Ys

I think if I was 20 years older this would be my jam. But to me it sounds like a strange blend of Kate Bush, Amy Winehouse, and Joni Mitchell.

Interesting, and you can see the talent, but also not my thing.

Not available. Sad! Trying to catch up.

Joanna Newsom is an American musician that makes a unique version of progressive folk. Newsom uses the harp extensively, and she has a distinct voice, whose only close parallel is Bjork's. The combination gives her music the sound of shanties, in a particular way. Newsom's music has a quirky intensity that prompts another parallel to Bjork. Newsom's music is an interesting, raw version of folk, that is challenging at times. Her extensive orchestrations give the songs a dramatic, rich sound, and her compositions have an operatic sense.

Rating: 6/10 Some moments on here are truly breathtaking, the medieval sounding instrumentation and her voice can truly produce something incredibly beautiful. The issue with it is how meandering this album is, only 5 songs and 55 minutes is ridiculous when there are not that many ideas to justify this length. It seems like sometimes she just plays the same thing to fill up time but without purpose.

I have to be in the right mood, but this is a really well done album.

Not what the fucj I just listened to, but strangely interesting.

Way better than I expected. Irritating voice with folk vibes but in a disturbing way. It's a pity (or maybe not) that I'm not able to get the lyrics on the fly.

This is interesting. The musical arrangements are good, the production is great. It's only engaging me intellectually though. I don't feel much from it. I'm not crazy about her vocals, but they work fine for what she's doing. Adding this to the ever growing list of albums in this project that aren't my taste.

Good but more poetry than music

Om jag sku vara en medeltida kung med alternativ musiksmak så är det här vad ja skulle lyssna på. Jätte vackert album. Stark 3

I don’t love her voice, but I think there’s some good songwriting and harping going on. It’s interesting, would not say great. But I can appreciate this as a work or art.

best listened to in a witch's circle somewhere in the deep dark woods.Very medieval and kinda spooky? Nice strings, but the vocals annoy more than please. Also very poetic and lyrically heavy. Sawdust and Diamonds is probably the best and worst example. warbling voices, nice backing melody, attempt at thoughtful lyrics, witchy, etc. Its all there if you want it!

This album is the AI prompt “Bjork makes a Disney movie where all the princesses get together and just vibe in the woods”

Lots of hate for this but you know what it's 10-minute harp-led folk with a woman's very unusual voice. A great listen, tho only on youtube.

3.5/5

This is a weird album. I've been putting it off for over a decade now because it's not really my jam but I'm glad I listened to it once. I don't think I'll be listening to it again anytime soon especially since it's not on Spotify.

Very innovative album. Really great song structures. A 3,5.

This album got incredible reviews on release and I bought it on the strength of these. I can honestly say I have listened to it a dozen times in 19 years. It has something, I’m just not sure what it is. It’s intense, strangely so for an album that is largely harp and voice with chamber music accompaniment. Joanna’s voice is childlike and can grate at times. The lyrics are hallucinatory and there are no recognisable verse/chorus structures. Ys is intriguing, I find something interesting in it when I do listen. But it is a demanding listen, not something you necessarily do for pleasure, hence the number of times I have put it on.

Twenty odd years ago, I thought that this was precious. (Actually, I framed this thought in the form of an obscenity that I’m still proud of.) I still think it’s precious. But I can admire the craft that shaped it now, particularly in utterly transcendent moments like when Smog’s voice kicks in a bit more than halfway through Only Skin

I really like the musical ideas she was going with. And her sounding pretty much like a modern day Melanie helped. Still some of the songs are way too long, especially "New Skin" I may have to revisit this at sometime and see if it grows with age. 7.65/10 ★★★½

I heard this back in 2006 when it was all the rage, and it didn't quite click with me. Listening again this morning, there's some elements of it I do like. A lot of it has an anachronistic, almost Tom Waitsian quality to it where it feels like it was unearthed from many decades ago. I don't mind Joanna's voice, which seems to be the primary sticking point for a lot of people. It has some interesting character to it. I think the big problem for me is the songs kind of outstay their welcome. I don't think any of these really warrants being over 5 minutes, but the shortest track is 7 minutes and a couple surpass the 10 minute mark. Standouts for me are "Emily" and "Monkey & Bear" I think tighter songwriting might get me to 4 stars as I think it is pretty cool over all, but as it stands, I'm gonna go 3 stars.

Very bjork

324/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

over long but great voice i just dont like long tracks. plus not on spotify

I'm not always sure about Joanna Newsom, but you should listen to this album.

It sounds fantastic, but I cant stand Joanna's voice at times.

dance Gavin, dance.

Really good but hard to pay attention

this was a very unique album. it was obviously singing but it almost feels more like poetry set to music. and it works well some of the time!! i think it’s kinda disjointed at some points though too but that’s mainly because i didn’t love her voice or singing style

First reaction; ...the lyrics are a bit odd, but it's pretty pleasant listening. Each song is really long. I kinda had to check if I'd had a stroke at some point, as the lyrics are so whimsy and nonsensical. I don't think the song writer was sober when they wrote this. 3,5/5

Different

This was a challenge for me, and I appreciate the artistry but doubt I’ll seek it out again. Rating: 3.5

I find this album fascinating. The songs are long, and Joanna Newsom packs them with dense lyrics. I noticed a lot of nature imagery, though I’m not sure I followed much beyond that. But I still enjoyed the music. She sounds a little like Björk. But her sound and style are very much her own too. I guess what I find cool about this is that Joanna Newsom doesn’t sound like she compromised her vision at all. This feels like exactly the album she dreamt up in her mind. But man, these songs really are long. I was a little exhausted by the end of this. I’ve been enjoying harp music lately. There’s a new artist Mary Lattimore who I listen to when I’m anxious and having trouble sleeping. Her music is beautiful and soothing, and it leans toward ambient music. And recently I started listening to Dorothy Ashby, a jazz harpist from the 50s and 60s who has a very upbeat and bright style. And now I hear Joanna Newsom using harp as the lead instrument for long, melancholy folk songs. I think it’s cool that the instrument is so versatile. I wouldn’t have thought that a few years ago.

Joanna Newsom must be one of the originators of the "millennial female singing in script" style that pops up in younger generations memes (the Halsey accent?). She has that voice that is "cutesy" and reserved, with little accentuated flourishes and over-embellishments that come and go with the flow of whatever song it's in. It was so overdone around this time period that I cringe a little when I hear it now. Listening now, I can tell that there's depth here. This baroque pop style is very interesting to me and normally something I would want to dive deeper in, but unfortunately I don't feel pulled in. I feel like I'm at an open mic event and there's a singer songwriter bard who is crafting a tale of some medieval event with way too much poetic nuance for a 16 minute epic for an open mic. I think I'll have to listen again because this isn't clicking with me when I think it normally would.

Like harp music old and shit but strangely engaging. Got bored after a bit.

Bjork with a harp

There are elements that are quite beautiful but her voice is a bit yelpy over the course of an album

I can definitely see this one growing on me in the future, but until that day comes I think it's just ok. Her voice will definitely take some getting used to, but on the whole it still showed off some cool ideas.

5/10…Singer-Songwriter / Folk

Not bad

When it comes to acquired tastes, Joanna Newsom occupies her own landscape. On Ys, the harpist with the voice that is paradoxically sweet and abrasive weaves tapestries that range from five to twelve minutes and leaves no corner untouched along the way. One may not have to love how she approaches her music but respect must be given for there are hardly any imitators and no duplicators. Favorites: Emily, Sawdust & Diamonds, Only Skin.

This album is a tricky one to rate because I think that in order to enjoy it I'd have to give it several dedicated listens. Newsom's voice reminds me a bit of a blend of Bjork and Regina Spektor. I enjoyed this album, but ultimately had to go with a 3 because I don't anticipate myself listening to this one much.

Meh. Somewhat enjoyable but also ran together and sounded the same for the whole hour.

Challenging record to say the least but I will buy into it...

# Album Name: Ys # Artist: Joanna Newsom # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Some very interesting sounds in each track. But its like in one of those movies when they are running from the bad guy. You run so fast and come to a junction. Which way do you go? Is it left or right. You go the wrong way and get slaughtered. Well this album goes down the wrong path often imo. I would have liked some of the melodies to go on a tad longer or to be explored further. But the song almost melts into a new track. I guess thats the idea. Overall, its quite an original album. Vocals are decent. Arrangements are quite. funky/weird in some aspects but i feel thats all part of the artists persona. Not for the mass population. Couple of decent tracks id come back to. I feel those may grow on me. It would take a few listens. But for now it wasnt too bad of a first listen. Im on the fence with this one. I'll come back to it. # Top Tunes: Emily / Sawdust & Diamonds # Would I listen to it again? Yes

not my thing but i liked it

3,5

Vocals aren't my cup of tea. Intriguing though

It's beautiful but it feels like, musically, it's sort of motif heavy. That's a way of calling it repetitive but technically savvy. I won't fault her for it anymore than I fault kraftwerk which I ranked significantly higher than most. I don't really care for her voice? Feels like a bit wilder bjork but over the harp it seems jarring. Really well done lyricism.

ethereal

It's a 3. If I had to listen to it more than once that score might go down. Ebbs and flows between beautiful, haunting, and grating.

I hated this the first time I listened to it, but honestly the optimal time to listen to it is when cleaning your flat like mad before visitors come and you need something to both calm you down and make you feel chaotic at the same time to keep up the pace. That is this EP.

I appreciated how unique and singular this is, and some of the harp arrangements were really cool, but the vocals were a little grating to me by the end.

This is a very dense album with a lot to take in lyrically. I found it quite enjoyable and it kind of had a baroque, kind of old bard feel.

A bit odd. Not bad, per se, but weird and not really for me.

Bij de eerste tonen van dit album schieten de tranen bijna in m'n ogen. Ik zit nog half in m'n woeste Dylan rant en de eerste tonen van dit album lieten me heel even voelen alsof ik na een vervelende dag op de crèche een warme, veilige knuffel van m'n moeder kreeg. Kom maar menneke, Bob is gewoon een rotjong, wij gaan lekker een tosti eten en daarna zetten we de video van Fievel in het Wilde Westen aan. Dat effect is wel van korte duur overigens. Ze klinkt als een mengeling van Duffy en Björk en vooral dat Duffy stukje vind ik vaak wat lastig. Het schelle. De muziek is soort van sfeervol, dromerig, middeleeuws en daardoor vind ik het wel tof, maar de zang is, hoewel zeker niet onzuiver, wel een beetje kattengejank. En misschien is het omdat ik er nu op let, maar er lijken ook weinig momenten te zijn dat ze even niet zingt en de instrumenten hun werk laat doen, want tering wat heeft ze een hoop te vertellen zeg. Met een net wat lievere, warmere stem had dit bij mij heel hoog kunnen scoren, want zo'n harp in combinatie met wat strijkers en een voorzichtig klarinetje is wel genieten. Ik geef desondanks 3 sterren. Het is echt irritant, maar tegelijk is het af en toe ook heel mooi en daardoor vind ik 2 sterren net wat te streng. En het is wel weer een keer iets anders. Een instrumentale versie zou 5 sterren krijgen.

Not to be confused with the series of RPGs with the same name, Ys is a pretty alright album. Like a couple of albums i have done here, the lyrics in this album seem like they are telling some kind of story and in these albums, the lyrics are most often the best part and that does apply here. Joanna's voice was pretty good despite taking me a bit of time to get used to and the music was a little long-winded but fit well with the songs and was something i liked. I do believe that this album would be a fairly difficult one to get into but i did end up liking what i heard. Honestly, not a bad way to start off 2025. Best Song: Only Skin Worst Song: Sawdust and Diamonds

I listened to this entire thing, and I have no idea what's going on. Other than I think she's Bjork's hippie grandmother.

A different sound. Kind of a mix of broadway ballads and Etta James tunes.

Folk barroco. Ni fu ni fa.

Sentimientos encontrados.

I wanted to hate this, but I didn't. She falls somewhere between Kate Bush and Tori Amos with a touch of Björk. I wouldn't rush to this again, but I wouldn't mind if it were playing in the background.

Dadaist lyrics, which is too bad, as she had a lovely voice.

Þessa plötuvar erfitt að finna en ég náði að grafa hana upp á YouTube. Fyrsta hugsunin mín var: "Vó hvað þetta er skrítið. Hvað er ég eiginlega að hlusta á?" Svo bara vandist ég henni og fílaði hvað hún var kvörkí undir lokin. Hefði fengið 4 stjörnur ef hún hefði verið aðeins aðgengilegri

Really fucking weird but not necessarily in a bad way, I like that it’s something different

I don’t know. This is literally split between ones and fives. Some moments were like Björk-lite, and some were how I wish Björk sounded.

I never really got the hype for Joanna Newsom, she’s an even more shrill and less impressive Björk imo. I appreciate her harp skills but not much else. C-

Hard to figure out why this is so highly rated by critics (9.4/10 on Pitchfork for instance). It is a musically pretty and complex album but suffers from extreme song length, way-too-wordy stream of consciousness lyrics, and ridiculous baby-voice singing. The harp is lovely and Van Dyke Park’s string arrangements are wonderful and would make great instrumentals on their own. Probably would need to listen a few more times to get much out of the lyrics but the singing makes this a chore to listen to. 3 / 5 just for the beautiful arrangements which I appreciate.

God help me…I liked it. Like, a lot. Ren fair bullshit usually annoys the piss out of me and, honestly, it does with this album as well. But if I ignore the unforgivably stupid lyrics, it’s an outstanding album. I don't think I can quite give it a 4 because I think it's listenability is HEAVILY dependent on mood, but it's a strong 3.5.

Interesting

I liked the music. The lyrics and vocals were pretty weird.

I'll give it one star for the cover art and one star for the bloke on YouTube who said this saved him from committing suicide. It already had a star to begin with but that isn't much.

Now this was a unique album. The harp was beautiful, but I wasn’t a huge fan of her voice. Parts I liked but others reminded me too much of Bjork. Either way, a welcome addition to this list.

A jumble of shiny things found in a magpie's nest: some rubbish, but some jewels too. The vocal style wore thin, I have to say. But I appreciate the harpestry. Not sure if that is a word ... but you get what I mean. Imagine a harp being your instrument?! An extra star for that.

Harp and orchestral, fairy tale feeling

Sad that this isn't on Spotify, not where I live at least. Hearing this I feel like the most accurate description I can come up with is "cute". The cover art matches the music well, which have a bit of a fantasy or medieval feel to it. Definitely different for sure, so I believe the spot on this list is deserved! The album contains a few songs with interesting small stories, focusing heavily on the lyrics, which admittedly is not my favourite part of songs usually, but it works well. She seems to be playing the harp as her main instrument, which is not anything you see that often, cool! Overall, I found it a quite interesting album, but not anything I would really see myself listen to. I also find her voice quite annoying to listen to after a while, unfortunately. Still, fun with something different for once! This could actually deserve a better rating, but for me this is a strong 3.

I liked this more than I expected to! I find her voice really grating but can appreciate the lyrics and beautiful harp.

An interesting one!! The first few tracks I'm thinking wtaf is this. Then towards the end I'm starting to like her voice - having initially found it quite alarming - it's becoming reminiscent of Florence & the Machine who I like & on a second listen it's starting to grow on me. I've given it 3 stars but I wonder if that will seem harsh in a few weeks time.

The troubadour connection seems clear. It would be interesting to listen to the orchestration sans lyrics, and read the lyrics sans music. If I have to listen to Leonard Cohen and fucking Nick Cave so many times, then this is fair game. It's 100% better than godforsaken Pere Ubu. Definitely hear the Fiona Apple & Bjork in there.

I listened to this a number of times. Not sure why but it must have hit something inside me.

This was a tough one. To me this obviously art, but it doesn't seem to ring my bell. I hate to resign to the "she has an abrasive voice" trope, but I am having a hard time putting my finger on something more substantial.

There is something interesting about this album but I'm not a fan of 16 min songs, no refrains, long windy vocals, modern folk - which this album is and has in droves. Moments of musical brilliance do shine out though, and the fact that it has Steve Albini's paws on it makes me a little warmer towards it - but sitting through it's length it feels like a slog.

Ys (/ˈiːs/ EESS) is the second studio album by American musician Joanna Newsom, originally released in 2006. This record consists of 5 tracks, ranging in length from 7 mins to 17 mins. Those who have a hard time digesting log-form songs will not like this album. I generally prefer long-form jams over longer folky songs, as I generally have a hard time keeping track of all the lyrical content that is thrown at me. That is precisely the problem I had with this record. Joanna Newsom is obviously a very talented songwriter, and I kinda feel bad that I'm unable to develop deeper connections to these lyrics. I also feel as though her voice wasn't super appealing to me on first listen, but I feel like it would be good in a live setting. As for the good - the album artwork is stunning. The detail, colors, etc. really fit the vibe of this album. I've seen it occasionally in record shops and it has always caught my eye. The instrumentation was also great. It really fits the renaissance-era vibe. Newsom's harp playing was entrancing and the background orchestration really aided in the album's feeling. I'll give it a 3 for now but it warrants further listens.

Too many medieval vibes for me but I did like bits

Lovely music, not a fan of the voice. What's with the squeaking. It may be just beyond my understanding

Emily song lord have mercy I can not escape it. This is very reminiscent of Bjork yet the instrumentation feels so all over the place you cant catch onto anything but that is the point the lyrics and the story are just taking this massive stew of music and love. You can feel the weight of the memories being told and I like it. I want to listen again with more intent because I think something really artistic is happening here

Strange, wild, fever dream where every song was WAY too long. Music and lyrics were interesting for the most part. Found her voice annoying in parts. Glad I listened but if I'm honest it will probably be the only time

Its like Amy Winehouse baby talking through medieval music. If Bjork was an American teenager who could play the harp. I will never understand this singing/style of making it sound like you have shoved a bunch of nuts in your cheeks and then sucked all the helium out of a balloon. Was that a smoke detector? The instrumentals in the first song not only didn’t match the singing style, they didn’t even match the tempo of the singing. At points I actually thought I was hearing one of my dogs squeaky toys but no it was her hitting notes that were to say, unhuman. Each song was waaaay too long, I know she is telling nonsensical stories but sheesh. If she is playing the harp and singing that’s impressive but that’s just about the only compliment I can give. This would have been great as an instrumental album. It does remind me a bit of bands like Alt-J and Bombay Bicycle Club but I would just rather listen to them over this. 5/10

Thought I would like but not for me Clive

I can’t say I loved this… or even liked the whole thing. But it had some extremely beautiful passages and it’s also incredibly daring and unique. I appreciate the songwriting and musicianship and I’m here for things I’d never listen to otherwise instead of the 28th Elvis Costello album (although he sure does have some bangers.)

It’s ok. But some of the screeches literally made me jump. 3

This was interesting. There is clearly storytelling in the music, but, I found it not really my overall vibe.

***An ok album. Most tracks sound alike

Bjork-light

An interesting album, I didn't like all of the album but I did like Monkey and Bear and Only Skin.

Different from what I expected.

Really musical and poetic, pleasant but not as enjoyable as I would want.

Sentimientos encontrados.

I don't know what the hell I just listened to, but I didn't hate it.

I know this one - I don't want to pile on about her voice.... but at the same time... yeah, you gotta get by it to be able to enjoy this. And I'm not sure how good I am at getting by it. This only works (perhaps ironically) when you listen to the album straight through - at that point her voice does start to become part of the overall sound (as opposed to the few times I've had to pause a song and come back 30 minutes later - getting that squeak-shock all over again). The music is potentially fascinating when you can channel into it - complex in composition and instrumentation - major points awarded. It's different as hell, and on the whole I'd always rather take my chances with "out there" albums over another shitty lo-fi Pavement-ish 3 chord gen-x slacker, but the Mickey Mouse at a Renaissance Fair impression is tough sledding at times. 6/10 3 stars.

Nyt oli kovin erillainen 1000 muuhun verrattuna, joten tämän suhteen on helpompi hyväksyä paikka listalla. Ei tuottanut orgasmeja korvassa, mutta helposti kuunneltava ja "lämmin" tunnelma.

Unavailable on Spotify uk

That's not my taste in musik. But interesting.

I genuinely loved this at first but by 35-40 minutes in it was starting to drag.

Very endearing, sounds like what Bjork would do if she was a little less bonkers.

'Ys' is one if those albums that's very ambitious and an stunning achievement for any artist. Yet I can't exactly say that I like it. Maybe it's more interesting to listen to from an artistry perspective but not something I'd really listen to for fun. I get people's comparisons to Bjork. I also get the people who add 'but Joanna Newsom is no Bjork'. Maybe I just need to be in the right mood but this strikes me as the kind of album that would just sit on the shelf for years hoping that one day I'm ready to listen to it. I used to own a lot of CDs like that. But life is too short not to just listen to what you really like. I'm giving it 3 stars, mainly on technical ability and the fact that I really want to like it more.

This was weird but nice. I’m not sure I liked it enough to listen to again though…

In theory this is the kinda bullshit I enjoy. On the other hand the songs are long and the voice isn't that amazing. So in the end, it's okay. Kinda annoying it isn't on Spotify.

mid og ikke på spotify

Best Song: Only Skin. As pretty as Newsom's vice is alone, it lingers so much in that wispy upper register that the introduced contrast of a deep male voice was a revelation. Worst Song: Cosmia. By this point, I think I had grown tired of the production here. Overall: Densely lyrical, with a sort of Joni Mitchell style production. The vocal delivery grew grating at times, and the lyrics were so dense that I really don't think that I could appreciate them on a single listen. Would like to return to this one. Nicely quiet and melancholy.

Music is quite nice - the harp is lovely - but she sounds a bit like Melanie Saffka (a marmite voice). In some tracks it suits, but in others it can grate. In the end, I didn't want to listen to any more.

Very different, kind of beautiful. I don’t know if I’d listen to it again and again but for this one day I enjoyed it.

Very sing-songy. Was this a musical? Or something more like an opera? Very beautiful voice. I don't need to listen to this again, but it was a pretty listen. 3.5

Nice lyricism and instrumentalisation. The harp complements her voice very well, though I don't really like her voice which is, I think the weakness of this otherwise unique album.

That was a very interesting experience! Very nice music and lyricism. Only dislike is the timbre of her voice. 4/5

Once saw a Joanna Newsom concert and was much impressed by the music, but could not get completely used to her voice and way of singing. Even more so for this record. Emily is a strong song and I also liked Bill Callahan's contribution to Only Skin. So mixed feelings.

Newsom has a really unique voice which at first I found quite irritating, but after I while I got into it and it become rather pleasant. Lyrically, it is ambitious and impressive; she definitely pulled it off. The unique style made it very memorable so I'm glad I gave it a chance. Then again, it could have been quite a bit shorter so overall it's definitely not something I can see myself listening to again.

I appreciate the style of this album, very well made. Not going to be one of my go to's, a good listen though. Will I listen to again: 5%

I just finished the first track. That started strong but wore out it's welcome. There's interesting things going on, but hopefully it starts to mix things up more. It's as if every song is a more orchestral Silver Ships Of Andilar but twice as long. Probably the best album on this list that I never have to listen to again so far. I think this would benefit from shorter songs building on some of the themes from each song instead of having several ideas thrown into one massive long song together. 3.8?

Nice, but a bit much at once for me to listen to again and again. Might revisit in a few months/years. Fab arrangements and great performance.

Though I am grateful that I had to listen to this album, I don't believe that I will be listening to it too many more times in the future. While I was listening to it, my daughter asked me if I was listening to Chinese Opera, which I thought was actually not too far off when you think about it. Did not get a chance to read the lyrics, though I understand that this is part of the magic of this album. Again, grateful it showed up on the list.... oh, and the first album that was not available to listen to on Spotify for me!

Not quite my cup of tea. I suspect I just need to give it more time and really get into the lyrics. I’ve seen her music described as baroque folk, and much like baroque art, it’s just a tad too overwrought for me.

Reminds me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DmRiT13xcI ... in a good way

Never quite saw the appeal when this came out and everybody was raving about it, but I connected with the album a bit more this time around. Still a bit too meandering for my taste.

Sentimientos encontrados.

I finished it in all its length without any skip. I actually liked it!!

The oddity/dynamics of Fiona Apple meets the songwriting of Tom Waits meets the type of music you would hear at a pub in the Shire. All the bad and good stuff you would associate with each of those. The artist is a technically strong singer, but chooses to yodel/whine like a kid singing in the bathtub. The album has plenty of good moments, but it is very inaccessible. Especially the last song is an absolute banger, though. AND I MISS YOUR PRECIOUS HEART

Did y’all know she’s married to Andy Sandburg lol. The album was cool to listen to once, I feel like it all sounds the same after a while.

Named after kong's favorite RPG on the PS1! This is my first time REALLY giving her a chance. She sounds like gentrified Bjork - not as interesting but nice music, interesting lyrics (if not a little overbearing at times) - her music sounds like something I'd hear in a dream or in one of my medication/weed fueled brain dumps. I'm not a fan but I don't hate it - i MIGHT give her other albums a chance.

Kende de naam, maar door de absentie op Spotify was ik verder nooit met haar in aanraking gekomen. Vrij zorgwekkend hoe één corporatie al je grenzen op het gebied van muziek bepaald. Allereerst moet ik zeggen dat ik nog nooit zo iets als dit heb gehoord, heel eigenzinnig. Als je het dan toch probeert in te kaderen, dan zou ik het bestempelen als een mix tussen Fairport Convention en Björk. Folksy, geworteld in vervlogen middeleeuwse tijden, gecombineerd met post-moderne elementen. Art folk als je het zo mag noemen. Boeiende stem heeft ze wel, al was het even wennen. En de lyrics zijn diep-poëtisch, Dylanesque bijna. Hoe vrijgeestig de songs zijn opgebouwd, en de manier hoe ze verhalen overbrengt, hebben ongetwijfeld gediend als inspiratiebron voor Big Thief en Black Country, New Road. Daar moest ik in ieder geval telkens aan denken. Die vrije opbouw, waar ze elk nummer bijna lijkt te improviseren, maakt het ook wel weer een uitdagende luisterbeurt. Het album gaat van hot naar her, zonder uiteindelijk echt ergens terecht te komen. Dan is zo'n climax als in het einde van de song 'Only Skin' wel echt even fijn. Dat gebeurt net iets te weinig. Het openingsnummer 'Emily' vond ik ook wel een folk pareltje. Maar die Efteling-achtige vibe begint na een minuut of 20 wel een beetje op de zenuwen te werken. Het is me iets te veel orkestrale poespas van Van Dyke Parks. In een uur tijd komen en gaan er prachtige fases, en elke keer als ze je net te pakken hebben dan sterven ze in schoonheid. Een lastige eerste luisterbeurt, maar intrigerend genoeg om het nog eens te proberen. Ooit. 6,5/10 Highlights: Emily Only Skin

Joanna Newsom doet me het meest denken aan Björk of Fiona Apple. Met name de stem. De begeleiding is soms ook orchestraal maar wordt niet zo groots. Dat is mooi, als is de muziek soms wel wat geplingel en lijkt het wat willekeurig. Er zit geen satisfying opbouw in de losse nummers met herkenbare refreinen. Dat maakt dit best een pittige eerste luistersessie, al houd ik wel van dit type folkmuziek. Op een gegeven moment ging de harp en het luisteren via YouTube (inclusief Optimel reclames) me aardig tegen staan en heb ik de plaat afgezet. 6,5/10

Tää ihan toimi! 3/5

Oikein jees, miellyttävä ja vakuuttava.

This one is hard for me. The arrangements are stunning but the bjork vocals take me out of it.

Not too long after this came out I gotta say I was really charmed by Newsom's melodic sense & peculiar style. It's been a little while now & sadly it seems I don't enjoy her voice as much anymore.

Damn people in the YouTube comments are obsessed with this. Definitely very artistic and unique, but I just don’t dig her voice and it kinda put me to sleep at times. 5.5/10

Such bizarre vocal delivery, soothing instrumentals, kind of this odd juxtaposition. I need to listen again to make sense of the lyrics, but not sure I actually want to.

Kate Bush goes to a renaissance faire? Joanna Newsom is talented, but this really isn't for me.

This was not on Spotify or Bandcamp. 8( (I did find it on YouTube.) Well it's certainly different than NWA (my last album)! It's been years since I've heard good harp playing. I appreciate the originality, unique voice and musicianship, but I'm just not into it.

These tracks sound like an amalgamation of descriptive and wordy sentences, like the kind of stuff you would hear at a slam poetry session. Honestly, the vocals sound eerily similar to that of Björk too. Actually, are we sure this isn't Björk? Jokes aside, I will say that this is a very serene-sounding album with the harps and orchestral sections. Definitely well produced and mixed as well (S/O to the great Steve Albini who very recently passed away). The few songs that are on here wander a bit much for my liking, though.

Reminds me of Bjork. 2.5 stars The album consists of five tracks with song durations ranging from 7 to 17 minutes that deal with events and people who had been important in Newsom's life in the year previous to recording. These events include the sudden death of Newsom's best friend, a continuing illness and a tumultuous relationship. The album was named after the city of Ys, which according to myth was built on the coast of Brittany and later swallowed by the ocean. The album's title was the last element to be confirmed and was a result of a dream that Joanna had which featured the letters Y and S and a book recommended by a friend that contained reference to the myth. From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ys_(Joanna_Newsom_album)) under Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-SA 3.0

She doesn't TALK with a silly baby voice, so why does she sing like that? I've even seen her in concert, where she would talk to us like a normal person and then sing like a silly baby. It pisses me off. That same show also had a band called CocoRosie, with a singer who did exactly the same thing, but worse: adult woman speaking voice but deranged baby singing voice. Nope. Joanna Newsom is obviously a talented musician, the music here is nice, and she's even got Van Dyke Parks and Steve Albini. But the fake voice....

"Mom, I want to listen to Kate Bush" "We have Kate Bush at home" Kate Bush at home:

Kinda beautiful, think I need to revisit

This album is cool, but it's hard for me to get over her voice. It just doesn't gel with me, and I found this album hard to get through as a result 3/5

Hard to give it certain rating Really unusual medieval style music, enjoyed it

"Ys" by Joanna Newsom is a breathtaking and ambitious album that showcases Newsom's incredible talent as a songwriter and musician. Released in 2006, the album features intricate and sprawling compositions that blend elements of folk, classical, and avant-garde music. One of the standout tracks on the album is the epic "Emily," which clocks in at over 12 minutes and features lush orchestration and Newsom's ethereal vocals. The lyrics are poetic and complex, drawing on themes of nature, mythology, and personal introspection. While "Ys" may not be the most accessible album, its rich and intricate compositions reward repeated listening. Newsom's unique voice and musical vision shine brightly on this remarkable album.

I felt like a fairy

Un precioso álbum de Folk producido por dos de las mentes más talentosas del panorama noventero estadounidense (Albini/O'Rourke). La instrumentación, mágica más no así etérea, pinta paisajes paganos dignos de filmes de folk-horror como "Midsommar" o "The Wicker Man". Sumamente recomendable y (respondiendo a un comentario de esta misma página), Newsom claramente no busca evocar a Björk y en mi opinión personal, sus interpretaciones son bastante más emocionantes que la gran mayoría de la carrera de la islandesa.

4/3/24. First time listening to Joanna Newsom, and have to say this was a unique listening experience. I've never listened to harp focused music, but it sounds beautiful, and Joanna's voice is a great accompaniment. Will have to check it out again.

This album wasn't on Spotify and it was a bit more annoying than usual because I wanted to use my phone for other things while I listened but had to keep YouTube open instead. However, the album was at least interesting if not my preferred genre. Its vocals and writing gave a cross of Bjork and Sufjan Stevens, respectively, to me and while I liked it, it's not the easiest to listen to for an hour. Fortunately, it had unique enough vocals and instrumentals paired with very poetic lyrics. This is a positive 3 rather than an ambivalent 3 thankfully.

It's a record very focused on the lyrics. The music itself is merely stage-dressing, though it does give the stories of the lyrics a very heavy "fantasy" feel. Do I like it? Eh. I think everything is overlong and I think the stories are... fine. I also really don't feel like I'm the target audience for it. Her Bjork-like voice fluctuates between me not enjoying it and me being fine with it. A very conflicting album. Favorite track: "Sawdust & Diamonds"

A nice surprise as I discovered I did listen to this already for this challenge (on youtube) and just forgot to rate it. Remember reading it had insanely good lyrics, It deserves a second listen as I do remember some of parts, however the music it self was slightly underwhelming.

I kinda liked this at first, especially her voice. Not usually a style I like. But I thought she did a good job of making melodies out of her very poetic lyrics. However, after about 20 mins of this I wasn't even sure if it was on a different song or not. It just kind of all ran together and became monotonous.

Well, this was interesting. Didn't hate it, renaissance faire vibes for sure. Lyrical structure was certainly entertaining, sort of spoken-word runon sentences.

Nervig quietschende Frauenstimme mit langen Balladen artigen Songs begleitet durch Harfe, Akkordeon und einem kleinen Streichorchester. Es wirkt wie von einer Bardin vorgetragen. Mich überzeugte das Gesamtwerk nicht.

Bjork with a harp

Rating: 6/10

It was ok.

Lyrical poetry with some pleasing music. Not bad, but I won't listen to it again.

Juuri mitä kansi antaa olettaa. Oli pakko kuunnella kahdesti, kun alkoi kiinnostamaan oikeasti. Kate Bush -henkeä ja tietty keskiaikamarkkinoita. Biisien pituus ei haitannut yhtään. Vielä kolmas kuuntelukerta tarvittaisiin, että saisi selvää, mistä näissä biiseissä kerrotaan.

Not as bad as i was expecting, but not something i'd listen to again by choice

once again i am late to the party and cannot listen so a 3 it is

Folk barroco. Ni fu ni fa.

One of the most interesting albums I've ever heard.

Se deja escuchar.

The tone of Newsom's voice is unique and wonderful. I really enjoy moments throughout this, but the extreme length of each of the tracks on this make it difficult to return to for me. There will be a sequence I'm really into, then the song transitions to something entirely new and I never return to what I liked. My pop-addled brain struggles to connect with this in a deep way, as much as I enjoy so many of the moments throughout.

Emily // Sawdust & Diamonds //

Wow, I like this one. Hadn't heard of the artist or heard any of her music before. I like her approach to her art. Slightly unusual, different instrumentation, and such a wonderful vocal delivery that's all her own. I know all this is entirely subjective, of course, but to my ear, she doesn't sound like someone who is trying to be different for its own sake. I like it.

Une bonne description de cette album serait celle-ci : des guitares piquées sur des vidéos de relaxation auxquelles on aurait superposé la voix tremblotante qu'aurait Taylor Swift si elle se rendait à un oral de rattrapage du bac.

Le combo longueur + présence exclusive sur Youtube aura eu raison de mes velleités de 4/5.

I admire the ambition of this album. I read and remember the accolades it recieved. It has an aura of greatness. It is distinctive and original. However. I don't like it much and God I've tried.

Song: Emily This was a long one, and very interesting. The entire song felt like a meander through a forest or a field, with a very loose structure. It felt like a poem set to music. Newsom's voice is interesting and sounds old-fashioned—I found it hard to believe that this album is only from 2006. The instrumentals were also really beautiful, the strings and harp blending together really well. Because of its length, I don't think I'm likely to return to it on a casual listen, but I did not dislike this. It felt very much like an art piece, with a lot of little beautiful moments. Still, the whole song never really came together for me, and I honestly don't think I understand it fully. Not bad, just not my style.

Curioso. Recuerda a música celta con la voz de Duffy.

3.5 So different. So good

Album of tales and poetry that I couldn't fully grasp, still good

Me fait beaucoup penser à Björk dans son interprétation. Le projet a piqué ma curiosité, mais l'écoute ne m'a pas tellement retenue.

It's fine. I feel like she's making it up as she goes along.

I had originally written her off due to her vocal approach - couldn't stand it. But I made myself listen to this album a couple of times, and while it still is not my thing, I can hear what is behind it now

I do like this album and her voice. Her voice is definitely a feature. But her voice can also grind a bit. Apart from her best songs I wouldn't put this album on regular rotation.

Pretty folk music with good string arrangements. However, Bjork-style singing slowly gets irritating. Songs are way too long. Whatever happened to 3-6 minute pieces? It wouldn’t be fair to give it less than 3 since there is talent involved (friends in high places judging by the producer, engineer, collaborators and arrangers!) and it sounds acceptable.

Musikaliskt gillar jag detta väldigt mycket. Riktigt bra! Hennes röst är bitvis vidrig. Hon sjunger ju fint men gnälligt på ett Björkaktigt sätt lite för ofta. Bäbisuttal, larvigt och sabbar. Hade hon sjungit normalt hade det blivit högre. Synd. Jag fastande för första låten omedelbart. Där sjunger hon mer normalt.

Very unique and beautiful music. Never heard of her until today and glad I did. Not something I would have seeked out on my own which makes this journey so fun. Her voice is nice and the music is quite whimsical. Not an album I would revisit since its not my style but I see the appeal here.

Joanna Newsom sounds like a Bollywood singer singing in English. This album blows my mind with the intricacy of its composition - how does she remember what she’s supposed to be singing during her 16 minute vocal barrages? Yes, she’s also Andy Samberg’s partner. Fun trivia.

Glad I judged an album by it's cover because that's exactly the sound I expect from what I saw. Joanna is able to take you through almost an hour of dreamy folk rock accompanied by an harps, banjos and mandolins. Best: Sawdust & Diamonds Worst: Emily Note: Spotify didn't have this album and I listened to it via YouTube Music.

Genre: Progressive folk, indie folk, baroque pop, avant-pop, indie rock First listen. Never heard of her or any of the songs. First impression: Wow. 3.5

Poetic, magic things

Reminded me a LOT of Bjork. Sounds were very muted but the stories and language were interesting.

It has interesting elements but it's a bit a manic for me

ok ersts lied sehr schön, ihri stimm erinnered mich ah öpper? 12 min ohhyeah WIESO MÜND ALLI ALBE SO LANG GAH ah stelle hetmers gfühl ihri stimm bricht d stricher findi iwie so naja, ihri stimm springt hie und her, sehr dynamisch jaa sie verzellt halt eifach ihri gschichtli mit echli harfe- und striicherundermalig äfflibaffi und bärli ich lieb 10 min folk und nachane elmex werbig JA ICH WETT SCHÖNI ZÄH ok es isch scho huere schön wiso chan ich nöd gad im mittelalter sii, um es für hocke und sie singt eus das eso vor, denn wärs perfekt ah und ich muss no iwo ines loch inneschisse und mit 30 sterbe han huere gern wenn ihri stimm überschlaht aber han perkussion halt schono gern puhh mega schwierig, ich hans eig würkli recht gnosse aber ich weiss, dass ich sie wohl nöd nomal wird lose

I liked the concept but the actual sound grated a bit

Bjork meets Kate Bush and does folk. Didn't hate it.

I'm all for unique vocal stylings. Joanna Newsom can tip me over the edge sometimes though. She is often mentioned as influential by artists I love, which makes her work more significant I guess.

Bjork with a harp. Only joking. It's genuinely great to encounter unique and interesting music I've never heard before, nearly 800 albums in.

Wasn’t on Spotify :(

Ok album, nice voice, quite repetitive.

Very strange, sounds like stream of consciousness lyrics over old-fashioned improvised backing music. Not my thing at all, but interesting in its own wee way.

Interesting listen. Not for me. For somebody. Just not me.

I’m so sorry the album was very nice and did what it wanted and the lyrics were good but MY GODDDDDD IT NEVER ENDED. BUT I’M FREE!!! I’M FREE!!!!! Maybe if she had a harmonica instead of a harp… the mouth harp if you will… I would’ve enjoyed it more. I’m so sorry Joanna.

no thanks!

It is only available on YouTube as opposed to Spotify so it hindered my ability to listen and do stuff. What I heard I liked

Yeah, she has a very interesting voice, and singing while playing the harp is :fire:

obscure. wouldn’t listen but musically it’s very respectable

Sure, she's got a pretty voice. Not sure why she does what she does with it, other than that maybe she's heard Bjork before. Musically this is uneventful, and makes for reasonable listening if you're otherwise bored.

I don't mind a bit of baroque, and I didn't hate this, but there is a level of affectation here (particularly in the vocals) that is too much for me. Compounded by songs of a somewhat egregious length.

Intriging. Its American Bjork with a Harp

Instrumentation was pretty interesting and I could tell the lyrics were supposed to be good even if I wasn't paying enough attention to get anything out of them. Still, this was a pretty long and not very easily listenable album. 6/10

Weird. Will never listen to it again. And yet there is something there in the lyrics. In my mind I see a woman playing a harp at a wedding going free form and the congregation is trapped until she is done.

I definitely didn't need to listen to this but it's not bad. Voice could be a little annoying at times, but seemed appropriate for this style of music. I guess if you're a fan of this genre (Renaissance folk?) you would like this but otherwise it's completely skippable.

I enjoyed it much more than I was expecting when it started. I'm not sure if I'll go to see other albums from her, but this one will stay with me for some time.

Very very weird. Not bad but no slappers unlike Gaelynn Lea

Not on Spotify

Unique- talk singing poetry with harps

Newsom sounds like a cross between Bjork and Kate Bush, but she can play the harp. Her lyrics are strange as hell but I guess weird can be wonderful. Let's just not get carried away. I'm not about to go claiming this is the greatest album you'll ever hear or needs to go on the top X list of the 2000's. Still, as far as weird and different goes, it's worth being on a 1,001 list.

эээээ ну норм. Федя жду трехчасовой разбор лирики!

Ох ё... В прошлый раз так же непонятно было на нойз-роке. Но понятно тоже вроде стало, чуть позже. Вот это конечно басни под гусли... Сложная история для повседневного прослушивания, но в качестве эмбиент-саундтрека к чему-нибудь очень даже подойдёт.

Okay. This is kinda like the worst of Joni Mitchell meets the best of Kate Bush, and they drop acid while reading The Lord of The Rings out loud.

Not sure why, not sure how, but I am enjoying this. i probably would never listen again but, man, it is beautiful. Shes cringe for being anti-spotify like bro ur rich stfu, star off for tht she lowkey jacking bjork but its whatever iguess. BRO WHY DO I LIKE THIS WTF

I'd heard of Joanna Newsom and had high hopes. Imagine my surprise when the lush harp music was accompanied by what sounded like a drunken Bjork impression. The voice was distracting, with cadences ill-fitting to the rhythm of the words and music. Like she'd listened to Jane Siberry at her weirdest and said "hold my beer". I gave it two tries and I admire the album for being different and what she was trying to do, but can't say I enjoyed it.

A whole album of mainly harp and Kate Bush-like singing sounds intriguing. Joanna Newsom even sounds like the young Kate Bush, but unlike with Bush, here the songs aren't there. Well, it was a nice idea. 2.5/5

So Bjork-y. Sometimes it works and sometimes its just odd.

This is an album that all should listen to even if harp driven baroque folk is not their thing. I find a lot to enjoy on Ys. The instruments create a fantastical atmosphere. Joanna’s voice is good, but used in a somewhat unconventional way. I appreciate the album quite a bit. I would enjoy hearing it again. In the end, I think the baroqueness and a too much for me in that the album feels off kilter. I don’t know another way to describe it.

Imposible opinar. No existe nada prácticamente en Spotify

I respect the authenticity, haven’t hear something like this yet, but it drags on to be something really exciting.

Very interesting album, mellow folk with some classical music influence. Not bad but ultimately a tad bit too long and repetitive

not sure how to rated. besoin d'une 2e écoute. Tout de même pas mauvais à écouter. A revoir si ma note augmente ou descend 6.5/10

Folk. Melódico pero muy aburrido.

Reviewer said this was the most innovative vocalist since Tom Waits and I got excited. I found the album was more like spoken poetry. The singer has a beautiful voice, and also this habit of squeaking at the start of her words that I didn't like, but happened all the time. Overall, I'm neutral on this album. Maybe a 2.5.

Did not get a chance to listen too (not listed on Spotify). Sorry Joanna. I did see her on the Muppet soundtrack so there is that.

not on Spotify, not going looking

She reminded me of Victoria Williams in that she has a fragile voice that works well with story telling type tunes. It would take a few more listens than I had time for to have a POV for a story teller.

This is the type of music that feels important and that you should listen to, with its pages of lyrics and eclectic instrumentation. I listened to it a couple of year of years ago, when it was in Spotify, in preparation for the review but I’m no further ahead. the things I struggle with are the wild vocal swings and the length of the songs.

Well, that was avant garde. Modern though. My only issue is the tone of her voice at times was odd.

I am aware of her skillful and critically acclaimed qualities but it doesn’t touch me in any direct way. It‘s like listening to classic music which only the ones seem to fully enjoy who are classically trained musicians themselves. I lack the eye of this album‘s deeper beauty.

Unable to listen

After hearing her first album years ago, I kind of wrote her off and never tuned back in again. Her voice simply wasn't for me. Taking the time to listen to this though, all these years later, I can see why she has a strong and devoted following. Certainly an iconoclast with her own sound. Brave stuff. Reminds me in parts of Kate Bush, Bjork, and Fiona Apple, all of whom I'm a big fan of. I also really enjoyed the arrangements by Van Dyke Parks. But like Van Dyke Parks' solo records, again, it boils down to the vocals bringing down the whole experience for me. I can see perhaps one song like this working as the showcase/centerpiece of an album, but an entire album of it is exhausting.

Pretty unique folk with a unique voice and harp as the main instrument? Yeah not surprised they got big and have success. I like her voice but the arrangements aren't really jiving for me, feels a bit twee and I can imagine I would have been more into it in college or something. Nice stuff but not my thing.

By no means bad, but really didn't connect with me in any meaningful way. Her singing is pretty and the songs are fine, but the whole baroque pop schtick rarely does much to inspire. For me this is a light 3.

Her voice and the flow/cadence is really throwing me off. It feels like she is singing in a different time signature. I am interested in the fact that this is not a traditional song structure with choruses and verses, but is instead more freeform; like a poem or a story I think this album took some getting used to, but I really think it got better as it went along. That being said; it took me about 40 minutes to get to this point. The instrumental composition is great in this album. The lyrics and song structure are interesting. I don't love her voice and cadence, however. All in all, I was prepared to give this a 1 after the first song. Glad it got better, because it is fairly long. Another reason this album list is fun to go through, you get some genres you would never think of listening to.

Interesting story telling but the individual songs are too long

I couldn't finish it. Her voice was either really good or really irritating at some points, which makes it hard to get pass when every song is an average of 10 minutes. The fairy tale/Renaissance instrumentals were so beautiful though, I wish I can just get an album of that. In short, this album isn't terrible, but it is not my cup of tea, so much so I'm not gonna bother drinking the rest of the cup.

Was interesting for a second then it just kind of got boring and I wished it was over and all the stuff started sounding the same. I don’t know I don’t know. I just don’t know.

I’ve been dreading this one. Joanna Newsom is one of those vocalists like Tom Waits that is absolute nails on a chalkboard to me. This is basically what you would get if someone was trained by a skilled harpist but who was only familiar with singing as a concept. I like weird stuff, as my ratings here will attest, but sometimes outsider art should stay outsider art. I’ll boost it by one star because the unconventional songwriting is at least interesting, but personally I’m never listening to this ever again. Now for those 3 Waits albums… 😬

Love her harp playing (hence the two stars). A voice only a mother could love and too twee by half lyrics.

That was weird. At times I was thinking it was kinda good but in the end it wasn’t.

Like a medieval Tori Amos who can't sing and who throws occasian dolphin noises in form good measure

I don’t love her singing-voice bit i will give other of her albums a try.

Couldn't listen

Beautiful voice, super mellow tracks... but why do they have to be so loooooooooooooong? Man, it’s impossible to listen to and fully enjoy this—after a few minutes, you just fall asleep. No, it’s not essential to listen to this, just as it’s not essential to include it on a list like this. But, I repeat, nice voice, very much in the style of Björk, except… nah, I can’t bring myself to give it more than a 2 :-(

waarom zingt ze.. zo. zitten verder best leuke stukjes tussen dus toch maar 2 sterren

mja het deed me niet zoveel. wel goeie albumhoes!

Not for me

A tough listen. I can understand why this would be on the list, but not really something I would want to listen to.

Bjork vibes. Was alright.

All for creativity. Things are allowed to be different. I am also allowed not to enjoy 10 minute droning songs with rambling vocals in 2006 indie girl voice.

Not for me

Kind of like an American version of Bjork. Album felt like a long run on sentence for a while, which was equally impressive and a little exasperating. She is definitely talented, even if this isn't my cup of tea. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

More fascinating than enjoyable to listen to. I don’t understand her voice and how she sings that way.

3.5/10

This album was a real chore to get through. I get that she's trying to be all artsy and stuff, but it just comes across as super self-indulgent. The songs are way too long, five tracks shouldn't take an hour! They keep going and going, just adding on extra minutes of boring filler. It's like an endurance test, not a listening experience. And the vocals? They're really not for me. They're super high-pitched and grating, like some kind of squeaky caricature. It reminds me of a Renaissance Faire or a cheap Björk/Regina Spektor knock-off.

Well that took me a good 4-5 sittings to get through. I wouldn't say it's bad, it's certainly unique but I feel disadvantaged in recognizing its uniqueness- playing Dungeons and Dragons with a Bard player in the party somehow feels the same as listening to this album. To describe it better, it's that mix of idealized medieval folklore and fantasy themes with 21st century convictions. The purpose of the album feels like it's trying to introduce and welcome you to this weirdness, which might work for someone not used to this kind of music but it falls a bit flat for people that are already nerdy weirdos. Me belonging to the latter camp this is a bit of a skip album for me. PS. Nothing from Joanna Newsom is available on Spotify so this album made me finally make the move to another streaming service. I chose Tidal, but seriously if you care about music at all, get off Spotify.

I felt like this was trying to do something different but it didn’t pay off really. It was interesting but not really my thing. I felt it was quite repetitive and slightly boring

I appreciate the attempt to do something different here, but it’s not my thing. I didn’t enjoy the singing or the instrumentation here, but I’m glad I now know this exists. Weirdly timeless.

Why, indeed.

An album that sounds like no other. Arguably maximum twee. I understand if you love it or hate it but for me it's neither. It's interesting enough to be in the list and parts of it draw you in, but it all gets a bit cloying. If I'm honest with myself, it's really not for me. However, it should, without a doubt, be in the book. Best Tracks: Emily; Monkey & Bear; Sawdust & Diamonds

tough. all over. voices. sounds.

somebody wrote "omg she never shuts up".

Björk but different

Ik zit blijkbaar in de Joan hoek, met gisteren Joan en vandaag Joanna. Grappig dat ik gisteren geweldig vond omdat het folk was, maar er ook gewoon fantastische instrumentale muziek was die dansbaar was en afwisselend was. Na 10 minuten:Dit daarentegen? Dit is folk zoals ik ken en niet perse vet vind. Wel iets meer variatie dan "Man of vrouw met akoestische gitaar" maar nog steeds niet helemaal mijn ding. Wel heel erg middeleeuwse vibes wat dat betreft, misschien ook wel vanwege de albumcover. Na 20 minuten: De zang... Ja de zang, ik ben echt geen fan van haar manier van zingen. Dit doet me zo erg denken aan musicals en ik hou gewoon niet van musicals. Het is overdreven qua intonatie, geen woord word normaal gezongen. Ik geloof meteen dat als dit je ding is, dat dit album een top 3 album allertijden is. Het is gewoon heel erg niet mijn ding. ^Bovenstaande schreef ik na een minuut of 20. Dit album duurt 55 minuten. Na 30 minuten: Dit is echt veel en veeeeeeeel te lang voor hoe matig de zang is. Ik las ergens dat ze doet denken aan Tones and I, van Dance monkey 'fame' en ik snap die wel. 40 minuten. Laat het stoppen. Ik wil deze vrouw nooit meer horen zingen. Ik irriteer me helemaal kapot aan dat album en specifiek aan de zang. Dit is denk ik mijn Guantanamo Bay marteltechniek. 55 minuten. Eindelijk. Het einde. Ik hoop echt nooit meer een album van deze vrouw te hoeven luisteren. Mensen die minder last hebben van de zang vinden het helemaal geweldig. Ik kon me gewoon niet focussen op teksten of instrumenten, de gehele tijd hoorde ik alleen maar de verschikkelijke zang van Joanna. Snel vergeten en door hiermee. Is dit 1 ster? Ik vind het helemaal niets, maar kan me wel voorstellen dat als je wat meer tegen haar stem kan dat dit een geweldig album is. Ook haalt voor mij de instrumentale muziek het nog wel iets omhoog. 2 sterren, maar echt net aan. FAVO: Staat niet op Spotify, Youtube was gewoon het volledige album en eerlijk? Het album kon me niet genoeg boeien om de extra moeite te doen om te kijken of ik er een favoriet nummer uit kan halen...

The weirdest and one of the less pleasant ones that I’ve listened to. Some of the songs would have been good if they weren’t 40 hours long 🥱😴. Overall, I’d give it a 2.4/5! 🫡🫠

Νομίζω πως μπορώ να δω την όραση, και σε μερικά σημεία είναι πολύ μαγευτικά τα κομμάτια αλλά υποφέρουν απο τεράστια διάρκεια, περίεργα φωνιτικά και έντονη προσπάθεια του να δείξουν ότι είναι ξεχωριστα Sawdust & Diamonds

I like experimental stuff but her voice was just.. grating.

An ambitious and original bit of folk opera that reminds me mostly of the pastoral psych-folk of the late 60s/early 70s in the UK but reinvented for millenial California. It conjures a medieval fantasy world with the arrangements (lots of strings, harps, flutes) and inhabits it with witchy croaking vocals and story telling poem-lyrics. Lots to admire conceptually, but I don't really like listenting to it at all - even once I get used to the voice.

Tom & Jerry music set in Middle Earth, as delivered by Tara Strong??? Way overstays it's welcome. It's a bit much man.

Un petit côté Kate Bush

I want to like this. I think the songs and arrangements themselves contain beauty. I think that Newsom explores new territory. There are two monumental problems this record has though: first, the tracks don’t need to be that long; second, the vocals. The length issue is easy to explain, a little editing would have gone a long way. My issue with the vocals is where I’m at a little bit of a loss. She squeaks occasionally, and when she does it pierces through the whole mix. I found myself messing with eq so that the squeak in her voice wasn’t so irritating. I couldn’t fix it. This album’s a 2 verging on a 3. Good idea but half baked and needs tweaking in the vocals department.

Ok, just not my scene

Interesting and extra points for whimsy but couldn’t really engage with it to be honest.

The background instrumentation is nice, but the songs seem to carry on way past a good length; and her voice is too distracting to appreciate the rest of the album.

This didn’t do much for me. I can appreciate Joanna’s voice, her skill at and pianist and her harp playing. However that doesn’t mean I want to revisit this any time soon.

I don't know what this is but I'm giving it a 2. And I cannot explain it but feel if I listened to it 10 more times I'd give it a 5.

* Don't listen to this album on max volume, your ears will thank you. Jump scared by the screeches. * I do really like the harp, but this feels nonsensical- like an endless fever dream stream of consciousness. * I feel like I'm eating colored marshmallows? *** returning a few hours post-listen... This album altered my brain. What kind of chaotic demonic witchcraft is this?! -1 star ***

Fing gut an aber ging mir dann doch nach 3-4min auf den Sack. Stimme zu quietschig und die Songs waren mir zu chaotisch.....

I like the idea behind this album, but I'm not so fond of the sound. Decent, but far from great.

Me sonó a Bjork, más folk. El problema es que no está en Spotify. No pasa nada, not my kind

It was ok but I am marking it down as it was struggle to find it

Interesting at first but it gets tedious real fast. And that has everything to do with her voice and vocal delivery because the composition and instrumentals are really gorgeous. Would definitely listen to this more often if it wasn’t for the singing. Very unfortunate

Ambitious record, but a tough listen for me. Obviously a great talent in harp and songwriting and composition. Her voice made the whole thing just too hard to listen to. I respect the effort and how unique this sound is, but it doesn’t work for me.

I hate singers who sing strangely to stand out. Or perhaps there's something wrong with her?

The orchestration on this is absolutely gorgeous, but the vocal styles and song structures meandered a bit too recklessly for me.

Boring as hell. Maybe beautiful too, but too boring to see it

I can see its merit, and I understand why people would like it. It's just not really my thing.

Yeah this is quite the concept. Renaissance/baroque pop. Wildly medevil. Did I hear a fucking lute? I won't disparage my fellow man for enjoying music like this. I used to LARP in the woods through my late teens. But thematically these songs are far too long, far too complicated and wordy to enjoy outright. And even in the right mindset this is a devious ablum to listen to before you die because it really tests you how much high pitched kermit the frog vocals you can handle. Melodies and instrumentations were cool. But beyond that I don't think this is as important as this list may make it out to be. IMO of course.

I really wish I liked this. People rave about her lyrics, but I found her voice grating and it wasn’t easy to make out the words. Her melodies are often similar and there’s a lack of dynamic range. Sorry, Andy. Quaid army.

OK.

This was an interesting one for sure. There were parts of it that I genuinely liked. The really strong orchestral parts were probably the best parts for me. But then there were long stretches that were just terrible. She has an interesting and unique voice that I thought was fitting, but overall this wasn’t great. There were parts I would give a high 3 to but there were too many 1 and 2 star parts.

This is an instance where you can indeed judge a book (record) by it's cover. I soon as I saw the cover I was pretty sure what was coming...and sure enough I got exactly what I expected. I tend to like quirky voices, and I did like Joanna's voice. Her voice lent a nice contrast to the orchestral music on the album. Gave it a bit of texture. Nice overall, but she gave us one song. She can pretend there are five tracks but it's one song. I'd be good with five minutes of this, nearly an hour was rough.

She's married to Andy Samberg?? Da heck? Pretty annoying voice and affectations. Some nice instrumentation. I'd rather listen to Dick in a Box. You know what, 10 minutes into this first track I must be getting a bit of Stockholm Syndrome. There's some cool shit going on, but jesus christ her voice grates

I couldn't get into this at all. Found it rather grating. Will not return.