Joanna Newsom

Bradley Garcia59, that was beautifully put. 🙂

Listening back to it now... by the time I hit the end of the track, I realize I don't want the next one to start just yet. I need a moment to digest it. It’s like that feeling after a great movie, where you're just sitting there, lost in thought. And even though her delivery is stunning, the lyrics themselves have such a lyrical quality, almost like they're flowing on their own. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the music is following the words, or if the words are perfectly capturing the music...

wiredharbor22 said:Bradley Garcia59, that was really beautifully put... 🙂

Now that I've been listening back to it... I get to the end of a track and I just feel like I can't move on to the next one yet, I need some time to actually process what I just heard...

I mean... I totally have this habit where I'll just put one single song on repeat like thirty times in a row... 😵

wiredharbor22 said:Sometimes I can't tell if the music is following the lyrics or if the lyrics are just perfectly capturing the vibe of the music...

Yeah, there’s definitely something to that... I honestly think the notes and the rhythm carry just as much weight as the actual words, because great composers know how to speak through the music itself...

Emily Parker32 said:Well... I have this habit of listening to a single song on repeat about thirty times in a row. 😵

I actually listened to Ys for the first time today. 😁 Repeating tracks is a familiar ritual for me. 🙂

It was kind of you to start this thread and invite me in... 😁

Man, I’m just so stoked that there are actually this many replies and cool reactions happening here, plus all these fans too... 😍

Emily Parker32 said:Happy? Please. 🙂

Glad you went on a bit of a rant there, honestly. I'm always down to talk music.

Emily Parker32 said:Music is basically just one big emotional trip. It doesn't matter if you're into death metal, jazz, Britney Spears, or Joanna Newsom, the whole reason it hits is because it triggers these specific memories and cravings that belong entirely to you. No one else is ever going to see the world through your lens, no matter how hard they try.

I'm not saying it isn't like that, but let's be real—there's such a thing as quality, and I actually want to wrap my head around and respect the kind of excellence that doesn't even hit my vibe.

Maybe there’s an actual artistic relevance to the aesthetic, but for some reason—probably just my detached sensibilities mixed with some good old-fashioned... pure ignorance. I don't get the whole cimbalom and harp thing.

Why wouldn't I figure it out eventually? If it actually holds any weight, at least I won't be stuck thinking this whole thing is total garbage anymore. And honestly, if it turns out there was something incredible right in front of me that I just failed to notice, maybe once I finally wrap my head around it, I'll actually start enjoying it.

Emily Parker32 said:First off, I’m just obsessed with her voice and that singing technique—it’s totally one-of-a-kind and incredibly bold. On one hand, she completely ignores every rule in the book, singing in a way that would probably give any vocal coach a literal heart attack, but then on the other hand, she hits every single note perfectly because she’s got that flawless ear and vocal cords capable of producing these insanely pure frequencies.

If she’s actually that kind of singer, she'd basically be a walking nightmare. just more of the same garbage. Not every singing teacher. Not even close.

Emily Parker32 said:Then there's the way she performs, acting out the songs while she sings them. She’s got this insane ability to channel every possible mood—humor, sarcasm, pure euphoria, or just straight-up defiance—not even through the lyrics, but just by shifting her tone. It's heavy stuff, and honestly, you don't see many singers with that kind of instinct.

Look, I get what you're saying, and next time I spin her stuff I'll definitely try to spot that specific merit, assuming a) it actually exists and b) I can even recognize it when I see it.

It doesn't personally hit home for me, and honestly, it doesn't move the needle much on the quality scale either, since we're talking about music here, not some Broadway play or a Hollywood drama.

Emily Parker32 said:Another reason I dig Joanna Newsom is that harp of hers—it’s easily one of my favorite instruments, right up there with the cello.

And there it is, the same old issue. My go-to instruments are guitar, bass, and drums, which is basically why I'm hanging out on this forum instead of some pretentious site dedicated to classical music from back in the day—before they invented the piano, or whatever! 😛

Emily Parker32 said:The third thing is her lyrics; she could publish them as books and still be impressive. I love how her unconventional, almost childlike voice clashes with those archaic, old-school verses. Her songs feel like epics, and it’s hard to believe someone so young wrote them because they have so much maturity. She can weave different characters into a song and play all of them while acting as the narrator. Sometimes it feels less like listening to a track and more like watching a stage play. I mostly just picture her as a character in a production, and that persona is incredibly magnetic and charismatic.

So it’s got everything: acting, literature, classical vibes, history, theater.

Sure, maybe, but I still don't see where the pop is, let alone any rock and roll. 🙂

So, long story short: you were really patient and thorough in explaining why you're into it.

a) If nothing else, maybe now I understand better why it just isn't my thing.
b) Next time I listen, I might actually be able to pick up on those qualities—maybe even enough to tell someone, "Yeah, it's actually objectively great, it just doesn't do anything for me."

🙂

driftingeagle27 said:Well, if she really is that kind of singer, then she might actually be a total nightmare for any bad vocal coach... not just any coach, though...

Maybe. But my point with the hyperbole was really just that her singing technique is totally unconventional. I read in an interview once that Joanna studied voice while she was doing her music degree, but eventually realized there was no way to "train" her voice... and honestly, just like anything else in life, you have to know the rules before you can break them, otherwise you're just making a mess of things. I truly think Joanna knows exactly what she's doing with her voice, and that’s honestly where a huge part of her artistry comes from...

driftingeagle27 said:And there it is, that same issue again. My favorite instruments are definitely guitar, bass, and drums.

That's fair. Personally, though, I find the guitar to be one of the most boring instruments out there, and the whole classic rock band setup just feels kind of stale to me... 🙂Hey, to each their own, right?

driftingeagle27 said:That’s why I’m on this forum instead of one dedicated to, say, classical music from ancient times—back when they hadn't even invented the lyre or piano yet, thanks for the lesson today by the way! 🙂—when it was mostly just harps and harpsichords...

So it covers everything: acting, literature, classical, history, theater...

It makes sense, I guess, but I still don't see where the pop fits in here. Not to mention rock and roll.

But why does it have to be pop or rock & roll?? 😕Do you really think music can't be "good" unless it falls into those categories?

And what makes you think classical music doesn't belong on this forum??

Why bother sticking to genre boxes at all? The world would be so damn boring if every single song was just pop or rock...

driftingeagle27 said:a) maybe it’s finally clicking why I’m just not feeling it, te
b) next time I give it a spin, I might actually be able to spot the merits in it—maybe even enough to say if someone asks, "It’s actually really good, it just doesn't do it for me."
🙂

I honestly don't expect you to dig Joanna Newsom, it's crystal clear to me that she isn't everyone's cup of tea, and that's totally fine, people have all kinds of weird tastes and it's no big deal. So what if you think it's garbage. It doesn't even cross my mind to try and talk you into changing your mind. There is so much music out there that I can't even stand for ten seconds, yet millions of people all over the US are buying it by the truckload. 🤷
I'll never truly wrap my head around the mindset of someone who listens to mainstream country radio. To me, that world is completely incomprehensible and alien... probably in the same way Joanna Newsom feels alien to you.

We all look for some kind of sonic world in our music that fits us perfectly. Joanna Newsom isn't your world, Arctic Monkeys aren't mine, and so what, for crying out loud. Everyone does their own thing. I don't see why we have to understand one another. 😉

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Emily Parker32 said:I don't see why they would even need to understand each other.

🙂

Emily Parker32 said:And why the hell does it even have to be pop or rock & roll? 😕 You really think music can't be "good" unless it fits into some narrow little pop or rock & roll box, huh?

So you actually think this isn't a place for classical music?

Why even bother sticking to genre boundaries anyway? The world would be so damn boring if everything was just pop or rock.

Look, it doesn't have to be pop or rock to actually be good; far from it. I split my initial thoughts into two distinct buckets—the intimate vibe versus the objective quality—just to make it clear that something can be technically flawless while still being something I have zero interest in listening to, because I’m just wired this way and there's no point pretending otherwise.

I don't think anyone's saying classical doesn't belong here since this whole sub is dedicated to music, but let's be real, it’s always been dominated by pop in its broadest sense. I highly doubt anyone thinks classical fans aren't welcome, but honestly, how many people are actually going to find someone to talk to about harps, lyres, or harpsichords—unless we're talking about a Joanna Newsom album—so it's a bit of an uphill battle. 🙂.

Honestly, rock pretty much covers all my bases, and I’m not trying to be some elitist snob about the classics because I'm not that kind of person, but I've just realized that this is what hits for me right now, so I don't really feel the urge to constantly dig through jazz or folk unless I actually want to, though that doesn't mean I'm too clueless to know what they're about. 🙂.

Emily Parker32 said:So what if you think it sucks. Not like I'm actually going to waste my breath trying to talk you out of it.

Look, at the end of the day, the problem is really just me. yeah I really don't have the energy to pretend that absolute garbage is actually something worthwhile. 🙂

Emily Parker32 said:We’re all just out here chasing some sonic landscape that actually fits our vibe. Joanna Newsom isn't your world and the Arctic Monkeys aren't mine, so who cares, honestly. Everyone does their own thing. I don't see why anyone would even bother complaining about it. had to. Got it. 😉

Look, at the end of the day, we're all stuck on this same spinning rock, and I've got zero interest in living in some delusional fantasy land. That's just how it is. 🙂

(And honestly, I kind of dig being on the same wavelength as people, it’s a nice change of pace.)

driftingeagle27 said:I don't think classical music is out of place here, since this whole subforum is called Music and that covers everything, but honestly, pop music—in the broadest sense possible—has always been the main thing here. I doubt anyone thinks classical fans aren't welcome, but let's be real, how many people are actually going to find someone to talk to about harps, lyres, or harpsichords—aside from maybe an album by Joanna Newsom—before they just run out of things to say... 🙂.

I wouldn't say I'm strictly stuck in one genre box or anything, but guitar-driven stuff usually hits the spot for me. It’s not some judgment on classical music, and I'm not trying to be a jerk and look down on it or whatever. It's just that I've figured out what works for me, and right now I don't really feel this massive urge to go deep into classical, jazz, or folk music...

My bad, I totally misread you. Sorry! 🙂

driftingeagle27 said:Of course it doesn't have to be pop or rock to be good; not even close. I was basically separating two different things in my first post: the personal side, which is just what resonates with me, and the general side, which is pure quality. I was just saying that something can be objectively great and still not be something I want to listen to for my own soul, because that's just how I am...

driftingeagle27 said:Fair enough, but the thing is, I don't want to walk around thinking something is trash when it's actually incredible... 🙂

Ahhh, objective quality! That's what's eating at you!
But man, that is such a hard thing to pin down. Like, what are the actual criteria for calling something "objectively" good music? Who gets to be the authority there? Music theorists? Critics? The industry? The market? Honestly, I think it's such a minefield that it's probably better not to even step foot in that territory...

Emily Parker32 said:I honestly think that area is such a minefield that it’s probably smarter to just stay far away from it.

Look, someone’s gotta walk through the thorns every now and then.😁.

Look, if you really think we need to go down that rabbit hole, then go ahead and start a whole separate thread debating whether objective musical quality even exists, but this specific thread is just meant to be about Joanna Newsom. 😉

Emily Parker32 said:Look, if you really feel like you need to go wandering through the thorns, then fine—go ahead and start some massive debate about whether objective musical quality even exists, but this thread is strictly for talking about Joanna Newsom. 😉

Alright, fine, I'll get on it once the thread title actually changes. Just my two cents on Joanna Newsom, but honestly, she’s in a league of her own....or something like that.

So, I guess I'll be free to drop some thoughts here and maybe actually learn something about the stuff I care about, if the universe decides to let me.

driftingeagle27 said:Fine, I'll change the thread title to something like Joanna Newsom - strictly my opinion, if that's what we're doing...

Come on, don't be dramatic...

I’ve listened to a few of her albums now. From a songwriting and instrumental standpoint, it’s incredibly heavy and fascinating stuff. My favorite part is definitely that harp work mentioned earlier... it's stunning. Honestly, it would all be such brilliant music if it weren't for her voice. I just can't seem to get used to it, no matter how hard I try. It sounds like someone singing who is either deeply ill or... well, just cognitively impaired. It’s such a distraction that it ends up ruining everything else I find so exceptional about her sound. Such a shame.😢

E, look, that's just that whole "love or hate" thing happening... 😉

Yeah, exactly. Honestly, I keep trying to convince myself that I could actually get into her vocals, too... but it just isn't happening. 🙂 Aside from that, though—like I mentioned before—I’m a huge fan of pretty much everything else she does. 🙂

I’ve heard people make comparisons to cats during mating rituals and things like that. Yours is actually quite alright... 😁

wiredharbor22 said:I've definitely heard people make comparisons to cats mating and all that sort of thing... so yours isn't actually that bad. 😁

🙂 Do you have any other comparisons? That one actually gave me a good laugh.

Gregory Davis89 said:🙂Do you have any other comparisons? That really made me laugh.

All I can remember is a broken violin in the hands of a small child. That’s all...

"total nails on a chalkboard" 😁