The Drag City star’s third album, the two-hour-long triple-record “Have One on Me,” is an expansion of Newsom’s gaze, as the songstress weaves more baroque passages into epic storytelling. The harp remains Newsom’s instrument of choice, though the piano makes notable appearances as well; lyrically, she’s playing in the same field of elevated sorrow, though some of the arrangements have been punched up. Newsom couldn’t have written a song like “Good Intentions Paving Company,” chamber pop all jazzed up, before now—it’s that sort of stretching of the muscles, and increase in confidence, that makes this record keep pace with the other two. Newsom’s aching numbers ultimately serve as the backbone of this massive collection—”Go Long,” terrific, is a serious mourner, “In California breaks you in half and closer “Does Not Suffice,” driven by Newsom’s simple piano playing, could be the record’s top achievement. “Have One on Me” is an exhausting affair—simply too much much to be taken in during one sitting—and that harms the effectiveness. (The album could’ve been cut by four or five songs, at least.) Newsom may not be able to match the ingenuity and freshness of her debut, “Milk-Eyed Mender,” but as far as monumental records of colossal scope, you could do much worse. (Tom Lynch)
April 3 at Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield, (773)472-0449, at 7:30pm.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
For “Want” of a Change: A Preview of Rufus Wainwright at Ravinia Park Rufus Wainwright isn’t the first singer-songwriter to reinterpret earlier work through an orchestral lens. And much of Wainwright’s third and fourth albums, “Want One” and “Want Two”—whose twentieth anniversaries are the prompt for this new tour—is fully scored. But when Wainwright hits the Pavilion stage at Ravinia tonight, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be behind him.
