There is sometimes an urge with new album from artists you love to hurry the review and tell everyone just how great it is. I've been guilty of this on occasion. To do this though is to quicken the listening process, not leaving time for digestion, contemplation or repeated plays.
I've taken my time with Have One On Me because it's so jam packed with imagination and stories and weight that it defies you to skim over it lightly.
Perspective - 3+ years on from Ys with it's own dense tales of love, imagination and self discovery and it could be argued that Have One On Me carry's on in much the same vain, except that Ms Newsom sharp lyrics, intricate narratives and rich melody just get better and better.
It's immediately apparent that this album needs time to breathe and fill the senses. Opener Easy has a beguiling lilt setting the scene for songs which retain some of Newsom's seeming naivete but which see the girl grown into a bewitching woman. Alluring and assured.
The very fact that these songs are lushly spread over three discs suggests some sort of importance. '81, the epic melancholia of Go Long or Kingfisher all swirl with extended drama amidst the playful harp plucking and strings.
At over two hours this album might be too much for some in one sitting but if you have the time to sit and listen and turn it up it's like hearing the best bedtime stories you'll ever hear. A masterpiece.
http://www.dragcity.com/artists/joanna-newsom
www.mekongdelta.co.uk
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