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 to access audio and video on collective you need real player.Beyond good and medieval. Meandering, mysterious and festooned in Van Dyke Parks’ fussily baroque orchestrations, Ys is a record that gives up its treasures slowly. Its five helium-voiced, harp-propelled essays are not so much songs as oblique, Pre-Raphaelite epic poems - you imagine the elfin Newsom spends weekends letting down her tresses from high castle windows. Studded with arcane symbolism, it’s rhapsodic and daringly recherché stuff which, in lesser hands, might amount to grand folly. It’s to her great credit that Newsom (literally) plucks artistic triumph from the jaws of cloying whimsy. Joanna Newsom – Ys, released 30 October 06 on Drag City.
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comment by sunsetbeach
Sep 21, 2007
An entire Joanna Newsom concert filmed in Philadelphia last year where she plays all of Ys as well as some Milk-Eyed Mender songs. It's on Stage 6, none of your blocky youtube horribleness, so the quality is very good:http://tinyurl.com/22bwtg... Inevitably there is one glitch, and inevitably it's in Only Skin, my favourite song. And inevitably it's in a particularly mesmerising bit of the song. Aargh. But it's still great.
comment by CerebralJam
Jan 16, 2007
Hi.Having read all the comments and bought both albums mentioned, Milk Eyed Mender, and Ys... I wanted to say that on Sunday, 14th January, I went to see Joanna Newsom on tour in Glasgow. Playing with the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra. Joanna Newsom, petite, appears in angelic white dress and long flowing hair shining. On her left is a guy in black suit, sits at the drums and wait for it, he has no shoes on! On her right a man in a green suit... I should know their names but hey I'm hopeless at remembering detail. Anyway, behind her sits the orchestra, as she, framed by her beautiful harp sits centre stage. They open with Emily ... At the end of this piece she announces (first day of tour too) that this is the first time she's played with an orchestra. It was truly astounding, the depth of the tones of the orchestra, the rhythm, the story and precision... I felt it was a privilege to sit and watch as they played Ys from beginning to end. How does she remember all those words? Or keep playing for so long with such passion? After the last track I think we the audience are delighted and think that must be the end, but she quietly announces ... '20 mins'. The break over Joanna comes back on stage and plays a Scottish Ballad 'Ca' the Yowes', and apologizes for if she gets the words wrong, we can throw fruit ... wonderful sense of humour, and a beautiful version of a song that I've heard a few variations to. She is joined by the two guys and they play a couple of songs from Milk Eyed Mender and a couple of fantastic songs I haven't heard before from a live appearance somewhere. I don't think she is whimsical, but truly talented. At a very young age she has an insight which you can just tell is going to grow. She put everything into that night, and more. She leaves the stage quietly, and puts her head on the shoulder of one of the guys as they go out the back door - they both put an arm around her in support. The lights go up. Nobody is leaving, piercing whistles, shouts and clapping accompanied by the usual feet stomping endure ... I've never seen this kind of support before and I've been to a far few in my time. She reappears and says 'thank you for coming along and clapping...' If she wins many hearts, it is because she deserves so. She is not whimsical but puts everything into her music which is full of personal inspiration, personal symbolism, storytelling and dedication to both the art of composing and writing... I hope many people get to share the sheer pleasure of the tour, personally, and come away with a feeling of having seen something very rare.
comment by Ben_Heller
Dec 27, 2006
Whilst I appreciate the fervour concerning this artist, I have refused to either buy or listen to her music.The reason...simple I detest her use of animal pelts for promotional photo shoots. Wearing a Coyote skin on her head is both objectionable and barbaric. Jennifer Lopez was the subject of vitriol for her support of the wearing of fur, but I fear Ms. Newsom will escape the negativity due to the Press (Pitchfork, NME, BBC, Uncut, Prefix, etc) wetting themselves with this so called "art".
comment by sunsetbeach
Nov 20, 2006
Lengthy Pitchfork interview with Joanna Newsom about Ys:http://tinyurl.com/yedgk8...
comment by NeilHero
Nov 13, 2006
As a fan of The Milk Eyed Mender I was looking forward to hearing Ys, especially having read all the rave reviews it has received. On first listening to it I did wonder what all the fuss was about. But this is a complex album and it took me a little time to appreciate just how good it is and I am slowly coming to realise that this is a fantastic album. Joanna Newsom's writing is truly wonderful, her imagery is original and stunning. Each time I listen to it I find new things to admire. An album that grows on you.
comment by Vahva
Nov 5, 2006
You kind of don't want to like it, and think you're going to find it hard work - but it's not!Deeply affecting stuff.
comment by darkparis12
Nov 2, 2006
On the surface whimsical, but magical throughout! The temptation might be to look for literal references (the Bronte Sisters), the musical influences (Kate Bush, the Bjork-voice family, the orchestral input of Van Dyke Parks), but all that would arise the suspicion of something arty, highly intellectual etc. In fact, the music is deeply sensual, full of yearning, joyful, melancolic qualities! I read that one of her favourite albums is Robert Wyatt´s "Rock Bottom" - and, without doubt, Joanna Newsom has produced a similarly original masterpiece (with a completely different approach, of course!)
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