April 28, 2004
the milk-eyed mender
joanna newsom "sadie"
equal parts bjork and devendra banhart, this track has a strangely addicting quality. from the first time i heard it, it wormed its way into my brain and wouldn't get out. the constant almost-grating quality of her voice is a perfect contrast to the couldn't-be-more-beautiful instrumental half. and when she hits certain notes it just kills. she owns you for 6 minutes. often when a song really catches my ear. it's not what the person is saying, but HOW they're saying it. and that's this song all over the place. "this is an old song / these are old blues / and this is not my tune / but it's mine to use." there are so many great things about this song it's hard to know where to start. lucky for me, the whole cd, the milk-eyed mender, is this good too. [this track was recommended by ben gibbard of death cab for cutie / postal service fame, on npr's excellent all song's considered page.]
[sounds like: devendra banhart, bjork]
joanna newsom "peach, plum, pear"
i couldn't resist a second joanna newsom track. this one is shorter, and maintains my attention in a much different way. driving, sparse, childlike whimsy at first, and then halfway through it starts layering on itself with multitracked vocals that just barely fuzz the speakers. i have no idea what this song is about, but it's riveting.