NEW YORK, 9:09 PM, THU DEC 4 | 10 POSTS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS | tips@idolator.com | SUBMIT A TIP | RSS
Top

Pull The Strings: A Letter From Joanna Newsom's Harp

Editor's note: For the last few weeks, harpist Joanna Newsom has been receiving widespread critical acclaim for her most recent album, Ys; and for the last two days, Idolator has been receiving emails purporting to be from Newsom's harp, Mildred. After confirming with Newsom's management that Mildred's Gmail account was legitimate, we now present her most recent dispatch...

Idolators—

PLING! PLUCK! PLING! Thanks be for you for hearing me out; it has made me such a happy little harp. I know I will not make Ms. Joanna happy, but that is okay. Whenever she gets mad at me, I put on that PBS documentary about dolphin sounds, and she falls asleep and forgets about the whole thing. Those dolphin animals are so calming! Like Bob Ross, but with blowholes.

Anyway, I am writing because of the many nice things being said Ms. Joanna's new album, which yes, I played on, and which I love very much. PLING! But as much as I like it, I, as a harp, am somewhat surprised by all the nice things critics be saying. Yes, it is a pretty collection of noises. And yes, Ms. Joanna is so, very pretty (especially when she sleeps—oh, such joy when she sleeps, like a fawn dreaming of snowy archipelagos!). PLUCK!

But really, I wonder, do these people actually put this record on all the time and be listen every day, and at so many occasions, even at the gym? Even me thought it was large and long—and being a harp, I know large and long!! ZLING! Pitchfork really thinks "Emily" is one of the bestest tracks of the year? When Kim Jong drops two loads off San Diego, and we all have an hour left, they will put on "Emily" and not the song about the backs being sexy? Is this not silly?

I am, like Ms. Whitney, only asking because you know about these things.

STRUM!

Mildred

Read More:

2:06 PM on Mon Dec 18 2006
By Brian Raftery
329 views
9 comments

Comments

  • Would Lucille sass BB King?
    Would Bo Diddley's rectangular guitar mouth off?
    Mildred has no class.

  • I bet Michael Anthony's Jack Daniels bottle shaped bass guitar has a few things to say about Van Halen now.

  • The onomatopoeias in this letter came off more as Batman sound effects. ZLORK!

  • It's so hard to find good harp these days.

  • the harp brings up a very valid point. i'll still be listening to kyuss in 14 years, just like i have been listening to kyuss for the past 14 years. this harp and silly vocal shit has got nothing on heavy guitars and... uh... silly vocals? but i can tell you this much- in 14 years this lady, just like john garcia- will be working in a bowling alley.

  • I always thought that Joanna Newsom's harp would have a name plucked from some sort of Norse Mythology...like Frigga or Skadi, something that would wow the critics because she's such a genius that she could google "Norse Mythology". But I know it's name is Mildred, I feel cheated. How pedestrian Joanna. How pedestrian.

    And oh yeah...this is really fucking funny...nice work.

  • Doesn't Mildred sound a little like Gerard?

  • I think she meant Bob Ross, not Rossi.

  • Come on. Dissing Joanna is like shooting trout in a teacup...with an anti-aircraft cannon. Of course its not something you put on the stereo while you´re airbrushing your hotrod or mackin with the ladies, but its good stuff.

    Also, who the hell is "Frigga"? Do you mean "Frigg". I dont buy this Gesta Danorum shit, its the Eddas or nothing!
    Besides, if we´re talking mythology wouldn´t "Harpy" be more appropriate?

Comment on this post

Reply by Email

Login with your username and password below. Or comment on this post via email.