And as I said, I slept as though dead, dreaming seamless dreams of lead.

The Lovely Joanna Newsom

After checking out the instrument exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts recently, which was eye-opening, the discovery of a modern folk Appalachian, yet medieval, harpist sparked my interest. Joanna Newsom, aside from being incredibly talented, original, and independent, has captivated thousands with her soothing, sometimes bizarre, voice and poetic lyrics. Raised in Nevada City, California by two doctors that would not allow her to watch TV or listen to the radio, Joanna discovered music through her parents' personal musicianship. From a very young age, Joanna began playing the piano, followed by the harp. Describing her harp as "an artificial wheelchair or limb," it seems that through the harp, Joanna found an extension of her soul, a quality easily palatable with one listen. Since she began recording in 2002, Joanna has gained considerable recognition. She has also had the honor of having her original compositions covered by other well known artists, such as The Decemberists, M. Ward, and Young Canadian Mothers. Recently, she was chosen by Jeff Magnum, lead singer of the band Neutral Milk Hotel, to perform at the "All Tomorrow's Parties" festival in England. After watching her perform, it will suffice to say that she is a breath of fresh melodic air. And on a side note, she must have a good sense of humor, because she is currently dating SNL's favorite goofball, Andy Samberg.


My favorite song of Joanna's that I have heard thus far:
Clam crab cockle cowrie



Peach plum pear



And this kind of intrigued me, kind of freaked me out...
CocoRosie-Lemonade