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Divers

Joanna Newsom swam into my field of vision with the release of her second album Ys. Much as I admired that record, I found it to be somewhat indigestible, and I'd seldom listen to the thing right through, more often than not restricting myself to just playing the wonderful opening track 'Emily'. I got along better with the magnificent follow-up Have One On Me, whose sprawling length was conveniently split over three discs that one could approach separately. Only with Divers did Newsom put out an album I could comfortably enjoy in a single sitting.

That it doesn't quite measure up to the embarrasment of riches offered up by Have One On Me, does Divers no discredit at all. The latter, meanwhile seems to me the best-produced of her records: the interplay of the instruments and Newsom's voice coming across better than ever. 'Goose Eggs' is my favourite song on the disc (I'm a sucker for a bit of harpsichord) but it's a strong field and I'm very fond of 'Sapokanikan', 'Leaving the City', the title-track and 'You Will Not Take My Heart Alive' as well.

I have it on CD, and would have ordered it shortly after its release in 2015 from some or other ebay seller. It's handsomely packaged as CDs go, with a gatefold sleeve, a black paper inner sleeve for the disc itself, and a glossy 48-page booklet with all the lyrics and credits, illustrated with photographs by Kim Keever.

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