The New Weird America

[troutmask]

So a few weeks ago i bought this CD by this girl named Joanna Newsom and it's been haunting me ever since. The album is called Milk-Eyed Mender and it's one of the most beautiful albums i've heard in years. You truly need to watch these VIDEO CLIPS OF JOANNA NEWSOME PERFORMING AT THE ICA. Fucking breathtaking. Seriously. Simply gorgeous

Comments

[slow_learner]

i'm still up in the air about joanna newsom. i like what i've heard from her, but every time i run across her name it's being mentioned in the same breath (or paragraph) as devendra banhart (who i've come to loathe) et al. i hate this new "freak folk" (D.B, Skygreen Leopards, alla those california collectives) movement with a passion because they're TRYING to be hippies! and if there's one thing more useless and stupid than a true hippie it's the fool who aims to be one by putting on affectations, but isn't. i think mainly what pisses me off is that a pleb like banhart can string together a couple lines of nonsense and get labeled a genius while someone like alasdair roberts (who actually knows what folk music is) still gets no credit. *mumblegrumble* what i appreciate about JN though is that she's at least willing to try new things. i have this experimental album by this band Nervous Cop which is just two drummers going at it with no sense of melody (obviously) or established rhythm and JN plays harp on a couple tracks.

[troutmask]

I loathe Devendra Banhart as well. I just don't feel a thing when i hear his music. I agree, it's pretty terrible. I totally don't see a connection between her and him musically at all.

Maybe i'm just amazed that someone can play the harp and make music like that while singing. And her voice is so interesting to me. Her melodies are brilliant. They're melodies i wish i had come up with.

Anyway, yes....down with Banhart, up with Roberts. It's pretty obvious to me which one is the real deal and which one is trying a bit too hard.

[shikse]

they are dating. that's why ppl mention them in the same breath.

[troutmask]

i did not know that.

lucky bastard.

[shikse]

i dig joanna. that is weird that she is all normal and shizit posting on message boards. but everybody comes from somewhere and she hasn't blown up super huge yet. still indi. but yeah i like her too. never heard of that other band you listed but i'll have to check them out.

[troutmask]

Yeah, when i'm super amazed by a musician i tend to place them on this alternate plane of reality from me, just because i'm so affected by the music. It's weird to me to see proof that they're the same as me. I also find it utterly inspiring.

Joanna is the shit yo.

[troutmask]

p.s. are you feeling better yet?

[shikse]

all better! i am going running tonite for the first time in 2 weeks! thanks for asking.