Joanna Newsom
Ys
Available Now
Sometimes harpists should just stick to the strings.
Joanna Newsom and her five-track, hour-long album Ys are, well, interesting. While the harp music itself is graceful and airy, the lyrics and vocals leave a lot to be desired. The obscenely long songs meander their way down the sleepy road of banality to the vocal styling of Newsom, who sounds like a cross between an asthmatic Norah Jones and Gollum, the "Lord of the Rings" character. It's a voice that you just can't seem to get out of your head. Trust me, I've tried.
My best guess as to why the initial design for the harp didn't include a space for a microphone is that Newsom might sing while playing it. The lyrics, to the sober listener, can best be categorized as odd couplings of words with no intent on making sense. As such, in the song "Sawdust and Diamonds," Newsom sings, "And the little white dove made with love, made with love, made with glue and a glove and some pliers."
If you like this music, you might also enjoy:
Yellow House - Grizzly Bear
Songs for Christmas - Sufjan Stevens
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Boys and Girls in America - Hold Steady
Josh Groban
Awake
Available Now
Fans of Josh Groban's previous work will not be disappointed with his latest album, Awake. Groban, who is perhaps single-handedly responsible for popularizing the classical vocalism genre for people who aren't AARP members, uses his golden voice to create a powerful-sounding and fully orchestrated record that is as elegant as it is innovative. Even though most of the tracks are sung in Spanish or Italian, one need not be well-versed in Romance languages to understand. Groban's emotion, conveyed through his vocal strength, provides an ample translation. Among the English-titled tracks, "February Song" is sure to be the standout hit, with its smart lyrics and smooth sound. There is more of an updated sound to Awake than in previous albums. Whereas his self-titled release and Closer had more of a classical and operatic atmosphere, this album has tracks that are influenced by jazz and African rhythms.
This may not be Groban's best album to date, but it definitely shows his progression as an artist through his sampling of musical styles.
If you like this music, you might also enjoy:
Under the Desert Sky - Andrea Bocelli
Siempre - Il Divo
Duets: An American Classic - Tony Bennett
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris
Real Live Roadrunning
Available Now
If you're looking for a quintessential road-trip soundtrack, look no further than Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris' Real Live Roadrunning - a CD and live-concert DVD compilation package. Knopfler, known for being the lead guitarist and vocalist for the band Dire Straits, and Harris, a legendary country musician in her own right, come together in an album that will have you looking for any excuse to roll the windows down and coast off into the sunset. Heck, it made me want to dust off the old Model T, grab the closest ranch hand and drive across the cattle-laden flat plains of Texas - and I grew up in arguably the most suburban area of America.
Even if you're not a fan of country music, Real Live Roadrunning will have you taking a second listen with its infectiously melodic choruses. Previous fans will appreciate this album, as it is the first live recording of Knopfler and Harris performing together, and it comes with the DVD of their concert. As a testament to how great these two performers are, the only real evidence that this is a live recording is the resounding applause at the end of each song.
If you like this music, you might also enjoy:
Live at the Fillmore East - Neil Young and Crazy Horse
Ruby's Torch - Nanci Griffith
Under the Skin - Lindsey Buckingham
