Joanna Newsom unleashed her three album long "Have One On Me" last week to nearly universal acclaim. Interestingly enough, critics received advance copies of this behemoth only a week prior to its release. Now normally I wouldn't come right out and question the legitimacy of my fellow writers' praise, or their comprehension of what they are writing about, but I kind of find it hard to believe anyone really got a grip on this overly dense work in time to declare it the masterpiece that it is being hailed as. Barring someone in a bunker at Pitchfork listening to this album repeatedly for seven days straight, their ridiculously high score of 9.2 seems more than a little suspect. Some critics have tried to downplay the length of the album. 'It is only 18 songs!' some cry in defense. What they neglect to mention is that song lengths average 7 to 8 minutes. Furthermore, Newsom isn't exactly a verse chorus verse songwriter, the songs either meander or change like the weather, so it takes many repeated listens to determine the merit of any given song.
Having said that, what makes what I am about to write any more legitimate? Nothing really, other than I waited an extra week before I took on the task of writing a review of this unwieldy album, and I can assure you, my gentle readers, that I dedicated ever minute of free listening time to this album, which I might add was sometimes an unbearable task. Whether or not that makes me better qualified to tackle "Have One On Me" is for you to decide, but let's be honest and admit that probably no one is qualified at this point in this record's release to declare it a failure or a masterpiece.
Let me begin by saying that I thought Newsom's "Ys" was one of the best albums of the last decade. It was epic, complicated and gorgeous every step of the way. So I come to "Have One On Me" as a fan of Newsom. Lord knows there are plenty of detractors. Some people hate that warbly voice of hers, some can't stand the renaissance fair affectations, some think she is too obscure or wordy. I am not one of those people. Fortunately for most of her critics, the warbly voice is almost entirely absent on "Have One On Me." If there is one thing I can say for certain about the album it is that Newsom has learned to sing.
What of everything else though? Well, in a nutshell this is an album that eschews the epic scope of "Ys" as well as the simple digestible nuggets of "Milk-Eyed Mender," for something more difficult to get a grasp on, something more languid and, at times, frustrating. Some songs feature understated orchestral and band arrangements, some just Newsom at her piano or harp.
Broken up into three discs, the strongest tracks come early in the program. "Easy" and the title track bear a slight resemblance to the tracks on "Ys" except where those tracks were full orchestral affairs, these a chamber pieces and not nearly as epic in scope. They are still slightly knotty arrangements that need to be unpacked over time, but they aren't as dense, or, in the end, as rewarding as the tracks on "Ys." Yes, they are pleasing, but they seem like a degraded copy of what Newsom has done before. "'81" follows and is an immediate standout. Essentially just Newsom and her harp, the piece sounds lusher and more romantic than her chamber arrangements. As with the best Newsom songs, there is an ache in her voice and music that underscores the delivery of lyrics centered around a quest for innocence. It's gorgeous stuff and a perfect Newsom song.
The album's real highlight is "Good Intentions Paving Company." Here Newsom draws upon early American composition to craft a rousing ragtime motif for the song's backbone. It is a peppy composition that works partly because in between all the smiles and sunshine is a complex Newsom arrangement that throws in an extended meditative middle section that elevates the track beyond a simple pop affair. It's one of Newsom's best pieces to date, and signals a new direction in sound for her. Unfortunately any exploration in that direction is going to have to wait for another time, because following "Good Intentions Paving Company" Newsom turns toward an almost unbearably languid approach throughout the rest of the album. This isn't entirely a bad thing, but one can't help but wish that some of the light from "Good Intentions Paving Company" would shine a little bit more throughout "Have One On Me."
The problem with the rest of the album is that it is so subdued at times it is barely even there. Certainly there are exceptions like the masterful "Soft As Chalk," but songs like "Baby Birch," "In California" and "Occident" require an extremely attentive listen to appreciate. As someone who will sit and listen to a drone record for an hour, it is safe to say I possess the requisite patience, the problem is that at times Newsom's songs just aren't compelling enough to make me want to sit and listen that closely. You really have to be in the mood for this stuff, I mean really in the mood. Having said that, there are rewards aplenty for the patient listener, I am just not sure how many people are going to want to dedicate themselves to such an undertaking. A few listens to "Jackrabbits" or "Go Long" satisfy immensely, and give hope that the struggle to endure "Have One On Me" is worth it. Ultimately each listener will have to decide on their own whether or not they are in for the long haul here. I propose that ultimately "Have One On Me" is worth it, warts and all. I can't say that it is a masterpiece, because it is a laborious listen, and at times you have to force yourself into it. At the same time, none of it is actually bad, it just isn't that compelling overall. In the end, you can't help but simply like Newsom here. Once upon a time she was a love or hate proposition. For better or worse "Have One On Me" allows listeners to simply like her, and while this record may broaden her appeal for some, it does so at the detriment of her music.
Listen to "'81"
Listen to "Good Intentions Paving Company"
Listen to "Jackrabbits"
Listen to "Soft As Chalk"
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