Alt Ladies Found After The Fact

I learned about Jolie Holland by the time of her third album, Springtime Can Kill You in 2006 and was eagerly anticipating her next which came in 2008.  When it did, I was happy with it but saw her veering from what had originally interested me.. the deeply alluring folk and country archaeology of her first two albums, Catalpa and Escondia; along with her work with the Be Good Tanyas and her enchanting rendition of Lakes of Pontchartain.  Alas, I missed the boat and never had a chance to see a performance like her Mad Tom of Bedlam in person.  When I finally did catch her last week, I didn't even finish out the show.  Her tender early explorations have somehow morphed to brassy noise experiments; an interesting category in itself, but an alienating departure for a Holland fan.  Like the alt-folk version of jazz's trip to Bop or Dylan's donning electric.  Douglas Heselgrave at Paste has also noticed.  Let's hope there are fruits yet to bear from this experiment... It's not like I'll ever stop listening to her.

2008 also saw Laura Marling's first album, Alas, I Cannot Swim;  but I was busy replaying Jolie's greatest hits and lo here I am, circa Marling's fifth album before I finally give her a serious listen over at her Laura Marling's Tiny Desk Concert.  Her voice if full and endearing.  Too clear to be properly husky but just as assured, and beautifully resonant.  I'm looking forward to catching up, but I feel like I've also missed the moment.  Comparing her debut to this, I can already hear the wry spunk supplanted by a melancholy.

Which reminds me of the breathtakingly poignant Joanna Newsom.  On the opposite end of the vocal spectrum from Holland and Marling, Newsom's style on Peach, Plum, Pear reminds me most of Perry Farrell.  The idea of a she Perry Farrell singing folk shook me to my core.  I simply couldn't hear enough the day I first listened.  One live performance in particular, Sawdust and Diamonds, finishes with a moment of ecstatic emotional release that I can return to as a reminder of what practice and focus can achieve in a human.

It makes me wonder.  Who is just starting?  More next time..

Comedic digestif: Joanna Newsom vs. Nardwuar followed by Riff Raff vs. Nardwuar: hang on for baby oil water slide.  Actually, just stay with the Nardwuar interviews as long as possible.