New Joanna Newsom Album "Ys" Due Nov 14

I still find this an admirable, ambitious record, but also a flawed and problematic one. I doubt anyone else is going to nail how I feel about this one closer than the Stylus review. Which gives it a good grade, but reads as similarly conflicted w/r/t to my own feelings about Ys, even if they don't quite stretch to "enchantment".

I've only listened to it once so far, but it did sort of remind me of the Phil Ochs song 'Crucifixion' in places. Obviously that's the Van Dyke Parks link in full effect.

xp

and on the "bad thing" remark, yesterday i had someone add the 'e'
and try to insult her by saying she sounds like lisa simpson--yeah, why IS that bad?

ts for misspellings designed to infuriate sub-editors: joanna newsome v missy elliot

(the missy misspelling is far out in front because it has been going on for a DECADE now and shows no sign of slowing down EVEN THOUGH SHE SPELLS HER NAME CORRECTLY ON ALL HER SLEEVES)

i really really want to hear ys but i am not convinced that i'll like it and so am unwilling to spend money on it

No one who's heard it here has spent any money on it, it's not out yet!

Dude, what kind of stick is stuck in your ass? Of COURSE people are qualified to critique her music without spelling her name correctly! What the hell does the spelling of her name have to do with her music? Moreover, my critique offered NO OPINION WHATSOEVER about whether her music was good or bad--I just said she sounded like Miss Kitty. And she does. That is all.

Touchy-ass fanboys. Sheesh.

Oh, I had no idea about that. I've totally been reading it as 'wise' - thought it might have been some sort of concept album about Ernie.

yep

beep. I hit the wrong button.

(>>>>"not a defensive remark")

My apologies, son.

Of COURSE people are qualified to critique her music without spelling her name correctly! What the hell does the spelling of her name have to do with her music?

Wellll
--and this observation is far removed your own neutral remark--
there does seem to be an arguable correlation between the banal critiques of her vocal doses and that spare e.

Well...searching through the thread, it looks like Edward said something about that:
"The elegant sweep of movements in "Only Skin" are flattened into sequential morasses of sound. To give a specific instance, the cascasding runs during the "rolling along, among the reeds among the rushes" segment have less of an impact because of the accompanying orchestral surge."

The 16 minutes is something nice to hear when you're idle,
but I would much rather repeat the live piano version because it dives right into that wonderful rhythm.

Haven't found the leaked version (HOW THE HELL aka yr torrent networks is garbage, son), so I'm just gonna pony the fuck up and buy it next week.

i agree with mark

fantastic though isn't it? i mean head-fuckingly fantastic.

It's not that I don't get it, I GET IT
I just don't think it's very good

I swear, if she wasn't so hot, all these male rock critics wouldn't be gushing over her so much. I'm convinced they are (many of them) in love with her whole persona/image--not so much the music

People make music this amitious all the time, and much of it is worlds better, but it often comes from older trio of aging men, or a 35 year old finnish woman who's semi fat, and nobody cares...

Or they call it pretentious. It's just so ridiculous the unilateral praise for this

When I heard it back in august I thought for sure some critics would call it out for what it is, yet it seems everyone is drinking from the same fairy pool

Long Suites, VDP and Smog peppered with harp and meandering vocals that if read without music, read like a college freshman poetry jam, don't equate = stop the world greatness.

It's just as though everyone is thinking "wow, well its' so LONG and who does that? and well, she's so young and her lyrics are so, wow! She sings about skipping stones in wading pools! and Come dance with me and monkeys and bears", and then those that think it's ridiculous train of thought garbage are dismissed as not "getting it"

I respect her intentions, but I'm more infuriated with the response

like boys just being like "I didn't know it could get this good!!"