Another review of Ys

A review of YS by Mark Alexander:

Ys will divide its audience from the album cover inwards. First and foremost, this is poetry, none of your moon in June bullshit. It’s academic and idiosyncratic. Newsom has studied her passions and this is evident through her chord sequences and complex wordplay. When I first heard this album I thought it was pretentious and precious but nevertheless I still played it as background music as I found it relaxing and soothing. It was on about the 9th time I played it….well, I wasn’t even playing it….but when I least expected it I gave in to her melodies and they entered my head, a bit like an agnostic giving in to faith. This is an album for believers for Newsom is a story weaver of top notch basket weaving. It’s a world onto itself and you can escape into her world of medieval passion. It ebbs and flows like waves. But the most important thing about this album is that it is mine. I don’t care if I can’t share it with somebody. This is my little world and it is situated miles away from the meretriciousness of the Arctic Monkeys or Lily Allen and their dubious qualitites. These baubles have depth as well as dazzle.