First Impressions: Have One On Me

by Vinh on February 26th, 2010

Here’s the second installment of our First Impressions feature in which we provide off-the-cuff opinions on new releases. This time around, it’s Joanna Newsom’s daunting triple album Have One On Me. It marks a fairly evident shift in direction and while change is welcome, it wasn’t warmly received by all. To reiterate what was said in our inaugural First Impressions article, we urge you to listen along as you peruse this page. It won’t make all that much sense otherwise — or at least it’ll make even less sense without it. Buckle up, it’s a long one. Look out for a proper Have One On Me review next week.

Disc 1/Track 1: ‘Easy’

Max: Ok it starts off with ‘Easy’ right?
Micah: Mmhmm.
Brian: Yep.
Matthew: ‘Eleanor Rigby’.
Brian: Haha yeah.
Vinh: Vocals are rather reined in at the moment.
Max: Interesting, starts off poppier than the material on Ys.
Brian: Is that vocal-surgery reined in or purposefully reined in?
Micah: Both.
Vinh: Was Van Dyke Parks involved at all this time? I dig his solo work but didn’t enjoy his contribution to Ys at all.
Micah: Nope. The arrangements are much less bombastic and attention-grabbing.
Vinh: Greatly benefits her craft in my opinion.
Brian: Meh. I still like the out-of-right-fieldness of Ys.
Micah: Thoughts on the piano?
Brian: Reminds me of Spoon like whoa.
Max: Her vocals used to get on my nerves so much as I listened, I think this will benefit her in the long run.
Vinh: Track’s quite pleasant so far — like Joanna Newsom funneled through Vashti Bunyan’s pastoral vibe.
Matt: I’m always a sucker for some horns on songs like this.
Max: The piano works very nicely.
Joe: Like the vocals quite a bit so far, piano flows nicely.
Micah: When she goes high, oh dear.
Brian: Yeah, no squeaks yet. I’m disappointed.
Vinh: Considerably more palatable than i expected
Matthew: This is a very solid opener. Quite lovely.
Vinh: Agreed.
Max: Even with the vocal change, I’m just not sure if I could listen to a full album of this. Same issue I have with Antony Hegarty.
Vinh: Strikes a comfortable middle ground between string-laden arrangements (albeit in furtive fashion) and bare bones.
Joe: Liked that track a lot, nice opening to the album.
Brian: Meh. I think it dragged a bit, was 6 minutes but could have easily been 4.
Micah: Didn’t seem like 6 though.

Disc 1/ Track 2: ‘Have One On Me’

Micah: Back to the harp.
Vinh: 11-minute title track. Fairly important tune right here.
Brian: I will listen to an 11-hour harp track.
Max: Yeah it would be easy to lose the average listener here.
Micah: The lyrics go more abstract here.
Vinh: I get the sense this is going to fly off into various directions.
Joe: The vocals are putting me to sleep, in a good way though.
(*strings and drums make a dramatic entrance*)
Brian: Whoa.
Matt: That was a nice change of tone. Interesting stuff.
Joe: Well, wait.
Max: A little country twang almost.
Joe: Check that on the vocals.
Brian: Vintage Newsom vocals. I love it.
Vinh: They still feel tethered to me.
Matt: That is why God created the synthesizer.
Vinh: Instrumentation is pretty darn enjoyable. Bubbly.
Brian: I’m liking it, I just feel it’s a bit directionless.
(*Newsom’s vocals flutter amidst delicate seesawing instrumentation*)
Vinh: If this keeps up (which it probably won’t given the mere nature of a triple album), I’ll end up digging this. She’s tapped back into her sense of whimsy.
Micah: Wow, this song got perfect.
Max: It just seems a little self-indulgent to make this 11 minutes.
Brian: 7 minutes seems like nothing, bring on 7 more!
Max: Not to say that it’s bad, but I agree with Brian that it’s lacking direction.
Vinh: I haven’t found any part of this indulgent frankly.
Brian: Not anymore indulgent than Ys.
Vinh: If it was veering into all sorts of different stylistic territory, I might be compelled to agree. As it stands, this feels like a gradual, organic progression.
Matt: ‘Station To Station’ is over 10 minutes long and I fucking love it.
Max: That’s why Bowie is Bowie, he can pull that off.
Micah: I think she pulls it off.
Joe: Really like this track so far.
Vinh: It can grow to be samey, but it’s a samey pleasantness so it’s excusable…for now.
(*cascading vocals mingle with steady, tinny percussion to form a climax*)
Vinh: Oooh harmonies.
Brian: Oooh, I’m liking the cymbal work.
(*sudden halt and return to hushed harp playing*)
Vinh: No! Wanted the track to end with that.
Max: That harp really is gorgeous. Can’t seem to get what message she is trying to get across with the spider/daddy long legs.
Micah: It’s about Lola Montez.
Brian: A lovely mess. I feel like I’ll get it better upon repeated listens.
Vinh: That additional minute was rather needless.

Disc 1/Track 3: ”81′

Max: Really like the start of this one.
Micah: It’s so simple, so lovely.Vinh: Back to rustic singer-songwriter mode — i.e. Joanna at her best.
Brian: Some Milk-Eyed Mender level shit.
Joe: Beginning of this track is quite good.
Vinh: Vocals are spotless here. Very reminiscent of the UK’s folk movement in the 70s.
Brian: “We are gonna have a garden paaarty.”
Max: I agree that this is what works best for her, simple beauty.
Vinh: I’m curious about which changes of pace she’ll throw in with the other discs. This is pretty, but I can see it becoming exhausting after a while.
Matt: For me, it is getting a little samey.
Brian: 2 hours? Yeah, even I’ll get sick of it.
Joe: Agreed it would get tiring over two hours, but I really liked that track.
Vinh: She had the good sense to keep this one under 4 minutes given how stripped down it is.
Max: Definitely my favorite track so far.

Disc 1/Track 4: ‘Good Intentions Paving Company’

Vinh: Bouncy beginning.
Micah: I love this song.
Max: Nice peppy piano
Micah: Her lyrics are extremely good.
Vinh: Voice just got meatier.
Brian: I’m kind of meh on this track.
Micah: Her intonation works so well.
Max: I like that her lyrics seems to be less abstract than those on Ys.
Vinh: Percussion is distracting when it kicks in.
Brian: It’s good, but not bombastic mindfuck Ys good.
Joe: Not sure how am going to feel about 7 minutes of this track.
Brian: She sounds like any other singer-songwriter, not that special one with the harp.
Vinh: It’s annoyingly on the fence between catchy and aimless.
Max: I disagree, I think it’s fully on the side of catchy.
Vinh: It would be if it went somewhere.
Matt: This is reminding me of some other song but i can’t quite put my finger on it.
Brian: Sufjan?
Max: Slowing down a little bit.
Joe: Track is sort of boring me a bit, seems like it is meandering around.
Max: Not digging the second half of the track as much. Nice little subtle horns though.
Brian: I like the little lift.
Vinh: I actually prefer the second half.
Brian: Is anyone else getting “train station” from this song? All I can think about are trains.
Vinh: Instrumental outro is working quite nicely.
Joe: Could have cut out the first 4-5 minutes of that last track for me.
Vinh: First disc kind of jumps around a lot, in an understated way.
Max: I’m glad that it does.

Disc 1/Track 5: ‘No Provenance’

Brian: Oooh, I like that booming.
Vinh: This one’s a bit of a bore for me thus far
Max: Seems like a weaker ”81′ so far.
Vinh: Like an ‘81′ taking itself too seriously.
Brian: I’m definitely hearing the vocal differences.
Micah: I’m liking them.
Brian: Have we heard a squeak yet? I want another squeaquel. :high five: I’ll be here all week.
Micah: Hysterical.
Matt: High five? That one deserves a big ten.
Joe: You’re a funny guy, Brian. That’s why I am going to kill you last.
Micah: A big ten? Let me take my pants off first.
Vinh: Holy wow, this is lulling me to sleep.
Joe: My eyes are closing as well, Vinh.
Vinh: The sound of a smile slowly, surely, and excruciatingly turning into a frown.
Max: I feel like the track’s about to head somewhere great, but just never gets there.
Brian: Yeah, this track could have used some work.
Vinh: Last two tracks haven’t done much for me.
Brian: Yep.
Joe: Last 2 tracks have been a let down after the first 3. Beat me to it.
Vinh: Collar popped.
Matt: I’m starting to get distracted. The first couple of songs really grabbed my attention though.
Brian: But ‘Good Intentions Paving Company’ > ‘No Provenance’.
Vinh: Easily, the back half of ‘Good Intentions’ was pretty intriguing.

Disc 1/Track 6: ‘Baby Birch’

Joe: This track is 9 minutes, best go somewhere.
Max: I like the restraint on this one.
Vinh: Settled back into lullabyish territory, but with a weightlessness that does wonders for her.
Brian: Not a fan of the minimalism.
Max: I think it really can do wonders for her, on tracks like this.
Micah: I love the sweetness of the lyrics. She’s not forcing anything here.
(*guitars flourish, drums tumble, and Newsom’s phrasing quickens*)
Brian: THERE WE GO. If this keeps growing, it might end up being my favorite thus far…Ahhh shit, wasn’t ready for the handclaps.
Joe: This one is getting better as it goes.
Micah: The electric guitar and all is so fitting.
Vinh: Seamless transition.
Matt: Really like where this has gone now.
Brian: Bigger, BIGGER!
Joe: Yeah, I like the way this track really built to something.
Max: This is a real change for her.
Micah: This song is simply lovely and the build is sublime.
Vinh: Far and away the strongest of the first disc.
Brian: I really, really like the drop-off, and I’m not usually one for drop-offs.
Joe: This and ‘81′ are my favorites so far.
Max: I’d go with ‘81′, but I really enjoy where this song went as well.
Vinh: There’s a clear sense of direction, the peaks and valleys all make perfect sense.
Max: The 9 and half minutes are completely justified, no missteps.
Matt: Certainly.
Brian: Chinese strings wha?
Vinh: Vaguely oriental vibe there.

Disc 2/Track 1: ‘On A Good Day’

Vinh: Brief opener…there’s a nice purity here.
Brian: Meh, you can kind of tell it’s a short song.
Vinh: Yeah I can hear that.
Brian: You don’t really see it going anywhere.
Joe: Not sure what to make of that one
Vinh: I didn’t mind it, although it certainly wasn’t a jaw-dropper.
Matt: I think it was alright but no likely to be one that stands out when you look back on the album.
Brian: A buffer between disc one and two?

Disc 2/Track 2: ‘You And Me, Bess’

Matt: My first dog was called Bess.
Brian: Yum. Love the horn. My dog’s name is Tess!
Joe: My dog’s name is Cody.
Brian: So, like I was saying, the horns…
Matt: I love the horns.
Micah: As do I.
(*gentle, almost unassuming horns return*)
Brian: Here we go. I was afraid they were only going to be at the beginning
Joe: The person who said it sounded Sufjan-esque before, I can hear that now.
Brian: Waddup.
Joe: Like ‘John Wayne Gacy Jr.’, at least I think that is the song I am thinking of.
Brian: The one about the serial killer? Probably not…backing vocals! Nice!
Vinh: The bit with the backing vocals was nice enough. Otherwise, I can’t say I’m too keen on this.
Brian: I like where this is going…
Vinh: Same. It was too lazy at the start for me…spoke too soon, damn.
Brian: Isn’t that the story of this record, though?
Vinh: Certainly seems to be the case. I also have to say i don’t share your positive views on the horns. Weighs the tune down for me.
Brian: The tune kind of weighed itself down. I wished they would have built a little higher, though.
Vinh: Agreed. This is a hell of a lot easier for the average listener to get into than previous efforts.
Brian: Truth.
Micah: Definitely.
Vinh: Pop-sensible by her standards for sure.
Micah: It’s odd saying that when the songs are still 6 minutes long.

Disc 2/Track 3: ‘In California’

Max: Really enjoy the vocals on this one.
Brian: She is really having a love affair with horns on this album.
Joe: Sort of losing myself in this song, in a good way.
Brian: Still six minutes left, I have no idea how this will play out.
Vinh: I glanced at the popmatters review for this and the writer gave it a 4/10 claiming Joanna merely wrote a lot of material and didn’t make any choices, consequently leaving some songs she shouldn’t have. Can’t say I hear that honestly, it’s all relatively straightforward and uniform.
Micah: Yeah, I can understand where he was coming from although I disagree.
Matt: I honestly don’t think there is ever the need for a triple album.
Brian: Well the question is: Is there anything that blatantly shouldn’t have been included? Thus far, I can’t really say so.
Vinh: Not really, the lower points on the album still fit within the overall vibe I’d say…which is my biggest fear really — that it becomes samey.
Micah: On repeated listens, I’m sure that breaks apart.
(*orchestral torrent paired with passionate vocals*)
Brian: I was hoping that big swell would stay. Sigh…
Vinh: Gorgeous voice.
Micah: Indeed, even those ca-ca-cas are great.
Joe: I liked how it has picked up.
Brian: Reminds me a bit of the end of ‘Cosmia’ (Ys‘ closer).
Max: Like the big percussion.
Brian: Every band should be required to use “big percussion”. Oooh, I kinda like that bounciness.
Vinh: Probably my second favorite track as it stands.
Brian: Yeah, that was a solid jam.

Disc 2/Track 4: ‘Jackrabbits’

Brian: Sounds like someone else covering Milk-Eyed Mender Newsom. Vocals really sound different.
Vinh: Pretty indifferent to this.
Micah: I like it haha.
Brian: I miss the squeak.
Micah: A squeak here and there would be nice.
Brian: It was always like a crack of lightning that kept me interested
(*songs shifts into a busier structure toward the end*)
Vinh: This bit’s alright, but that was a lot to sit through for a modest payoff
Brian: I like this part, just wish it wasn’t 30 seconds from the end.

Disc 2/Track 5: ‘Go Long’

Vinh: Story of this affair.
Brian: lol
Max: Very promising beginning.
Joe: Like this track so far, better than ‘Jackrabbits’ already.
Brian: I’m getting Beach House (Victoria Legrand) from the vocals, for whatever reason.
Vinh: See, even if this builds somewhere, I’m growing tired of sitting through the subdued beginning.
Micah: That’s fair.
Max: I’m totally fine with it being subdued, I think that’s how she starts her best stuff.
Brian: At this point, I’m thinking two albums in one year would have been a better idea than one triple album.
Vinh: I’m with you there. There haven’t been any egregious errors, but a collection of stellar standouts might have fared better.
Micah: I love the sound of her voice right now.
Max: Yeah Micah, this is one of my favorite tracks.
Brian: “You’re a silly goose”? Only Joanna could get away with that.
Joe: Not nearly growing as tired of this track as some of the other ones.
Max: Bringing up the spider again.
Vinh: Song’s decent. Placed where it is though, just feels like more of the same.
Brian: Ugh, I want ONE sustained build on this album. Just one, please.
(*sudden transition*)
Joe: Really like where this track has gone
Max: The rise and fall seemed a little unnatural there.
Brian: The harp and banjo are really working for me.
Vinh: Wonder if she will ever revisit that Asian aesthetic.
Brian: Yeah, that was cool. I wish that was a little more sustained.
Max: Very pretty ending there.

Disc 2/Track 6: ‘Occident’

Micah: Instant start more/less.
Joe: Glowing cities imagery was cool.
Vinh: “Like a matador” wasn’t.
Brian: Kind of ambling until that drum came in. Oooh, I really like that focusing…aaaand there it goes.
Micah: I like the straightforward nature.
Max: It’s a nice little track, some cool piano parts. Has she ever used the piano this much?
Micah: Nope. She did on a track or two on her debut.
Max: It’s a nice addition to her sound.
Joe: Track didn’t do much for me.

Disc 3/Track 1: ‘Soft As Chalk’

Max: It’s strange, but listening to this album makes me really want to listen to Smog.
Vinh: Smog > this.
Max: Doesn’t make sense, but I’m definitely putting Knock Knock on after this. Song’s not bad so far.
Brian: ‘Good Intentions Paving Company’ part 2?
Vinh: Oooh rollicking percussion.
Joe: A lot of energy.
Max: This one is certainly getting my attention
Vinh: Poor Brian doesn’t get his sustained build.
Brian: I’m big on the “kitchen percussion”.
Max: I really expected this track to head somewhere different, but this isn’t bad either. I was hoping for some shouting vocals though.
Joe: Was fonder of the first half of this song than the second.
(*tempo and intensity picks up*)
Vinh: Whoa
Brian: I like this. It’s new territory for Jo-bro.
Micah: haha
Vinh: Aww died down fast.
Joe: Liked the end.

Disc 3/Track 2: ‘Esme’

Vinh: This is starting to wear on me.
Joe: Bored thus far.
Matt: It is too long without there being enough variation to keep interest.
Vinh: Thing is there aren’t specific songs I’d want cut, just pick 10 (other than ‘Baby Birch’ and ‘In California’) and remove them.
Matt: Right. There is nothing inherently wrong. Her voice is lovely, the arrangements and songwriting are well executed but it is completely over-indulgent.
Vinh: Yeah, basically echoes my thoughts, Matt.
Max: I really can’t imagine listening to this all in one sitting again.
Joe: Is this track still going on?
Brian: I think if I come back to this song tomorrow I’ll like it. After 90+ minutes, it’s just too much.
Matt: I just don’t see myself sitting through this album again.
Micah: I’m sure the songs will differentiate more on multiple listens.
Brian: Should’ve done two separate albums and cleaned up this year, Joanna.
Vinh: Even digested as three separate discs, there are issues.
Brian: “Sweet Ese-mayyyy”. I love that jump in pitch in her voice
Matt: I can see how this is the only album you have listen to this year Micah, as there was obviously little time so far to listen to anything else.
Vinh: Matt wins.
Max: Well played.

Disc 3/Track 3: ‘Autumn’

Vinh: The lack of “squeaks” as Brian puts it, is actually a pretty important point. This is so clean and polished in comparison that it grows to be redundant.
Max: It’s the trade-off she faces. But she doesn’t have a choice now, after the surgery.
Vinh: She could certainly infuse the quirk via the arrangements. It’s all pretty safe and middling.
Brian: Those French horns better make a return.
Vinh: More Asian vibes for the token Asian please.
Joe: Starting to really mold together for me.
Brian: Major bummer. I still have hope for that bombastic build I’ve been waiting for.
Vinh: The hushed intro vs. the mid-song pseudo-climax for 2 hours.
Brian: I’m liking this so far.
Vinh: I dig how she bursts back onto the scene vocally after slight, intermittent pauses. Otherwise, this is…okay.
Brian: I like how see uses all of the elements of a full orchestra without seeming like she’s doing so.
Joe: Much better than the previous track.

Disc 3/Track 4: ‘Ribbon Bows’

Brian: Mmmm, more harps and banjos.
Max: Honestly, if this wasn’t for an article, I would’ve turned this off already.
Brian: *mandolin?
Vinh: This is a pleasant track actually. Voice really cuts through the tune.
Max: It’s not a bad track, it’s just running together at this point.
Joe: Vocals definitely add something to this one. Unfortunately, I think it peaked at ‘Baby Birch’ though.
Max: I really can’t recall one track from the other.
Vinh: This one stands out to me, for some reason.
Brian: That Mediterranean feel to the strings is really cool.
Matt: As was said already, if this was just 10 tracks, it would be a solid album.
Max: Agreed.
Joe: Lots of neat elements to this song.
Vinh: I kind of really, really like this.
Joe: Best song in a while, has my attention back.
Vinh: Very pure, piercing tone.
Matt: This is the first song i’ve been drawn in by for a while.
Brian: ‘Ribbon Bows’ > ‘Soft As Chalk’.
Vinh: Third disc has been a bit of a yawner on my end.
Brian: Those two 8-minute clunkers in the middle kind of ruined it.
Vinh: Essentially, there’s one track on each disc that I really like and the rest spills into each other.
Joe: Yeah, ‘Esme’ was bad and ‘Autumn’ was only a bit better.

Disc 3/Track 5: ‘Kingfisher’

Vinh: What made ‘Ribbon Bows’ work for me was that it went all out with the clean approach. Too much of this triple album seems hesitant at times, somewhere in a middle ground. Take this track right now, for instance.
Joe: Do not want 9 minutes of this. Was hoping it would build off ‘Ribbon Bows’ until the end.
Brian: Hopefully we get a little growth.
(*track shifts gears*)
Brian: …kind of like that
Joe: Has certainly picked up.
Vinh: Meh, this becomes increasingly annoying with every track.
Max: Honestly I don’t think I would even want Radiohead to make a 2-hour album. And for Joanna Newsom to do it, it just doesn’t work.
Joe: This song has completely lost me.
Vinh: *album. Feels so consciously restrained.
Brian: Yeah, ‘Kingfisher’ has no business being 9 minutes long.
Joe: Here comes the slight buildup end tease.
Vinh: Cut out the humdrum parts and keep the fluttery peaks.
Brian: I’m gonna listen to ‘Anywhere I Lay My Head’ after this just so I can hear someone peak hard.
Vinh: Critics should have a field day with ‘Go Long’ and ‘Does Not Suffice’.

Disc 3/Track 6: ‘Does Not Suffice’

Joe: Last track.
Matt: Alright, we made it to the end.
Brian: So many bad puns on some many song titles.
Max: This last disc really has nothing for me.
Joe: Easily the weakest.
Max: Don’t think I’ll ever come back to it.
Joe: ‘Ribbon Bows’ is the only worthwhile track.
Vinh: I don’t mind this, although I may just be blinded by the promise of an album change.
Max: Haha you’re just happy it’s the end.
Brian: Find some room in the first two discs for ‘Ribbon Bows’ and ‘Soft As Chalk’, cut out the rest.
Joe: No reason for this to be a triple album.
Max: I’m so ready to listen to something cathartic.
Vinh: Four Year Strong?
Joe: Group Four Year Strong listening.
Vinh: I’m not white enough for that.
Brian: Are we actually gonna get a sustained build? Last chance, Joanna.
Vinh: Fitting title then, Brian.
Brian: I’m really digging this song, if anyone still gives a shit about Joanna.
Vinh: lalalalalaaaaaa….I’m with you actually, Brian. Closer’s decent.
Joe: Would be a great closer to a 10-12-track album.
Vinh: Brace yourself for a disappointingly short buildup.
Brian: Sustain, sustain…
Joe: …but yeah four year strong were great live.
Vinh: Four Year Strong don’t need to sustain buildups, their entire songs are climaxes.
Joe: haha
Brian: Could’ve ended worse. So ‘Does Not Suffice’, ‘Ribbon Bows’, maybe ‘Soft As Chalk’: great.
Vinh: Title track – ‘81′ – ‘Baby Birch’ – ‘In California’ – ‘Ribbon Bows’ – ‘Does Not Suffice’. That’s my track list in no particular order.
Matt: That was a good close. The opening track was excellent too and in between was the potential for a really good album.
Brian: ‘Esme’, ‘Autumn’, ‘Kingfisher’: boring as hell.
Joe: Agreed.
Max: I really enjoyed certain moments, but there just weren’t enough of them.
Vinh: I’d say there were enough of them, Max, but not in relative terms. Just so many dull ones that it became hard to remember the riveting ones.
Max: Yeah, I agree with that.
Vinh: Pared down to the “essentials”, this could easily be a wonderful record.
Brian: Oh definitely.

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