Newsom’s ‘Mender’ not for all tastes, but memorable

Spencer Patterson

Friday, June 24, 2005 | 8:19 a.m.

Two years ago, while visiting my folks in Phoenix, I caught a small club show by folk-rocker Will Oldham, aka "Bonnie Prince Billy."

As always, Oldham's set was great. But what stuck in my mind as much as any song he played was the night's opening act, a young woman who performed alone, strumming a giant harp and singing in a most unusual voice. Her name was Joanna Newsom.

Unfortunately, I didn't follow up by checking out Newsom's limited discography, which at the time consisted of a couple of self-released EPs. Nor was I quick to track down a copy of the San Francisco-based vocalist's full-length debut when it appeared last March.

Had I done so, "The Milk-Eyed Mender" probably would have appeared high on my Best-of-2004 list in December. Since first hearing it early this year I've returned to the disc frequently to rehear songs that are both comforting and challenging to my ears.

By far, Newsom's vocals are the aspect of her music that gets written about the most, and rightly so. Her childlike tone evokes strong feelings one way or the other -- some despise it, others adore it.

Since I'm recommending the album, you've probably already surmised I fall into the latter category. That's true, but Newsom's high-pitched delivery even wears on me a tad by the end of the 12-track CD.

But there's so much more to "Milk-Eyed Mender" than just an unconventional singing style, namely a wonderful batch of tunes that rank among some of the best works by fellow Appalachian folk disciples Oldham, Devendra Banhart and Sam Beam.

Newsom's spare arrangements -- many of which feature only her voice and harp -- are subdued and elegant at the same time, proving the old adage that less instrumentation can indeed sound like more.

And how to describe Newsome's lyrics? They have been described as "random" or "crazy," but listen closely and it becomes obvious they are not unconsidered. Alongside eye-opening lines like "I killed by dinner with karate / Kick 'em in the face, taste the body" (from "The Book of Right-On") are graceful passages of musical poetry.

"This is an old song / These are old blues / This is not my tune / But it's mine to use," goes a verse in "Sadie" that accurately sums up Newsom's timeless sound.

More so than most albums I write about in this space, "The Milk-Eyed Mender" is likely to irritate more listeners than it will dazzle. In other words, make sure you sample a song online or at an in-store listening station before you drop $15.

For those who find this strange music as alluring as I have, however, Newsom's 2004 CD likely won't get much farther than an arm's length away.

Artist: Joanna Newsom.

Title: "The Milk-Eyed Men- der."

Year of release: 2004 (Drag City Records).

Tracklisting: "Bridges and Balloons," "Sprout and the Bean," "The Book of Right-On," "Sadie," "Inflammatory Writ," "This Side of the Blye," "En Gallop," "Cassiopeia," "Peach, Plum, Pear," "Swansea," "Three Little Babes," "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie."