I don’t have enough time to critique “Ys”, the new album by Joanna Newsom. I don’t even know if i am even able to. It is very humbling to see such a beautiful young talent making her way along life. I have recently found myself constantly listening with Track 1 – Emily. (lyrics here: http://www.alwaysontherun.net/joanna.htm#Emily
Joanna’s words are simply heart warming. Her songs envelope you in a world far from here, invoking a natural organic existence and a layer of visible love. Her music is beautiful and her voice which at is at first odd, becomes more endearing every time you hear it. But really to me, it’s her lyrics that top it off.
The first Joanna song I heard was The Book of Right On. Such a great song. The lyrics are very light and the flow of the words is so creative, rich with beautiful alliteration and internal rhyme.
Do you want to sit at my table?
My fighting fame is fabled
And fortune finds me fit and able
Very cool! It goes on like this:
And even when you run through my mind
Something else is infront; you’re behind
And I don’t have to remind you to stick with your kind
Saturday Elaine and I went to watch a movie at Hoyts and they had this Melbourne add playing to “Sprout and the Bean”. I remember watching this Metallica documentary talking about when Metallica went mainstream, the kids who were listening to Metallica in the underground were gutted when their little sisters were running around shouting “Sad but True!!!!!”. Well, I couldnt help but feel the same when i heard Joanna. I don’t think though it is because it went mainstream, but more because was not really appropriate for the ad, and because they had edited out the gutsy chorus which is the best part!!! Argh!
Anyway, I’m very excited because Elaine and I are going to see her on the 27th of January. I’m hoping she would sing all of Ys plus a minimum
-The book of right on
-Sadie
-The Sprout and the Bean
It’s going to be good!
