Like any artistic masterpiece, Joanna Newsom’s album Divers continues to reward each reading and re-reading. Each time I go back, I see it in a new light, or peel another layer of the onion. As we wait patiently (or try to) for what seems like a new album on the horizon, I thought I’d jot down some thoughts.
I’ve shared a few ideas in other places about Divers, and I’ve highlighted a few moments where Newsom layers many meanings into the same word. Probably the crispest example comes in the word “undarked” and its wide range of meaning, but I’ve mentioned others, too. She’s a master of polysemy.
“Sapokanikan”
In May 2016, when Dave Eggers asked her about her song-writing process, Newsom shed a little light on her approach.