Walnut Whales

Last updated

Walnut Whales
Walnutwhalesnewsom.jpg
EP by
Joanna Newsom
Released2002
Recorded2002
Genre Indie folk, contemporary folk, folk rock
Length36:15
Label Self-released
Producer Noah Georgeson, Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom chronology
Walnut Whales
(2002)		 Yarn and Glue
(2003)

Walnut Whales is the self-distributed debut EP by American multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom. [1] It was released in 2002 [2] and sold in limited numbers in CD-R format. [3] [4] All tracks on the record, except for "Erin", "Flying a Kite", and "The Fray", were later re-recorded and released on Newsom's debut studio album The Milk-Eyed Mender (2004), with minor lyrical changes. [3] [4] The EP has been described as indie folk, contemporary folk, [5] and folk rock. [6]

Contents

The title of the EP was inspired by the 1975 children's book "Snips and Snails and Walnut Whales: Nature Crafts for Children", by Phyllis Fiarotta. [2] [7] [8]

Background

Walnut Whales was initially not intended for public distribution, but at the suggestion of Noah Georgeson, Newsom's then-boyfriend as well as co-producer and recording engineer of the EP, [3] she burned several copies to sell at her early performances. [9] [10] Newsom's friend and bandmate in Golden Shoulders, Adam Kline, gave one of her CDs to singer-songwriter Will Oldham at a show in Nevada City. Oldham was impressed with Newsom's music and asked her to tour with him. Kline also gave a copy of the record to the owner of his record label, Drag City. Drag City signed Newsom and released her debut studio album The Milk-Eyed Mender in 2004.

Discussing the record, Newsom stated that "The very first Walnut Whales recording was recorded just a few weeks after I had started singing, out of the blue, started singing. And the voice, you can hear how uncomfortable I am with it, and how terrified I am with it." [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Joanna Newsom.

No.TitleLength
1."Erin"3:41
2."Cassiopeia"4:00
3."Peach, Plum, Pear"3:27
4."Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie"3:52
5."Flying a Kite"6:34
6."The Fray"3:22
7."En Gallop!"6:26
8."The Book of Right-On"4:40

References

  1. ↑ "Not On Label (Joanna Newsom Self-Released)". Discogs. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Walnut Whales track listing ~ Joanna Newsom Lyrics.com". Joanna Newsom Lyrics. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "Walnut Whales by Joanna Newsom". Genius. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Wiki - Walnut Whales — Joanna Newsom". Last.fm. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  5. ↑ Walnut Whales by Joanna Newsom - RYM/Sonemic , retrieved February 9, 2021
  6. ↑ "Joanna Newsom Walnut Whales (EP)- Spirit of Rock Webzine (en)". Spirit of Rock. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  7. ↑ ThriftBooks. "Snips and Snails and Walnut Whales:... book by Phyllis Fiarotta". ThriftBooks. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  8. ↑ "9780911104493: Snips and Snails and Walnut Whales: Nature Crafts for Children - AbeBooks - Fiarotta, Phyllis; Fiarotta, Noel: 0911104496". AbeBooks. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  9. ↑ Gillespie, Ryan (October 2006). "Under the Radar - Joanna Newsom Interview". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  10. ↑ Harmanci, Reyhan (May 29, 2005). "Playing by the bookings". SFGATE. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  11. ↑ Cramer, Michael (April 19, 2004). "Harp's Delight - An interview with Joanna Newsom". Dusted.


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