Joanna Newsom
Have One on Me


4.5
superb

Review

by Channing Freeman STAFF
March 2nd, 2010 | 429 replies


Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Have One On Me is the best hug you'll ever receive.

If you were one of those people who hated Joanna Newsom's Ys simply because of her voice, then you'll like Have One On Me. If you became obsessed with her after the release of Ys and subsequently developed a fur fetish, you'll still like Have One On Me, only with the stipulation that her earlier work is better. If you're against "indie hipster bullshit," then you'll like it but pretend you don't. With the bottom line out of the way, where does Joanna Newsom get off releasing three discs worth of material when many people couldn't stand to hear even one in 2006? The answer is a bit hard to reach. Somehow, this triple disc album seems to go by faster than Ys. Part of the reason is that her voice is a lot easier on the ears now, sure, but the songs themselves are better as well. Even if you enjoyed her scratchy wood nymph voice on Ys, the album was still a lesson in patience as Newsom's vocals continually reached new heights of ways to make the listener uncomfortable. Have One On Me's impact is on the other hand immediate, and it is lasting.

The harp is still the main musical focus and it's as gorgeous as ever, but now everything works together to create an immersive sound as opposed to Ys, where it seemed like you had to focus on the music just to stand her voice at times. I'm not going to mention specific songs because the best way to listen to this is to let all three discs play without paying attention to song titles or song lengths or which disc is playing. Two hours will seem simultaneously like fifteen minutes and fifteen years. Her voice is generally subdued, all vibrato and no scratchiness. Alongside the harp that she's famous for, there are piano ballads and even a few songs with drums. There's no specific audience for Have One On Me; anyone could easily fall in love with it, probably without even realizing at first. There will be plenty of people who will immediately dismiss the album because of its indie hype, but don't listen to them. It's been a long time since an album like this was released: an album that is intensely personal even if you can't relate to the lyrics, even if you've never been in love, even if you've never lost something, even if you've never really felt alive. Basically, if you were never one to believe all that bullshit about everyone else being just as lonely as you are, Have One On Me has got news for you. Pressed to recommend a song from each disc, it would be these three: "Good Intentions Paving Company," "Occident," and "Does Not Suffice." However, no matter how homogeneous the discs might sound, all the songs stand apart as immense works of art.

Have One On Me is ultimately a hard album to analyze and review. If I broke my feelings down to their simplest form, this review would say, "This album makes me feel things. Listen to it." And that should be a stronger recommendation than anything else I could say. The album makes me want to die. It makes every longing I have so much worse yet somehow better. It gives desire a definition and a purpose. I would say "I never want this album to end," but the album actually doesn't ever end. I am so very much okay with that. I feel like I can whittle away my days listening to this album and only this album for the rest of my life, and never have to feel anything except what this album makes me feel. Which is to say, everything.



Recent reviews by this author
Taylor Swift FolklorePhoebe Bridgers Punisher
Protest the Hero PalimpsestRun the Jewels RTJ4
Pinegrove MarigoldThe Menzingers Hello Exile
user ratings (582)
4.1
excellent
other reviews of this album
Iai EMERITUS (3)
A great album is hidden in here somewhere....

jeremologyy (4.5)
This is a beautiful piece of art by one of the most talented musicians of the current century....

Sebinator (4.5)
An intricate, beautiful piece of art; Newsom’s personal lyricism perfectly captivates the unpredic...

Serphacio (1.5)
All in all, I would suggest to anyone who desires a method of torture for small animals do not liste...



Comments:Add a Comment 
robertsona
Staff Reviewer
March 3rd 2010


28180 Comments


negd

NortherlyNanook
March 3rd 2010


1286 Comments


thought this was gonna be a john hanson review but it's cool neg'd

joshuatree
Emeritus
March 3rd 2010


3744 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

surprised you like this so much but awesome



and why is this not showing up in best new music wtf

joshuatree
Emeritus
March 3rd 2010


3744 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

but there would be too much hipster bullshit!

iarescientists
March 3rd 2010


5865 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

titus andronicus and joanna newsom as teh only music ever would be life

charles2000
March 3rd 2010


450 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

guess i should really listen to this

Knott-
Emeritus
March 3rd 2010


10260 Comments


see now to me this reads a 5 i know some people stick to the whole 'classic' idea but you obv think this record is damn near perfect

i have this gonna listen to it later

Lions
March 3rd 2010


1015 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

i did. can't see how it doesn't deserve one. seeing her in april. very happy.

sleepyhead
March 3rd 2010


593 Comments


album of the year?

Shrapnel94
March 3rd 2010


2213 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

A hug from Joanna Newsom would be the best hug I'll ever receive.



Awesome review

natey
March 3rd 2010


4195 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

yes, and titus

UnfunFionn
March 3rd 2010


54 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I used to work in a store with a manager who played her music all the time, and I HATED her with a passion. But I think she's one of those artists who needs to be listened to in absolutely the right settings, because when I swallowed my pride and listened to 'Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band' I loved it.



And this is a great album!



Oh yeah, and her main photo on last.fm right now is worth the price of entry alone. I certainly would!

NeutralThunder12
March 3rd 2010


8742 Comments


I have to get this. Great review.

thebhoy
March 3rd 2010


4460 Comments


After hearing the first track, I'm more intrigued than before about hearing this.

lxanderl
March 3rd 2010


8 Comments


I get a hint of Stairway to Heaven from Kingfisher

natey
March 3rd 2010


4195 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

it's like a folk sinfonia

DoctorNurse
March 3rd 2010


475 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

11 tracks in, this is turning out to be rather nice

poweroftheweez
March 3rd 2010


1298 Comments


i skipped the middle paragraph.

-1up!-
March 3rd 2010


17 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Quite the enticing review. I've only listened to 3 or 4 tracks yet, but this is already better than Ys, which I thought was not that bad.

klap
Emeritus
March 3rd 2010


12410 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

where's the nick butler review on this



You have to be logged in to post a comment. Login | Create a Profile





STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS // CONTACT US

Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Site Copyright 2005-2023 Sputnikmusic.com
All Album Reviews Displayed With Permission of Authors | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy