I feel like it’s safe to say Joanna Newson is an acquired taste. Though we’ve written about a number of covers of her work here at Cover Me, there aren’t all that many overall. Her output is rather small but my guess is that the harpist’s voice is just too, um, distinct for a lot of people. But if you can get over that, she’s a great songwriter with a playful side. (And she plays the harp! One of the cooler instruments.)
California indie poppers Sweet Nobody are here to help neophytes appreciate Newsom’s songs. They’ve covered three songs from her somehow 21-year-old debut album, The Milk-Eyed Mender. And unlike that original album, which has a very consistent style, Sweet Nobody have chosen to perform the three tracks in differing musical arrangements.
“Bridges and Balloons,” the opening track of Newsom’s debut, is played like classic ’90s indie pop, with a full rock band arrangement and peppy energy. It’s a far cry from the original, which is just Newsom’s harp and voice. Though Sweet Nobody don’t really deviate too much from the vocal melody and tempo, it feels like a completely different song.
My personal favorite from The Milk-Eyed Mender is”Peach Plum Pear,” a song Newsom plays on harpsichord. It takes more risks in its arrangement with some pretty wild, if sparingly used, backing vocals. To mess with us, Sweet Nobody play this song closer to the original arrangements on the album than their other covers. It’s a baroque pop take with violin played by lead singer Joy Deyo.
“The Book of Right-On” has one of the more distinct sounds on the album, with a bit of a groove provided by the harp. But, otherwise, it unmistakably Newsom. Fittingly for a mildly groovy song, Sweet Nobody goal full-on dance pop for their cover, completely altering the feel.
It’s a nice little gateway drug into a songwriter whose affect is a little hard to get used to for some. If you like these songs, check out the originals when you’re done.
