In which Joanna Newsom follows one of the albums of the noughties (the magnificent Ys) with an occasionally wonderful but sadly self-indulgent and bloated three-disc behemoth. True, there is much to admire here: Newsom’s voice has developed an endearing warble and a confident, mature delivery. There’s also a rich orchestral backing by Ryan Francesconi. But the songs, lovely as they seem, feel rambling and inconsequential, as if something came unstuck during the editing process. That said ‘Good Intentions Paving Co’ has a jaunty, fun stomp and ‘’81’, one of the shortest songs on the album, showcases Newsom’s best characteristic: her sublime harp playing.
[etRating value=“ 3.5”]
