The album is far too much to digest in one sitting when it comes to the longer songs songs like ‘Baby Birch’ appear to go nowhere until the final two minutes, with an incredibly indefinable structure. This song in particular shows the knack Newsom has for creating simple songs with direction, a perhaps welcome break from the hefty, longer songs in which Have One On Me is laced. Have One On Me seems to be more down to Earth than Newsom’s previous releases, especially on album closer ‘Does Not Suffice’, a piano led song dealing with heartbreak the lyrics seeming incredibly direct and “human” for Newsom.
Somehow Newsom manages to keep things flowing and intriguing, even when the songs clock in at eleven minutes long. It is still thoroughly Joanna Newsom, but it feels fresh. Given the chance, Have One On Me is an incredibly rewarding record, occasionally harking back to The Milk-Eyed Mender but is essentially a very new sound.
However, despite being no less ambitious than 2004’s Ys, what we have here is a collection of songs that will open up new avenues upon each listen. Now, in 2010 we’re presented with Have One On Me, a slightly daunting prospect for the listener, with material being spread across three discs and lasting over two hours. It’s been four years since we’ve heard anything from harpist Joanna Newsom the elegant and orchestrated Ys.