New Joanna Newsom Album "Ys" Due Nov 14

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Ah, my nemesis...

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 9 September 2006 03:47 (nineteen years ago)

You wish. Ha!

― Hot Hot Heat (Hot Hot Heat), Saturday, 9 September 2006 03:48 (nineteen years ago)

WTF this is weird.

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Saturday, 9 September 2006 03:51 (nineteen years ago)

The truth is that I actually kind of like Tim. Deep down he's quite cuddly, in an anti-social record collector geek sort of way. You're a nice guy, Tim, so from now on I'm just going to be kind to you. Honestly.

― Hot Hot Heat (Hot Hot Heat), Saturday, 9 September 2006 03:54 (nineteen years ago)

xposts - I'm able to follow the narratives pretty well without the lyric sheet I think, vocally she's quite clear, although it DEFINITELY takes more than a couple of plays for some meanings and a lot of her imagery to unravel & unpack properly. There are some lovely, lovely lines and sentiments in here (the one about clouds like breaking bread especially) and yet...

It's not that I have a low attention span it's just that I begin to stop caring after too long. Monkey and Bear makes me wince too, despite having some of the most engaging and vivid language on here late in that track, overall I find it kind of embarrasing, but then I'm not one for prog much tbh.

If there's an ongoing story running through the whole record I haven't quite worked it out so far though.

― just say no to individuality (fandango), Saturday, 9 September 2006 04:08 (nineteen years ago)

More listens definitely, when I can face the prospect. I might have to give "The Drift" another go first though ;-)

― just say no to individuality (fandango), Saturday, 9 September 2006 04:10 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.suburbanjungle.com/images/proud_furry_huge.gif

― señor citizen (eman), Saturday, 9 September 2006 04:14 (nineteen years ago)

Someone's attempted a lyric sheet for the album already, complete with Wikipedia entries for the "difficult" words:

http://www.fromamouth.com/milkymoon/lyrics.htm

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 9 September 2006 06:13 (nineteen years ago)

That site's had the lyrics up since she started playing the songs live, almost a year now.

― Edward III (edward iii), Saturday, 9 September 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

you caught some small death when you were sleepwalking

does this mean what i think it does?

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Saturday, 9 September 2006 16:29 (nineteen years ago)

It sure does. Now I'll give you 3 guesses what "in my doorway we shucked and jived" means.

― Edward III (edward iii), Saturday, 9 September 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

"Dumbstruck" would be a good way of describing my reaction to this album. Maybe "awestruck."

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 10 September 2006 07:08 (nineteen years ago)

AND BTW FWIW FUCKING "ORGONEGIRL"/FUCKING "HOT HOT HEAT" - AND OH YOU'RE GOING TO BE NICE TO ME NOW GEE THANKS - I AGREE WITH MY MAN TONY RETTMAN IN HIS BLOG SCHPIEL RIGHT HERE ABOUT PLZ DONOT FUCKING CHARACTERIZE MOIS AS DORK/GEEK JUST CUZ I HAPPEN TO BE A MUSICIAN/CRITIC/SCHOLAR WHEN YOU DONOT EVEN KNOW ME.......TAKE THAT ONE TO THE BANK FULE.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 10 September 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

(well, I agree w/ the spirit of tony's post if not some of the particulars anyway...)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 10 September 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

Music blog writer deferring to (and plugging) someone else's music blog in order to "explain" his true personality = DORK/GEEK x INFINITY

CRITIC/SCHOLAR? More like a HYPE MACHINE.

Actually, Tim, we did once meet at La Mesa. Granted, I don't "know" you, but the consensus was that your sexist cracks and "wigga" jokes didn't exactly endure you to anyone.

― Hot Hot Heat (Hot Hot Heat), Sunday, 10 September 2006 20:33 (nineteen years ago)

You've lost me w/ the latter part of your retort - no idea who you are or to what you are referring. Stop the slander.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 10 September 2006 20:56 (nineteen years ago)

I am a quiet person with a progressive sociopolitical outlook. : (

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 10 September 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

Hot Hot Heat, take it to the noise board.

― just say no to individuality (fandango), Sunday, 10 September 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

Turangalila you're not making sense of Rihm's music. Collagists aren't usually academics (= or dry)* about their music. Did you just google quotes about him using 12-tone music? First of all, the list of composer Rihm was bracketed with is totally fine. Secondly, I've also read (and it certainly sound like that) that he doesn't adhere to a strict system and uses whatever he wants. He does place 'riffs' from one piece to another so there is the collagist side to him, but having multiple approaches, unlike Boulez or Carter, doesn't sound bad at all.

*of course academics/freelancers is only a job description, it doesn't say anything about the quality of the music that has been written.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 11 September 2006 08:43 (nineteen years ago)

I take my hat off to VDP for orchestrating 12 mins of a 'meandering' song, presumably listening to it over and over and fitting in bits all the way through it.

At least we get to listen to the finished product and decide it's tough going. Must have been a buggr to transcribe!

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 11 September 2006 08:51 (nineteen years ago)

Julio, I admit my ignorance on most of Rihm's music, so yes, I googled about him to corroborate my own impression about what I heard years ago. Secondly, I never used any of his characteristics to denote anything about the quality of his music. I only said it sounded dull and humorless. Third, I specified he didn't adhere to a strict 12-tone system, but who does anymore, really? Strict is out of fashion.

But, yeah if rubbing in your "superior" knowledge on the subject in a cocky way (and completely missing my point in the process) makes you feel any better about yourself, go ahead.

― Turangalila (Salvador), Monday, 11 September 2006 08:57 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry if thats the way it came across I just wanted some clarification bcz I wasn't sure what yr point on his music, actually, apart from the bad humour and that he ws just plain bad. Its hard to tell about that quality of his music, from what I've heard (and he has composed far too much). I never feel he is trying to make you laugh or smugly smirk or anything like that.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 11 September 2006 09:05 (nineteen years ago)

The lyrics are all in the, er, lyric booklet funnily enough, I'd have transcribed them myself if someone asked nicely. OK, and paypalled me a load of money

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Monday, 11 September 2006 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

I listened to this while driving to the airport in the rain yesterday morning, and it sounded splendid.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 11 September 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

CRITIC/SCHOLAR? More like a HYPE MACHINE.

Album of the Decade

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 17 September 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

Which decade?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 17 September 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

you caught some small death when you were sleepwalking
does this mean what i think it does?
-- Amateur(ist) (am[email protected]) (webmail), September 9th, 2006 5:29 PM. (Amateur(ist)) (link)
It sure does.

-- Edward III (ehonaue...) (webmail), September 9th, 2006 5:35 PM. (edward iii)(link)

I'm not so sure...

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 17 September 2006 18:35 (nineteen years ago)

Just got this in the post, it's basically the best thing ever to happen to music.

― Nedpoleon (NedBeauman), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

i can't figure out that "you caught some small death when you were sleepwalking" line either.

― spastic heritage (spastic heritage), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Edward has it all figured out. Just ask him.

― cosmo vitelli (cosmo vitelli), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

Small death = orgasm

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

right but i don't know if it means nocturnal emission. the character is a "sleeper" - he was sleepwalking into...

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 15:55 (nineteen years ago)

stumbled into his fate, i guess. have to look again.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 15:56 (nineteen years ago)

I love this more the more I listen to it.

In order of preference:

1) Only Skin ("though we felt the spray of the waves / we decided to stay till the tide rose too far")
2) Cosmia
3) Emily
4) Monkey & Bear
...
5) Sawdust & Diamonds

Yeah, I always skip S&D.

― Turangalila (Salvador), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

i cant believe this thread has stayed dead so long (even though I know the album comes out in November officially)...first five listens I took sparely, didn't give much attention, wrote it off as nothing special...50 listens in and its mesmerizing, the best album of its kind (and by that I dont mean "chick with a harp", I mean more singer-songwriter) of the year...no hyperbole...I've never heard someone cycle and evolve songs so effortlessly, they are all treasures (cant see how someone who likes 1,2,4 and 5 couldnt like 3...the best I agree is Only Skin (all 16+ minutes of it)...is that Bill Callahan on backup? or Will Oldham (less likely), maybe Vedder (as on Cat Power)? Van Dyke Sparks perfectly accentuates the mood, I love the subtle touches from JIM O'Rourke (I think I hear a digeradoo somwhere?)...Albini's presence is less obvious because there's no drums or loud guitars, but damn, that harp sounds heavenly

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Saturday, 30 September 2006 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

woops...all it took was Wikipedia to show me that the backup vocals are indeed Bill Callahan (brilliantly, slightly off-beat)

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Saturday, 30 September 2006 20:29 (nineteen years ago)

and yaa, Dyke Van Parks, dont type drunk folks

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Saturday, 30 September 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

or van dyke parks if ya like

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Saturday, 30 September 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

Tour Dates:

10-04 Toronto, Ontario - Mod Club
10-05 Montreal, Quebec - Ukranian Federation
10-06 Bennington, VT - Bennington College
10-07 Brooklyn, NY - Barge Music (New Yorker Festival)
10-08 Storrs, CT - Von Der Mehden Auditorium

11-08 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
11-10 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
11-11 Logan Square Auditorium - Chicago, IL
11-13 New York, NY - Webster Hall (early & late shows)
11-14 Somerville, MA - Somerville Theatre
11-16 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
11-17 Washington DC - Black Cat
11-18 Greensboro, NC - Gail Brower Huggins Perf. Center
12-03 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater

I'm going to the release date gig! The Somerville's a converted 1914 movie theatre, supposed to have great acoustics. Very jazzed.

― Edward III (edward iii), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 17:58 (nineteen years ago)

I was just thinking that I've heard nothing but advance praise for ''Ys.'' Then I opened the Oct. 19 edition of Rolling Stone, which PANNED it. RS gave it 2 stars, and said it was ''meandering'' and ''indulgent'' and ''hard to stomach.''

― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 12 October 2006 01:00 (nineteen years ago)

Not on the web site yet.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 12 October 2006 01:13 (nineteen years ago)

avant-garde music judged self-indulgent in mainstream publication film at 11

― Edward III (edward iii), Thursday, 12 October 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

you forgot a word there:

FAUX avant-garde music judged self-indulgent in mainstream publication film at 11

― EZ Snappin (EZSnappin), Thursday, 12 October 2006 14:57 (nineteen years ago)

Oh god, not avant-garde please. I don't want to start being told I don't ~~like~~"get" this because it's too challenging for me by superior indie fuxx.

― eh (fandango), Thursday, 12 October 2006 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

from Rolling Stone it's practically a reverse-psychology recommendation dudes

― eh (fandango), Thursday, 12 October 2006 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

I still love this. Classifying it as "avant-garde" or "faux avant-garde" is beside the point. It's the music that counts.

― Turangalila (Salvador), Thursday, 12 October 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

Dick Van Dyke Parks.

Ithangyew.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 12 October 2006 15:12 (nineteen years ago)

~~avant-garde~~uncommercial is good enough.

― eh (fandango), Thursday, 12 October 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, releasing an album into the market is a *very* uncommercial move.

― Turangalila (Salvador), Thursday, 12 October 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

I don't want to start being told I don't ~~like~~ "get" this because it's too challenging for me by superior indie fuxx.

If you don't like it, that's fine - I didn't get the memo that says everybody has to like Joanna Newsom, and I'm assuming you didn't either. But applying "meandering" to Ys, the reviewer might as well have said "too many notes" or "I couldn't be arsed to pay attention."

Call it whatever you want, uncommercial, complex, challenging, avant-garde, faux-fairy-wrangling, indie-fuX0r-suX0r-shitbath. But it's not the product of a lack of focus or discipline, and it's not an album that's easily appreciated after a few cursory listens.

― Edward III (edward iii), Thursday, 12 October 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

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