Out of all the voices that emerged in the new century's indie-explosion, few were as divisive as that of harpist and songwriter Joanna Newsom. For some, her thoroughly original songwriting represented a break from the cookie-cutter pop which had claimed the airwaves as its own. For others, her songs - which often stretched on for ten minutes without a chorus in sight - and vocals - which yelped, swooped, and did pretty much everything except sing - inspired more repulsion than reverence. So the news that Newsom's first album since 2006's Ys would be a triple-disc extravaganza that would last for more than two hours was met with reactions more diverse than any album in years. And, it is fair to say, few albums in as many years have defied expectations so nimbly - for, despite its eye-popping length and girth (out of the eighteen tracks on the album, only three clock in below five minutes), Have One On Me is easily Newsom's most enjoyable and accessible album.
Newsom utilizes the album format to its full extent, allowing each song to demonstrate a different strength. Tracks such as "'81" and "You And Me, Bess" are understated, gorgeous numbers featuring only Newsom's voice and her harp; elsewhere, "Autumn," "Ribbon Bows," and "Kingfisher" all take full advantage of horns, violins, pianos, and percussion, yet in strikingly different manners - moving from quietly haunting to cinematic to medieval-tinged in the space of three songs. Yet, it is Newsom's talent for lyricism that takes the centerpiece of each song; her verbosity, metaphors, and wordplay are all reminiscent of Bob Dylan or Dan Bejar. This is demonstrated nowhere better than on the fabulous "Good Intentions Paving Company," which is filled with one quotable line right after the other, and is topped off with metaphors like comparing emotional frustration to being "in a fistfight with the fog."
But, easily, the most noticeable thing about the album is how restrained Newsom's vocals are: for the first time, she is actually singing, and proves - with the exception of a few nasally slips here and there - that she is in possession of what can honestly be called a beautiful voice. Beautiful, too, is her ability with melody; her songs manage to be enormously catchy while still retaining a sense of elegance and sophistication. "No Provenance" offers the greatest revelation when it comes to these two items, and, in the space of six and a half minutes, almost completely undoes the image that Newsom has worked to create of herself over the past decade - that of a sprightly, elfish creature who could have sprung out of the middle ages. "No Provenance," on the other hand, is nothing more than a tender love song, and as Newsom reaches the simple chorus - "Lay me down safe and warm in your arms" - the longing in her voice seeps through; for the first time, she sounds, well, human.
In spite of all of its accessibility, Have One On Me is still not an album which can be digested easily. Attempting to swallow it all in one gulp is absolute madness; it's much wiser to approach it disc by disc, six songs at a time. And while it's true that the album feels overlong in parts - no two-hour album was ever absolutely flawless - it's difficult to bring the hatchet down on any of these songs, especially as more of them unveil their secrets and beauty only upon careful, repeat listens. It is, ultimately, an album not unlike a tapestry, or the photograph which graces the cover of the record - an overwhelming image which at first leaves only a vague impression, yet discloses more and more detail every time it is examined further. And the devil's, as they say, in the details.
Track picks: "'81," "Good Intentions Paving Company," "You And Me, Bess"
Have One On Me score: 90
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