Joanna Newsom

Indie / Folk / Acoustic

Ys

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About

Ys (IPA pronunciation: [i:s]) is the second album by Joanna Newsom. It is the follow up to The Milk-Eyed Mender and was released by Drag City on November 14, 2006 (see 2006 in music). The album shares a name with a mythical city in Brittany.

The album features a full orchestra on four out of five tracks, with arrangements by Van Dyke Parks, who also plays the accordion. Newsom's harp and vocals were recorded by Steve Albini and the orchestra was recorded by Tim Boyle. Newsom and Parks produced the album and it was mixed by Jim O'Rourke. The recording process was completely analog, the music mixed to tape and mastered at Abbey Road Studios.

Bass guitar is contributed by Lee Sklar, and electric guitar by jazz guitarist Grant Geissman. Don Heffington played percussion and Matt Cartsonis played mandolin and banjo. Bill Callahan of Smog provides backing vocals on the song "Only Skin", while on "Emily" these are sung by Joanna's sister Emily Newsom, for whom the song was named.

The album leaked onto the internet over two months in advance of its release when it was left unprotected on servers belonging to music criticism website Pitchfork Media.

Since its release on November 14, Ys has received widespread critical acclaim, earning a score of 9.4 out of 10 from Pitchfork Media and being ranked at #3 in their Top 50 Albums of 2006. It currently has a score of 88 out of 100 and is 5th highest scoring album of 2006 on Metacritic. It was named #6 on Time Magazine's list of 10 Best Albums of 2006.

The track "Emily" was ranked #9 in Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Tracks 2006. Metacritic ranked the album at #5 in its Best Albums of 2006 chart, while Tiny Mix Tapes ranked it #1 on the Top 25 Albums of 2006. The album entered the Irish Album Chart at #50.

* All Music Guide 4.5/5 stars
* Almost Cool (9/10)
* The A.V. Club (A-)
* Dusted Magazine (10/10)
* Drowned in Sound (10/10)
* The Guardian 5/5 stars
* The Independent 4/5 stars
* Mojo (9/10)
* musicOMH.com 5/5 stars
* The Observer 5/5 stars
* Pitchfork Media (9.4/10)
* PopMatters (10/10)
* Prefix (9/10)
* Slant Magazine 5/5 stars
* Spin Magazine (9/10)
* Stylus Magazine (A-)
* The Telegraph (favorable)
* The Times 5/5 stars
* Tiny Mix Tapes 4/5 stars
* Twisted Ear 5/5 stars
* Uncut 5/5 stars
* Under the Radar (9/10)
* Urb (9/10)

Photos(25)

Comments(45)

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Eric HARTEREAU, Apr 14:

Hi Joanna,
My new album is out now and can be download for free on my web site. have a listen.
Take care,
Eric

Ziplok, Feb 08:

MONDRIAN, Oct 29, 2008:

i love you

Balm, Oct 23, 2008:

RESTIFORM BODIES, Oct 10, 2008:

Balm, Aug 30, 2008:

Thanks for being a friend, i appreciate it.

Use Vista, ... please! - The Secret Diary of Steve Ballmer and my band Balm

Barbie Ferrari, Aug 13, 2008:

thank you...

barbie ferrari

MXP4, Jul 27, 2008:

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Badlands, May 22, 2008:

You know I can't smile without you
I can't smile without you
I can't laugh and I can't sleep
I don't even talk to people I mean
And I feel sad when you're sad
I feel glad when you're glad
But you must know what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you

You came along just like a song
You brightened my day
who'd believe you were part of a dream
That only seems light years away

and you know I can't smile without you
I can't smile without you
And you must know what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you

Some people say that happy this way
That something it's hard to find
Into the new leaving the old behind me

And i feel sad when you're sad
I feel glad when you're glad
And you must know what i'm going through
I just can't smile without you

Into the new leaving the old behind me

And I feel sad when you're sad
I feel glad when you're glad
And you must know what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you