, though she is also trained to play piano. To date she has officially released three albums, two unofficial recordings, and an EP. She has a soft, high-pitched voice along the lines of Joni Mitchell, which adds to the lyrics and sound of her songs.

#198 – Joanna Newsom, Ys (Metascore = 85)

The first thing I have to remember when I listen to one of Newsom’s albums is she’s telling stories through song. She’s sort of a modern day troubadour. Sometimes her stories become complicated due to her voice making the ability to follow her words a little challenging. Some of the stories are interesting, but the songs tend to be very long. Maybe I have a bit of ADD, but it’s also up to the artist to be able to keep the listener interested.

Despite the challenges sometimes, Newsom is a very talented musician, and her playing is complemented very well by the strings arrangement prepared by Van Dyke Parks (who has worked with numerous artists of many different genres, including Grace Kelly, the Beach Boys, and Silverchair) and recorded by Steve Albini (Pixies and Nirvana, to name a few bands he has worked with). On most of the tracks she is the only one playing, but the detail behind her string picking is very clear and precise as was intended by Parks.

The album begins with the song “Emily”, a tribute to her sister (who also sings background vocals on the song). The song’s lyrics meander all over the place but seem to recall stories and feelings Newsom shared with her sister. “Only Skin” is deep lyrically and musically, a story of two lovers’ lives, how the intertwine until ultimately split by loss. You hear guitars buried within strings and horns and a banjo and drums. She puts a lot of detail into her lyrics, mostly in forms of poetry that it amazes me she is able to recall all of the words. From reading a little about her, she learned to memorize and recite through theater studies in school.

Her style is not necessarily my favorite. However, I recognize the fantastic musicianship and lyricism she has in her music. She utilizes any instrument and/or vocal style needed in order to bring added depth to her work. I believe that anyone that listens to her would be intrigued by her musicianship and sound. This record is not my favorite, but it is a good record and worth a listen if you like quieter, chamber-type music.