Band: Joanna Newsome
Release: 2/2010
Label: Drag City

1. “Easy” – C+
2. “On A Good Day” – C-
3. “Soft As Chalk” – C
4. “Esme” – B+
5. “Have One On Me” – C-
6. “You And Me, Bess” – C
7. “81” – B-
8. “Autumn” – C
9. “In California” – C+
10. “Good Intentions Paving Company” – C+
11. “Jackrabbits” – C
12. “Ribbon Bows” – C+
13. “Go Long” – B-
14. “Kingfisher” – C-
15. “No Provenance” – C-
16. “Baby Birch” – C
17. “Does Not Suffice” – B-
18. “Occident” – C

Comments: Eh. Joanna Newsome is probably a folk prodigy of some sort, but to me she’s just the female offspring of Devendra Banhart and Regina Spektor. That means that this record is going to Album of the Month in March for WERS. “Freak” folk is pretty damn hit or miss. Sometimes it’s merely the case that the song that sounds the most fucked up is the best. God save the Queen if “freak” folk hits the mainstream. Joanna is too damn gentle. It’s not really even that. It’s just that my musical personality is anti-social when it comes to listening to this music. It’s bearable for a few minutes, but then can just get downright depressing. I don’t see how anyone could stomach something like this continuously. It’s pretty touching, blah, blah, blah, blah, but boring! She morphs into Peter Gabriel on “Good Intentions” and the result is an exotically freaky epic. Also, how do you tell any of these songs apart?

Grade: C (76)