Joanna Newsom - Ys

Gerardo A · December-6th-2006, 09:15 PM

Been digging this a lot, I hadn't heard anything of her before so I wasn't expecting it to be so lush and orchestrated. I haven't heard almost nothing of this scene. A friend recommended me last night Sufjan Stevens' Come On Feel the Illinoise and it's good but I'm looking for something more massive as Ys.

I also looked for other Van Dyke Parks productions, any recs of his? Got his solo album from 1968 (Song Cycle) last night, haven't heard it yet.

Any fans of Ys here? I remember Surfer and Walto talking about it in the WAYLT thread.

walto · December-7th-2006, 07:06 AM

I think it's pretty good. Each of the five(?) tunes has at least one nice bit, but it's always repeated too many times. And, if you think about it, you'll notice you've heard that nice bit elsewhere before. But it may come sandwiched by interestingly disparate material. Her voice takes some getting used to, but it's kind of cute once you do, and I like the Parks orchestrations--he did as much as one could do with what he was given (and more), I think. He's her George Martin.

She's very pretty also.

Re Song Cycle, it's dynamite, a classic.

Robert de St. Loup · December-7th-2006, 08:55 AM

I like this a lot and it bears up under repeated listens for me. Her lyrics are terrific, even if fey and self-conscious. And I like her voice, but then I like Victoria Williams, Nanci Griffith and Blossom Dearie too. Her singing also reminds me in a less obvious way of Karen Dalton.

Chris D · December-7th-2006, 10:06 AM

Not feeling it, and I have a weakness for overblown pop production.

Pedantic Wretch · December-7th-2006, 10:09 AM

I find the string arrangements on this one rather overdone; she seems to be going for more of a 'showtune' sound than the earlier 'folky' one (whatever the term 'folk' means - it seems to be used by the music press to include any vaguely hippyish middle-class Californian with a guitar). I preferred the largely solo harp accompaniments on The Milk-Eyed Mender. Also, as Walto points out, perhaps this new album shows up some of the limits of her style: there are only so many whimsical strings of alliterative animal or plant names one can fit into a song.

If you are looking for other female singers in this area of (pseudo-)folk, you might try Josephine Foster (who also records in the duo Born Heller). Her singing style is just as affected as Newsom's, but closer to a pastiche of a 60s English folksinger (say Sandy Denny, with a hint of Nico, but not as good as that sounds).

hearsay · December-7th-2006, 11:25 AM

Really dig 'Milk-Eyed Mender' , but still get used to her voice (my girlfriend asked me if it was a child singing). Some great songs on that one, I'll have to check out Ys, Ben Ratliff was slobbering about her in the NYTimes a few weeks back.

Surfer · December-7th-2006, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo Alejos

I remember Surfer and Walto talking about it in the WAYLT thread.

I dont have it and I dont plan on buying it, a "friend" will probably force it on me at some point. Joking.

Gerardo, lush overblown pop really isnt my thing. But as far as Van Dyke goes, I prefer Discover America which is calypso, but really only tangentially so. Song Cycle is good, but damn you really have to be in the mood for a lot of it, it helps to like show tunes, as they have that feel. I really like the instrumental song Donovan's Colors. Jump isnt bad either, but make sure you have those other two first. Discover America is a classic.

Gerardo A · December-7th-2006, 12:42 PM

Thanks all for the comments and recs! About Song Cycle, I listened to half of it last night and had a hard time with it. The only thing that truly grabbed me from the beginning was a short track also called "Van Dyke Parks", that sounds like a minimal guitar tune over a field recording, that was really beautiful. I'll keep digging and report back.

Squaredancecalling Steve · December-7th-2006, 01:08 PM

I'm with Surfer on "Donovan's Colors" from Song Cycle! That was the track that got the major FM radio play back in '67, and the one from the album I play at my dances. "Vine Street" is good, too.

I also like much of his 80s album with Brian Wilson called "Orange Crate Art", original but less florid arrangements and some charming songs.

Walter is fan of some of Parks' film scores, all of whose names escape me at the moment.

And of course Parks was the arranger for the Beach Boys' "Smile" ("Heroes and Villians") and was an immediate catalyst for the BB's breakup.

walto · December-7th-2006, 02:56 PM

I like "Vine St." and "Palm Desert" from Song Cycle. I think the soundtrack I mentioned is for an animated film called Brave Little Toaster.

Gentle Giant · December-7th-2006, 03:38 PM

Gentle Giant · December-7th-2006, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squaredancecalling Steve

And of course Parks was the arranger for the Beach Boys' "Smile" ("Heroes and Villians") and was an immediate catalyst for the BB's breakup.

Not true. He was the lyricist (his words for Surf's Up are particularly wonderful); Brian is the composer and arranger. Mike Love's strong aversion to his lyrics led to Parks splitting the scene during the original Smile recording sessions, but the Beach Boys were a recording entity for more than 20 years after that.

chuckyd4 · December-7th-2006, 05:53 PM

I don't know how anyone can take this chick's voice. Drives me up a wall. I have a pretty strong dislike for her music.

Gerardo A · December-7th-2006, 06:56 PM

That's pretty harsh, Chucky!

I did like her voice, though. She obviously comes from Björk; I also heard some Billie Holiday inflections there. Pedantic Wretch mentioned Blossom Dearie and that makes a lot of sense.

I wasn't really interested in her (or the "folk" scene) until I started to see how the album kept being mentioned in the WAYLT thread. But I liked it, man (her voice, the minimal but effective harp playing, the orchestration, the lyrics), guess it's one of those things that just hits you. So I'd like to hear related stuff. I also got Scott Walker's The Drift (I've never heard him before either) and will begin with it over the weekend.

Vince Kargatis · December-7th-2006, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo Alejos

She obviously comes from Björk; I also heard some Billie Holiday inflections there. Pedantic Wretch mentioned Blossom Dearie and that makes a lot of sense.

I thought her fundamental vocal foundation was coming from those old folk roots/mountain-country stylists.

I enjoy her voice too, love her debut album. Haven't had time to ingest Ys yet, or even hear it all, though obviously it's way different than the first.

Surfer · December-7th-2006, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo Alejos

I did like her voice, though. She obviously comes from Björk; I also heard some Billie Holiday inflections there. Pedantic Wretch mentioned Blossom Dearie and that makes a lot of sense.

Edith Piaf

Gerardo A · December-7th-2006, 08:47 PM

Haha I should have added the caveat "to me it sounds like she comes from..."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince Kargatis

I thought her fundamental vocal foundation was coming from those old folk roots/mountain-country stylists.

Cool! Can you offer some names or album recs so I can dig in that direction?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surfer

Edith Piaf

Hehehe, I don't think I've ever enjoyed anything I've heard of her. Is there any special one you can recommend, dude?

Jon Abbey · December-7th-2006, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckyd4

I don't know how anyone can take this chick's voice. Drives me up a wall. I have a pretty strong dislike for her music.

it's been sitting on my desktop unlistened to since before it came out, can't bring myself to listen to it from the descriptions.

Pedantic Wretch · December-7th-2006, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo Alejos

Cool! Can you offer some names or album recs so I can dig in that direction?

I believe Newsom has specifically name-checked the Appalachian ballad singer Texas Gladden (1895-1967), who was recorded by Alan Lomax in the 1940s-50s, and appears on this excellent Rounder CD:

There are RealAudio clips at the Rounder site. Gladden is arguably of much greater interest (not least historically) than someone as self-consciously stylised as Newsom, belonging to (one of) the last generation(s) of orally transmitted, entirely non-commercial folk music.

Gerardo A · December-8th-2006, 12:00 PM

That sounds very nice, Wretch. I'll look for her, thanks!

Surfer · December-8th-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerardo Alejos

Hehehe, I don't think I've ever enjoyed anything I've heard of her. Is there any special one you can recommend, dude?

No.

Squaredancecalling Steve · December-8th-2006, 02:17 PM

What kind of people are you, you don't even like Edith Piaf?

Chris D · December-8th-2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squaredancecalling Steve

What kind of people are you, you don't even like Edith Piaf?

Who said that? Joanana Newsom isn't even a pimple on the great songbird's butt.

Gentle Giant · December-8th-2006, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squaredancecalling Steve

What kind of people are you, you don't even like Edith Piaf?

I like rice pilaf.

Robert de St. Loup · December-8th-2006, 09:57 PM

As much as I like the Newsom record, she sounds nothing like Edith Piaf. She sings in a completely different register and her phrasing isn't similar either.

walto · December-8th-2006, 10:05 PM

Not only do I not get the Piaf-Newsom connection, I'm still trying to figure out why the hell Jon happens to have a copy of Ys!

Jon Abbey · December-9th-2006, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walto

Not only do I not get the Piaf-Newsom connection, I'm still trying to figure out why the hell Jon happens to have a copy of Ys!

MP3s.

lazarus · December-9th-2006, 04:28 AM

I like "Ys" very much but I´m even more fond of "The Milk Eyed Mender". I don´t get the Piaf connection either but I agree on the comparison with Björk. Another one I think of is Melanie.
I love "Song Cycle". Van Dyke Parks also made some great arrangements on Randy Newman´s selftitled debutalbum and Victoria Williams "Happy Come Home".

Wombatz · December-9th-2006, 11:48 AM

Loved the first four songs from Milk-Eyed Mender (the rest was throwawayable). The new record cured me from a possible infatuation within a couple of measures. Singer / songwriters are probably even much deadder than jazz is.

walto · December-9th-2006, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazarus

I like "Ys" very much but I´m even more fond of "The Milk Eyed Mender". I don´t get the Piaf connection either but I agree on the comparison with Björk. Another one I think of is Melanie.
I love "Song Cycle". Van Dyke Parks also made some great arrangements on Randy Newman´s selftitled debutalbum and Victoria Williams "Happy Come Home".

Yeah, I'd forgotten Parks' work on that Randy Newman album. That's great too.