Sawdust & Diamonds

Joanna Newsom’s new EP, Ys, is beautiful. And haunting and shimmering and ethereal. The harp dives in and out, Joanna’s voice is earthy and full, and the lyrics paint full, vivid pictures of fantastic places. This, from “Sawdust & Diamonds”:

then the slow lip of fire moves across the prairie with precision
while, somewhere, with your pliers and glue you make your first incision
and in a moment of almost-unbearable vision
doubled over with the hunger of lions
‘hold me close’, cooed the dove
who was stuffed, now, with sawdust and diamonds

This is music to listen to in the dark. Music to take somewhere where you can watch waves. I don’t know why, it’s just a feeling.

‘Fork gave it 9.4. Here’s her page on her label and here’s Milkymoon, a fansite. Benjamin Viering did the portrait for the cover.

Posted in Flatbeat on Thursday November 30, 2006.