Despite her undeniable talent, Joanna Newsom’s work can be pretty impenetrable. In the age of the disposable MP3, there are few things more intimidating than two hours of music spread across three platters and that’s not even taking into account Newsom’s penchant for verbose, densely-packed lyrics and generous runtimes. So, if you find yourself looking for a way into Have One on Me, might I recommend seeing Newsom live? At the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue on Tuesday night, Newsom and her band treated fans to a set that was not only masterfully executed but also expertly curated and sequenced (as luck would have it, you can stream a recording of that show, in its entirety, at the NPR website). I walked away from the performance feeling like I had a better grip on Have One on Me, which says a lot about Newsom’s ability to sell some pretty challenging music in a live setting, I think. Read my review of the show and see my photos at PopMatters (apologies for the subpar photos—the room layout and Newsom’s harp and mic stand placement made it all but impossible to get a clear shot of her face).
