Both defining and rejuvenating a folk genre devoid of any real bite in this 21st century, Joanna Newsom's second record is, by all means, a modern day classic that rivals the spirit of even the most highly regarded songstresses. The songs range from 7 to 16 minutes, each one rambling through page after page of lyrical tales depicting ever-present themes (love, nature, happiness) and sticking to the essentials of ancient poetry, in a linguistic and grammatical sense. The harp and piano accompaniment of Newsom's debut are expanded to a whole orchestra, directed by Van Dyke Parks, fleshing out what was once a bare sound into a dynamic new beast of a unit. Newsom's voice combines the childlike innocence of Bjork with the deific rings of Kate Bush to great effect, creating a balanced response, but not an obstruction, to Parks' incredible orchestration. This really is essential stuff and is personally one of my favourite albums of the modern era, if not of all time.
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