Joanna Newsom SwanSea Live

[MaryJoMcCormic]

she's just like from another world! so totally different and amazing!

[tehmarzvotla]

Fucking incredible harmony and shape and I don't even know.

[deannalynn127]

she's adorable!!!

i'm so glad i saw her at music now!!

[glassblowfaerie]

In reference to nblumber, the finger shifting at the end of the song was just the same pattern of chords ascending, and she played them quickly. The grating sound was caused by the really rapid pedal changes, so the sound may have seemed even more complex because she was changing the accidentals of some notes as she played the chords.

[nblumer]

@glassblowfaerie - thnx for that!

[nblumer]

Are there harpists that can explain 3:45 - 4:00. That was quite the finger shifting move.

[thewhaleking92]

there's not much to explain, it's all a matter of her fantastic rhythmic ability and finger dexterity.

[dmyrkur]

@nblumer i think it has something to do with the pedals... im not a harpist, but pedals in harp changes one note to flat, sharp or natural,.. perhaps she pressed the wrong pedal or did it at the wrong time...

[nblumer]

@dmyrkur

Thnx, an earlier comment also mentions it was due to a pedal movement misstep. I'm going to be very forgiving considering she has to concentrate on complex finger moverments in harmony with carefully timed pedal movements to shift notes along with very thoughtful complex lyrics that have multiple verses. Along with a beautiful melody ....hmm.. Is this not slightly worthy of worship or is this what we should expect from musicians?

[Kenshinhiri]

I demand a duet. Andy Mckee and Joanna Newsom.

[Faucht]

@Kenshinhiri Oh man! I always think the same thing at the percussive part of this song.

[xnophloglas]

She is awesome.

[giggles1509]

Omfquash my Frend has this sonq Nd it isnt his style 'WT'heck

[PrisonersofWoW]

Enough of the keyboard rough... Are U listening to Joanna play? Don`t make me bring out da Bad gramma

[MarsVoltaKA]

Love her

[apriljaydeXOX]

Joanna Is My Favourite Singer And This Is My Favourite Song Of Hers.!

[russianvillageboy]

I don't like Sadie, but i love Swansea.

[Aprileina]

I love 2:50

[SrNetsWalker]

I don't know why! but some articles I have read she seems not to be so sure about the authenticity and nice of her voice specially in the strong free projetion... In the last music interventions by internet I have seen she sings lower and flatter like trying to control the peaks, so being 'softer'... in this way her freedom becomes breaked and for me it's a pity, independently of her voice maturing... And I only hope that this words become erroneous : (

[WeMustBeStopped]

Man, I hate to sound like an asshole, but flexing your English vocabulary in type has really failed miserably...you would express whatever it is you're trying to convey much better if you simplified the words you used and concentrated on conversational usage of those simpler words. I think I agree with you, though, that her voice on more recent recordings has become less raw and more conventional. No less unique, though.

[chrismail]

i think her voice has matured... not that she has changed it because of "rules". Why would she care??

[gluntford]

i think she's just changing her voice because it is also "interesting". she'll do whatever she feels like doing; i severely doubt that she would do ANYTHING to appease the media... if she changes her voice it's because she feels that it suits the music she's writing at the moment, and whatever she does, it's right for the music. give her her artistic license for christ's sake.

[SrNetsWalker]

... of corse, always giving the license independently of the own feelings : ) ... I was little dubting about she could lose her 'authenticity'... but nowadays she is going on so fine anyway... and in any case she is artisticaly unic and more I hear more I 'take landing' in this 'evolution' (so nice in 'Ca' t yowes').

Best wishes

Regards 'Gluntford'

[EtcEtcAndEtc]

OMG 2.50 is too beautiful

[Devinsender]

I'm sure that when we shut our eyes and listen to this song, we all see the same thing. We all feel this incredibley powerful electric energy that only the night can bring!!!

[swanofswansea]

there is a swansea in usa and other places but swansea in wales (were i live) has or used to have fraight trains and how it wnt to a gost town for a bit it talks about swansea in wales it is by the sea as well

[alex329]

isn't a place in wales

[belectronix]

i love this song

[Oawol]

This woman is a creep and I wouldn't like her any other way...

[Devinsender]

weird how that works huh?

[robbo1800]

Anyone know which Swansea the title refers to?

[Kiefty]

i live in swansea, in wales. this song freaks me out tho.. whats it about? can anyone enlighten me?

[dmyrkur]

it's about ghost towns, and chewing, and bright train lights

[MeowMixCunt]

chewing

[complacentnation]

man, i'd be no where near as proficient but since she lives close by, what i'd love to lay my hands on that harp. i literally mean the harp, you know.

[shaggz20022002]

I have to agree with Cuntmonkey!

beautiful song & my favorite so far!

[julosx]

It's such an intense performance... Her music opens up a space in the listener's mind, allowing it to fly away free like a bird. That's why it's so good when she plays alone, otherwise the band locks her up into a way too specific traditional folk background.

[Oawol]

glad that didn't make any sense.

[patrickrclark]

she is so adorable.

[JediDee]

she doesn't cover her notes as much in this live version, but that seems to happen a lot in live performances.

she's feeling from her soul in every song.

and her harp playing in this song is extraordinary.

[cuntmonkey007]

this is my favorite joanna newsom song. hands down.

so beautiful. terrific lyrics and so much feeling.

Dean

[spritenite]

Shenandoah is a town here in Iowa. She mentions the name in the song, but I'm sure she's referring to someplace else.

[nigelsbrother]

assateague is also a small town, but it's an island in maryland, she mentions that in a song also, maybe she did mean your small town too

[treehamallama]

i wish i could play the harp, its look so so beautiful

[DrHadabath]

I remember being at a show were people were yelling out requests left and right, kind of like at this one, and I was thinking to myself "please sing swansea," but didn't say anything. Then I yelled out "play what you want to play." And, this was so eerie and so beautiful, she played swansea. I think it's about longing.

[Devinsender]

maybe even more special then meets the ear huh?

[WeMustBeStopped]

"And yonder, wild and blue, the wild blue yonder loomed.." TRANSCENDENT! Long live this beautiful, strange melody magician

[landomandojando]

ghost town? awesome. i always thought of swansea in wales. or swansea bay in wales.

[squirtgunrobbery]

also, Swansea is a Ghost Town in California.

[squirtgunrobbery]

first, i meant someone said it on here, on the comments.

but this is childish, so i'll just comment on joanna again.

i love her so dearly.

however, he voice when she says "i'll get to that" is really weird and kind of freakishly southern.

but its okay,

her songs make up for it.

also, i bought her album, and she seems like she is overdoing this song a bit. the recording version is a lot better than this.

[runningforamsterdam]

squirtgunrobbery,

people wanted sadie, they weren't voting against it. I have both of her albums and there isn't 1 song i don't LOVE, so ummm, I don't think this makes sense anymore

[squirtgunrobbery]

I have never heard this song before. Its harp-playing is very pretty.

(Someone said "sadie is my least favorite song on the album". Why? it's my favorite.)

[ashmariesurecan]

shes so adorable

[xSecretChordx]

does anyone know what this song is about?

is it about swansea city?

[webstercat]

Assateague is a real place. It is an island in Virginia. I use to go there often. I was surprised to hear that name in a song.....

[hellomynameismuppet]

absolutely amazing..

how come you won't let us embed?

[aziboxe]

o.O i love her voice!!

[russianvillageboy]

Wonder what would happen if she started to allow more coincidence and mistakes in her music....Well the one has to balance the other.....Strict fluent harp with beautifully wild and pure singing.....hmm...I dont know....But bit boring in the long run if she do not dare to move away from her perfect treasure....

[russianvillageboy]

Oh this is fun....Someone screams "Sadie" which seems to be everyones favorite.....I really dont like it...I always skip that song while listening to the album....But "Swansea" is my favorite!!!! Anyway....Im into tears right now....and I always burst into tears when under the Joanna Newsom influence....

[forensico]

Joanna goddess.

[alphaxys]

aw, thanks.

[birdgirl85]

who are you?

thank you again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!

she's a kebler elf goddess from the medievil era. i love her...