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Single Review

Joanna Newsom & The Ys Street Band
EP Drag City

Article written by Ged M - Apr 29, 2007

Recorded as a way to document her current touring band, this three song EP will delight fans or disgust the dwindling band of sceptics. She�s accompanied by Neal Morgan and Ryan Francescoli, both of whom played with her at the Barbican show in January, plus Dan Cantrell and Curricuck Co.�s Kevin Barker. The affectation for her doubters, or playful prank for those who love her, is that all the songs begin with �c�. �Colleen� is a new song familiar from the last tour, a spooky tale of the sea that�s traditional folk-sounding but dissected by warped Eastern motifs to create something distinctively old yet new. The harp-shrouded �Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie� plays off Joanna�s voice against Neal Morgan�s while the re-recorded �Cosmia� is probably the finest of the three songs. Over 13 wonderful minutes (perhaps even better than the Ys version) it goes from affecting to excitable to hypnotic, Barker�s banjo, Francescoli�s tambura and, especially, Cantrell�s musical saw adding further swathes of colour to Newsom�s harp playing. This isn�t released as a tour CD but it behaves like the best of them, reminding us, if we saw them, how good that band was and, if we didn�t see them, the greatness of what we missed. They�re charging 7 or 8 quid for it though, which is steep but worth it for 24 minutes of ceaseless quality.

Links:
http://www.dragcity.com/bands/newsom.html