His and Hers Weirdo Folk-Rock

We want to go out with Bill Callahan (aka "Smog" or sometimes even "(Smog)"), but not because we're all that interested in doing couply stuff like holding hands or shopping the mall for his next pair of khakis. We basically just want to worm our way into the Girlfriends of Bill Callahan Club, as past members supposedly include Cynthia Dall, Chan Marshall, and Lisa Crystal Carver (one of our favorite writers in the whole wide world). And last we checked, Bill was still sittin' in a tree with Joanna Newsom, and - cutely enough - both lovely lovers have new records coming out today.

From him: Woke on a Whaleheart, a lazy-hazy-folky affair that makes us want to swing in a hammock and drink mint juleps all day long. We dig the occasional gospel-inspired backup vocals from Deani Pugh Flemmings (a nice complement to Bill's froggy old-man voice) and like that the album's got a bit of vintage-rock twang (which probably has much to do with co-producer Neil Michael Hagerty, ex-Royal Trux guitarist/singer and former better half of our style idol Jennifer Herrema). Download one of our favorite songs - "Diamond Dancer" - from Un Violon, Un Jambon.

And then there's the Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band EP, whose three tracks include one jaunty, banjo-inflected new song ("Colleen") and acoustic renditions of "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie" and "Cosmia." Springsteen references aside, this is a street band you'd only ever encounter at Ren Fair. And though we won't be donning jester hats anytime soon, our peasant hearts continue to fill with love for Joanna, so much so that her voice hardly ever gives us bad shivers anymore.

Posted by Liz in Soundtracks
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