Our Music Deserving Devotion Unswerving
Wednesday. Well, things are still busy here, but not as bad as the past two days have been. I have been working through collections today and for once I feel like I am really making some good ground here. Not only am I getting that $500k in aged receivables for my one account, but with the help of one of my co-workers in California, another one of my accounts is starting to get cleaned up as well. It has only been 3 business days into April and this so far has been one of my best months yet. Hopefully I can keep this trend rolling on the up curve...
Well, I'm a little late on this but a few weeks ago Light Strikes a Deal recommended to me The Milk-eyed Mender by Joanna Newsom. With everything going on I didn't get a copy of that album and therefore I fell a bit behind. But I assure you that I take every recommendation seriously, and so today I am happy to finally discuss Ms. Newsom.
I have to admit that when I first started listening to The Milk-eyed Mender the vocals kind of took me by surprise. Light Strikes a Deal had warned me, but still, I don't think there is any preparation for actually hearing them. They are difficult to describe, but if I had to, I would say they come off as a high-pitched warbling voice of a small child singing folk songs. Now, I realize that's a horrible description, but if you have a better one (Light Strikes a Deal compared it to "Bjork on a bad day") please leave it in the comments section below. Despite my initial trepidation, I stuck with it and listened to the album all the way through. I have to say that after the initial shock wore off and my ears went into the "acceptance stage" that the tracks were much easier to listen to. The music behind the vocals is actually quite tranquil. Most of the tracks have a folksy feel to them and some include a harp accompaniment by Ms. Newsom. Light Strikes a Deal lauded her song writing ability, and after reading through the lyrics I agree that they have a clever storytelling quality to them. I hesitate to give this album a glowing recommendation. I think it is good, but I didn't get that instant connection I get with other artists. I'm sure the vocals become easier to listen to with each playing. It is just something so different I think it takes a little while to process and digest it. For those curious and wanting to hear something completely original, I would say go ahead and pick this album up. I guarantee you've never heard anything like it...
Well, I'm a little late on this but a few weeks ago Light Strikes a Deal recommended to me The Milk-eyed Mender by Joanna Newsom. With everything going on I didn't get a copy of that album and therefore I fell a bit behind. But I assure you that I take every recommendation seriously, and so today I am happy to finally discuss Ms. Newsom.
I have to admit that when I first started listening to The Milk-eyed Mender the vocals kind of took me by surprise. Light Strikes a Deal had warned me, but still, I don't think there is any preparation for actually hearing them. They are difficult to describe, but if I had to, I would say they come off as a high-pitched warbling voice of a small child singing folk songs. Now, I realize that's a horrible description, but if you have a better one (Light Strikes a Deal compared it to "Bjork on a bad day") please leave it in the comments section below. Despite my initial trepidation, I stuck with it and listened to the album all the way through. I have to say that after the initial shock wore off and my ears went into the "acceptance stage" that the tracks were much easier to listen to. The music behind the vocals is actually quite tranquil. Most of the tracks have a folksy feel to them and some include a harp accompaniment by Ms. Newsom. Light Strikes a Deal lauded her song writing ability, and after reading through the lyrics I agree that they have a clever storytelling quality to them. I hesitate to give this album a glowing recommendation. I think it is good, but I didn't get that instant connection I get with other artists. I'm sure the vocals become easier to listen to with each playing. It is just something so different I think it takes a little while to process and digest it. For those curious and wanting to hear something completely original, I would say go ahead and pick this album up. I guarantee you've never heard anything like it...
posted by john at 4:02 PM
5 Comments:
hmm... my interest is now officially piqued. It doesn't sound like something I'd typically like (believe it or not, the feminist coughs, i tend not to really get into female singers... although there are some strong exceptions to this- Kim Deal, Karen O, Kim Gordon, Feist, Leona Naess, Beth Orton... okay, okay, maybe I'm not as biased as I thought...), but I'm curious for sure.
I'm sure as far as "female singers" go, she's no Prince... ;)
Hi Lisa- My music collection is fairly male-dominant as well. It's not a conscious decision, that's just the way things fall out. I've heard it argued that there are a lot of talented women in the music biz, but they just aren't going into the rock genre. They're all pop singers. Rock just has a greater male representation, so therefore one's music collection tends to reflect that. I don't know if there's any truth to that, but it is an interesting argument for sure.
Thats really funny. My music collection is dominated by female voices. Most of them folksy. I don't think I consciously prefer one over the other but that's the way it looks scrolling down my music library.
Honestly I'm surprised that you gave this album as good of review as you did after only one listen. It takes a lot of getting used to. If not for the last track on the album, it would be collecting dust in my forgoten music bin. Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie sort of let me into the entire body of Milk-Eyed. It still took me a few more days of listening to it before I fully realised what I had. It's one of those albums that you find one song that you like on. You play the ever loving shit out that tune until your bored with it. And then magically there is another tune that has suddenly turned to gold. Right now it's Side Of The Blue, but I'm pretty sure that they entire album is going to be worn out before I'm done playing it.
LSD- Which category are you counting Devandra in?
I agree with you about Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie. The Book of Right On also stood out for me. I tell ya it was a close one on the recommendation but the deciding factor was that I was in an upswing of appreciation when the album ended. At first I was like "what is this?!" But by the end I was starting to get a good feel of it.
LOL.
I think that I count devendra as a male voice, but Antony from Antony and the Johnsons is fully female. At least in the Album I Am A Bird Now. He's like Nina Simone on a bad acid trip in that album. I so love it.
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