Birch
Silver Birch
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fagales
Family:	Betulaceae
Genus:	Betula L.
Species
Many species; see text and classification

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Birch is a broadleaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula ( /ˈbɛtjʊlə/ Bé-tu-la),^[1] in the family Betulaceae which also includes alders, hazels and hornbeams and is closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The genus Betula contains from 30 to 60 known taxa of which 11 are on the IUCN 2011 Red List of Threatened Species. They are typically rather short-lived pioneer species widespread in the Northern Hemisphere particularly in northern temperate and boreal climates.

Etymology[link]

The common name "birch" is derived from an old Germanic root, birka, with the Proto-Indo-European root *bherəg, "white, bright; to shine." The Proto-Germanic rune berkanan is named after the birch. The generic name Betula is from Latin.

Description[link]

The front and rear sides of a piece of birch bark

Birch species are generally small to medium-sized trees or shrubs, mostly of temperate climates. The simple leaves are alternate, singly or doubly serrate, feather-veined, petiolate and stipulate. They often appear in pairs, but these pairs are really borne on spur-like, two-leaved, lateral branchlets.^[2] The fruit is a small samara, although the wings may be obscure in some species. They differ from the alders (Alnus, other genus in the family) in that the female catkins are not woody and disintegrate at maturity, falling apart to release the seeds, unlike the woody, cone-like female alder catkins.

The bark of all birches is characteristically marked with long, horizontal lenticels, and often separates into thin, papery plates, especially upon the paper birch. It is resistant to decay, due to the resinous oil it contains. Its decided color gives the common names gray, white, black, silver and yellow birch to different species.

The buds form early and are full grown by midsummer, all are lateral, no terminal bud is formed; the branch is prolonged by the upper lateral bud. The wood of all the species is close-grained with satiny texture and capable of taking a fine polish; its fuel value is fair.

Flower and fruit[link]

The flowers are monoecious, opening with or before the leaves and borne on three-flowered clusters in the axils of the scales of drooping or erect catkins or aments. Staminate aments are pendulous, clustered or solitary in the axils of the last leaves of the branch of the year or near the ends of the short lateral branchlets of the year. They form in early autumn and remain rigid during the winter. The scales of the staminate aments when mature are broadly ovate, rounded, yellow or orange color below the middle, dark chestnut brown at apex. Each scale bears two bractlets and three sterile flowers, each flower consisting of a sessile, membranaceous, usually two-lobed, calyx. Each calyx bears four short filaments with one-celled anthers or strictly, two filaments divided into two branches, each bearing a half-anther. Anther cells open longitudinally. The pistillate aments are erect or pendulous, solitary; terminal on the two-leaved lateral spur-like branchlets of the year. The pistillate scales are oblong-ovate, three-lobed, pale yellow green often tinged with red, becoming brown at maturity. These scales bear two or three fertile flowers, each flower consisting of a naked ovary. The ovary is compressed, two-celled, and crowned with two slender styles; the ovule is solitary.

Ecology[link]

Birches often form even-aged stands on light, well-drained, particularly acidic soils. They are regarded as pioneer species, rapidly colonising open ground especially in secondary successional sequences following a disturbance or fire. Birches are early tree species to establish in primary successions and can become a threat to heathland if the seedlings and saplings are not suppressed by grazing or periodic burning. Birches are generally lowland species, but some species, such as Betula nana, have a montane distribution. In the British Isles there is some difference between the environments of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens, and some hybridization, though both are "opportunists in steady-state woodland systems". Mycorrhizal fungi, including sheathing (ecto)myccorhizas, are found in some cases to be beneficial to tree growth.^[3]

Birch foliage is used as a food plant by the larvae of a large number of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) species; see List of Lepidoptera that feed on birches.

Species[link]

Birches native to Europe and Asia include

• Betula aetniensis—Sicilian birch
• Betula albosinensis—Chinese red birch
  • Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis—north Chinese red birch
• Betula alnoides—alder-leaf birch
• Betula austrosinensis—South China birch
• Betula carpatica—Carpathian birch
• Betula chinensis—Chinese dwarf birch
• Betula dalecarlica
• Betula ermanii—Erman's birch
• Betula grossa—Japanese cherry birch
• Betula jacquemontii (Betula utilis subsp. jacquemontii)—white-barked Himalayan birch
• Betula kamtschatica—Kamchatka birch platyphylla
• Betula litvinovii
• Betula mandschurica—Manchurian birch
  • Betula mandschurica var. japonica—Japanese birch
• Betula maximowiczii—monarch birch
• Betula medwediewii—Caucasian birch
• Betula nana—dwarf birch (also in northern North America)
• Betula pendula—silver birch
• Betula platyphylla (Betula pendula var. platyphylla)—Siberian silver birch
• Betula pubescens—downy birch, also known as white, European white or hairy birch (Europe and northern Asia)
  • Betula pubescens subspecies tortuosa—arctic downy birch (subarctic Eurasia)
• Betula szechuanica (Betula pendula var. szechuanica)—Sichuan birch
• Betula tianshanica
• Betula utilis—Himalayan birch

Note: many American texts have B. pendula and B. pubescens confused, though they are distinct species with different chromosome numbers.

Birches native to North America include

• Betula alleghaniensis—yellow birch (B. lutea)
• Betula cordifolia—mountain paper birch
• Betula glandulosa—American dwarf birch
• Betula kenaica—Kenai birch
• Betula lenta—sweet birch, cherry birch, or black birch
  • Betula lenta subsp. uber—Virginia round-leaf birch (endemic, Cressy Creek, Smyth County, Virginia)
• Betula michauxii—Newfoundland dwarf birch
• Betula minor—dwarf white birch
• Betula nana—dwarf birch or bog birch (also in northern Europe and Asia)
• Betula neoalaskana—Alaska birch or Yukon birch
• Betula nigra—river birch or black birch
• Betula occidentalis—water birch or red birch (B. fontinalis)
• Betula papyrifera—paper birch, canoe birch or American white birch
• Betula populifolia—gray birch
• Betula pumila—swamp birch

Uses[link]

Birch plywood

• Birch wood is fine-grained and pale in colour, often with an attractive satin-like sheen. Ripple figuring may occur, increasing the value of the timber for veneer and furniture-making. The highly decorative Masur (or Karelian) birch, from Betula verrucosa var. carelica, has ripple textures combined with attractive dark streaks and lines. Birch wood is suitable for veneer, and birch plywood is among the strongest and most dimensionally stable plywoods, although it is unsuitable for exterior use.
• Birch plywood is made from laminations of birch veneer. It is light but strong, and has many other good properties. Birch plywood is used to make longboards (skateboard), giving it a strong yet flexible ride. It is also used (often in very thin grades with many laminations) for making model aircraft.
• Extracts of birch are used for flavoring or leather oil, and in cosmetics such as soap or shampoo. In the past, commercial oil of wintergreen (methyl salicylate) was made from the sweet birch (Betula lenta).
• Birch-tar or Russian oil extracted from birch bark is thermoplastic and waterproof; it was used as a glue on, for example, arrows, and also for medicinal purposes.^[4]
• Fragrant twigs of silver birch are used in saunas to relax the muscles.

Birch leaves

• Birch is also associated with the feast of Pentecost in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, and Russia, where its branches are used as decoration for churches and homes on this day.
• Birch leaves are used to make a diuretic tea and extracts for dyes and cosmetics.
• Ground birch bark, fermented in sea water, is used for seasoning the woolen, hemp or linen sails and hemp rope of traditional Norwegian boats.
• Birch twigs bound in a bundle, also called birch, were used for birching, a form of corporal punishment.
• Many of the First Nations of North America prized the birch for its bark, which due to its light weight, flexibility, and the ease with which it could be stripped from fallen trees, was often used for the construction of strong, waterproof but lightweight canoes, bowls, and wigwams.
• The Hughes H-4 Hercules was made mostly of birch wood, despite its better-known moniker, "The Spruce Goose".
• Birch is used as firewood due to its high calorific value per unit weight and unit volume. It burns well, without popping, even when frozen and freshly hewn. The bark will burn very well even when wet because of the oils it contains. With care, it can be split into very thin sheets that will ignite from even the smallest of sparks.
• Birch sap is a traditional drink in Northern Europe, Russia, and Northern China. The sap is also bottled and sold commercially. In the British Isles, the sap is often used to make a wine.^[5]
• Birch seeds are used as leaf litter in miniature terrain models.^[6]
• "Birch flowers" is the English marketing name for the catkins of the Broussonetia luzonica tree. Known in the Philippines as himbabao or alukon, these flowers are commonly used in the cuisine of northeastern Luzon. However, despite their English name and the similar appearance of their flowers, B. luzonica is not in any way related to the birch tree.^[7]

Medical[link]

• Birch bark is high in betulin and betulinic acid, phytochemicals which have potential as pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals which show promise as industrial lubricants.^{[citation needed]}
• Birch bark can be soaked until moist in water, and then formed into a cast for a broken arm.^[8]
• The inner bark of birch can be ingested safely.
• In northern latitudes, birch is considered to be the most important allergenic tree pollen, with an estimated 15-20% of hay fever sufferers sensitive to birch pollen grains. The major allergen is a protein called Bet v I.

Paper[link]

A birch bark inscription excavated from Novgorod, circa 1240–1260

Wood pulp made from birch gives relatively long and slender fibres for a hardwood. The thin walls cause the fibre to collapse upon drying, giving a paper with low bulk and low opacity. The birch fibres are, however, easily fibrillated and give about 75 % of the tensile strength of softwood.^[9] The low opacity makes it suitable for making glassine.

In India, the birch (Sanskrit: भुर्ज, bhurj) holds great historical significance in the culture of North India, where the thin bark coming off in winter was extensively used as writing paper. Birch paper (Sanskrit: भुर्ज पत्र, bhurj pətrə) is exceptionally durable and was the material used for many ancient Indian texts.^[10][11] This bark also has been used widely in ancient Russia as note paper (beresta) and for decorative purposes and even making footwear.

Tonewood[link]

Baltic birch is among the most sought-after wood in the manufacture of speaker cabinets. Birch has a natural resonance that peaks in the high and low frequencies, which are also the hardest for speakers to reproduce. This resonance compensates for the roll-off of low and high frequencies in the speakers, and evens the tone. Birch is known for having "natural EQ".

Drums are often made from birch. Prior to the 1970s, it was one of the most popular drum woods. Because of the need for greater volume and midrange clarity, drums were made almost entirely from maple until recently, when advances in live sound reinforcement and drum microphones have allowed the use of birch in high-volume situations. Birch drums have a natural boost in the high and low frequencies, which allows the drums to sound fuller.

Birch wood is sometimes used as a tonewood for semiacoustic and acoustic guitar bodies, and occasionally for solid-body guitar bodies. It is also a common material used in mallets for keyboard percussion.

Culture[link]

• Birches have spiritual importance in several religions, both modern and historical.
• They are associated with the Tír na nÓg, the land of the dead and the Sidhe, in Gaelic folklore, and as such frequently appear in Scottish, Irish, and English folksongs and ballads in association with death, or fairies, or returning from the grave.
• It is also New Hampshire's state tree.
• In the Swedish city of Umeå, the silver birch tree has a special place. In 1888, the city was ravaged by fires that spread all over the city and nearly burnt it down to the ground, but some birches, supposedly, halted the spread of the fire. To protect the city against future fires, it was decided to plant silver birch trees all over the city. Umeå later adopted the unofficial name of "City of the Birches (Björkarnas stad)". Also, the ice hockey team of Umeå is called Björklöven, translated to English "The Birch Leaves".
• In parts of Germany, young men erect decorated birch trees in front of the houses of their love interests on the night of May 1, to show their feelings.

See also[link]

Trees portal

• Birch beer
• Taxonomy of Betula

References[link]

• Flora of North America: Betula
• Flora of China: Betula
• Grimshaw, John (2009). New Trees, Recent introductions to cultivation. Kew Publishing, RBG Kew. pp. 163–174. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Betula

Wikispecies has information related to: Betula

• Tree Family Betulaceae Diagnostic photos of many species, Morton Arboretum specimens

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Diane Birch
Diane Birch performing at the J&R Music Festival 2009
Background information
Born	(1983-01-24) January 24, 1983 (age 29)
Origin	Michigan
Genres	Soul, blues
Instruments	Piano/Rhodes/Wurlitzer/Vocal
Years active	2009—
Labels	S-Curve
Website	www.dianebirch.com

Diane Birch (born January 24, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter.

Early life[link]

Birch was born in Michigan and her father was a Seventh-day Adventist preacher whose work took him to several countries. As a child Birch lived with her family in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Sydney, Australia. When she was ten, her family returned to the United States of America, and settled in Portland, Oregon. Diane attended Portland Adventist Elementary School and later, Portland Adventist Academy.^[1]

Birch began studying piano using the Suzuki method at the age of seven and she listened to opera, classical and church music while growing up.^[1]

Career[link]

Birch moved to Los Angeles to compose music for films and instead played piano at the Beverly Hotel and L'Orangerie. Prince heard her perform at the Polo Lounge in 2006 and invited her to join him at his home for a music session with his band. Birch moved to London, signed a publishing contract and wrote most of the songs that appeared on her debut album.

In 2007, she moved to New York City after signing with Steve Greenberg's S-Curve Records.

Birch's debut album, Bible Belt, was released in 2009 on S-Curve and received supportive reviews in Rolling Stone, Paper Magazine and the Huffington Post.^[2]

In 2009 Birch appeared on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Late Show with David Letterman, the Carson Daly Show, Jimmy Kimmel, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the webcast, Live from Daryl's House ^[3]

Her song "Rise Up" was the Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week in October 2009 and her song "Valentino" appeared in the movie Valentine's Day.^[4]

In 2010 Birch was the opening act for Stevie Wonder at the "Hard Rock Calling Festival" in Hyde Park and Nîmes, France and Nick Jonas and the Administration.^[5] Birch performed shows in Osaka and Tokyo.^{[citation needed]} In September, Birch released the single track "Gee Whiz It's Christmas" on Amazon and iTunes. Birch also co-wrote and sang the song "Too Soon to End" by Alain Clark.^{[citation needed]} In December Birch released a digital only EP called The Velveteen Age.

In addition to keyboards, Birch also plays guitar and the violin.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Other appearances[link]

Singles[link]

Music videos[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Diane Birch

• Official website
• Diane Birch youtube channel
• Diane Birch: The 'Bible Belt,' In Eclectic Song from National Public Radio
• Diane Birch live in concert from NPR station WXPN
• Diane Birch at the Internet Movie Database
• Diane Birch performs Rewind as part of Guardian How I wrote series

Maximilian Hecker, 2010

Maximilian Hecker (born July 26, 1977 in Heidenheim an der Brenz) is a German musician from Berlin, known for ethereal pop music, similar to Radiohead, Sigur Rós, Tom Baxter and Nick Drake. He himself describes his songs as »melancholy pop hymns«.

Hecker grew up in Baden-Wuerttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia. He learned to play the piano, the drums and the guitar and did his A levels at Freiherr-vom-Stein-Gymnasium in Bünde in 1997. Having finished his alternative civilian service at Klinikum Schwabing in Munich, he started training in nursing practice at the hospital Charité in Berlin in 1999.

Career[link]

Apart from his activities as a trainee nurse, Hecker continued pursuing his musical hobby busking in the area of Hackescher Markt in Berlin-Mitte. Thus he came in contact with Berlin's music- and cultural scene. In 2000, the demo of his song »Cold Wind Blowing« was used for the score of German director Esther Gronenborn's movie alaska.de. Soon after that, the Berlin based record company Kitty-yo, having released the movie's soundtrack, offered Hecker a record deal.

Infinite Love Songs[link]

In October 2001, Hecker released his debut album »Infinite Love Songs«, produced in cooperation with German producer Tommi Eckart. The album was critically acclaimed worldwide and even reached the top ten list of The New York Times’ album of the year contest in 2001. Hence, Hecker's debut was to be found amongst albums of Bob Dylan's, The White Stripes' and Alicia Keys'. Critic Neil Strauss writes:

»In a long list of precious, fragile, heartbroken artists to emerge in the last two years (Tom McRae, Ed Harcourt, the Kingsbury Manx), Mr. Hecker, by legend an oft-disparaged Berlin street musician, whispers the most precious and fragile heartbreak of them all.«^[1]

From October 2001 to February 2002, Hecker went on his first European tour – at that time solo, with electric guitar, keyboard and groovebox –, as a headliner mostly, but also as an opening act for Bill Callahan, the Walkabouts and others. Around that time, his song »Polyester« became a hit in Israelite mainstream radio and was considered a peace anthem. In April and May 2002, Hecker opened for Lloyd Cole on his tour of France.

Rose[link]

In May 2003, Hecker put out his second album »Rose«, produced by British producer Gareth Jones, who had previously worked with Depeche Mode and Erasure. In particular the British press praised the record.^[2] Dan Martin from British music magazine New Musical Express writes:

»In the first three minutes, a lovelorn Hecker bemoans how he’s spent seven days without a glance from Kate Moss. But if the former busker has something of the stalker about him, he’s not one of those men who have bad fringes and still live with their mum. "Rose", Hecker's second LP, is as beautiful and barbed as the flower itself and proves that sinister can also be suave and beautiful. While his sexless Germanic vocals threaten to get smothered in drippy melancholy, he’s wise enough to ease off with the string quartets as things progress, transmuting his snail pace into the kind of pin-drop quiet electro Fischerspooner would make after a pint of heroin. Lovely.«^[3]

Then Neil Tennant from Pet Shop Boys, having taken notice of Hecker, started to communicate Hecker's music to others on his website. In May and June 2003, soon after releasing »Rose«, Hecker went on his second European tour, followed by his third one in September and October of the same year, opening for Cat Power in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and this time supported by live musicians Jens Friebe on keyboard, Hans Narva on bass and Chris Imler on drums.

Maximilian Hecker & Band
at »SESC Pompéia« in São Paulo, Brazil, October 28, 2003

In September 2003, South Korean record company Pastel Music released Hecker's first two albums in South Korea, and from October 2003 to March 2004, Hecker and German musician Barbara Morgenstern were sent on a worldwide tour through 34 cities by German cultural institution Goethe-Institut.

Lady Sleep[link]

In January 2005, Hecker released his third album »Lady Sleep« (produced by Israelite, Berlin based producer Guy Sternberg) in Europe and later that year in South Korea. In January and February, he went on his fourth tour of Europe, supported by Johannes Feige on electric guitar, Philipp Neumann on bass and Snorre Schwarz respectively Nicolai Ziel on drums. Jim Butler of BBC Collective about »Lady Sleep«:

»On 'Lady Sleep', his third album, the criminally underrated Maximilian Hecker returns to his recurring fascination with affairs of the heart. Although simpler (ie, less electronic) than his last album, 'Rose', 'Lady Sleep' is just as evocative: opulent orchestral symphonies sway with a shimmering elegance, the neo-Baroque chamber pop hints at stunning torch songs for the 21st Century and Hecker’s softly spoken vocals are gently affecting. Less camp than Antony And The Johnsons, although just as grand, Berliner Hecker, in anyone’s language, deserves to be a star.«^[4]

In July 2005, Hecker was invited to Seoul, South Korea, to play two gigs, and in June 2006, he was sent to Taipei, Taiwan, to give two concerts, after the Taiwanese record company Avant Garden Records had released his first three albums in Taiwan in August 2005.

I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain[link]

In summer 2006 he changed from Kitty-yo to V2 Records and released his fourth album, »I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain« (again produced by Guy Sternberg) in Europe, South Korea and Taiwan in September 2006. Unlike his three predecessors, which Hecker had recorded on his own for the most part, the album was brought about with the aid of a number of studio musicians, amongst them Snorre Schwarz, Hecker's live drummer. Sharon O’Connell from British music magazine Uncut reviewed »I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain« in the magazine's December issue 2006:

»Comparing Hecker to Chris Martin may be something of a backhanded compliment, but it’s an indication of the 29-year-old’s potential reach, rather than an indictment of aesthetic weediness. That said, "I’ll Be A Virgin…" is a hushed introspective affair, its sweetly mournful melodies augmented by tasteful string arrangements and carrying somewhat poetically strained lyrics ("Wilted Flower" distinguishes itself on that count). Toward the album’s close, a dreary sameness sets in; simpler songs like the folky "Messed-up Girl" are Hecker’s most effective.«

In October and November 2006, Hecker went on his fifth European tour, followed by concerts in Taipei and Seoul in November and December of the same year, and finally by him opening for Irish musician Duke Special on his tour of Europe in March 2007. Around that time, Hecker's song »Dying« was chosen as background music for a commercial of electronics group Samsung, broadcast in South Korea and China.

Maximilian Hecker & Band at »Kon Kook University Millennium Hall« in Seoul, South Korea, July 13th 2007

Maximilian Hecker signing autographs after a concert in Guangzhou, China, November 2008

In early 2007, Hecker recorded an EP, entitled »Once I Was«, especially for the East Asian market. The record contains cover versions only, and was released, along with a best-of-compilation of his songs, in Taiwan, South Korea, and for the first time in Mainland China (there entitled »I Am Falling Now«) in May respectively June that year. The album offered the opportunity to send Hecker on his fifth tour of Asia, leading him through Taiwan, South Korea and Mainland China in July of the same year.

In November 2007, Hecker's former record label Kitty-yo released the live album »Live Radio Sessions« as a digital release, the majority of its titles recordings of a concert that Hecker had given at Radio Bremen on March 2, 2005.

One Day[link]

In May 2008, he made a flying visit to Mainland China and Hong Kong, and in autumn of the same year, he released his fifth studio album »One Day« in South Korea, Taiwan, Mainland China and, for the first time, in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore (on Hong Kong based record label Love Da Records). The record had again been produced by Guy Sternberg and had come into being with the participation of Hecker's live band. The release was followed by his seventh Asian tour, leading Hecker through South Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In the meantime, Hecker had started to write songs for other musicians, and his song »Miss Underwater« was chosen the first single of Taiwanese singer Faith Yang's album »Self-Selected« in April 2009. At the same time, the fast food chain Dunkin’ Donuts took Hecker's song »Silly Lily, Funny Bunny« as background music for one of their commercials broadcast in South Korea.

In April/May 2009, »One Day« was released in Europe on Berlin based record label Louisville Records respectively on Roadrunner Records, followed by Hecker's seventh tour of Europe in May and June 2009. Cracked Webzine about »One Day« in April 2009:

»[...] So, after all and taking all of the above into account, Hecker might be headed into a completely different direction and is straight on the way to become the James Taylor of the digital age. Nothing bad about that, actually, I like the first Taylor-albums as much as anybody (and also Carole King, Rickie Lee Jones, Joni Mitchell or Bill Withers, to be honest) and after all he has penned a few songs that will stay in the canon of modern songwriting for ever without ever becoming kitschy or pathetic. Which in itself is basically more than 99.9 % of all songwriters of the last five years have done. I cannot say which of the songs on “One Day”, if any, will ever reach that status, because that is for the next decades to show. [...]«^[5]

In October and November 2009, Hecker went on his eighth Asian tour through Taiwan, South Korea and Mainland China. Inspired by a solo performance in the context of the concert series »FM4 Radio Sessions« at Radiokulturhaus in Vienna, Austria, on March 26th, 2009, Hecker returned to performing his concerts solo, without live musicians, preferably on a grand piano.

I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son[link]

In January, Hecker established his own record label Blue Soldier Records, where, in March of the same year, he released his sixth album in Europe: »I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son«. This record, accomplished without producer or studio musicians, and, like his debut »Infinite Love Songs« mainly a home recording, portrayed a return to Hecker's roots. In the course of the year, »I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son« was released in South Korea, Taiwan, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. Erin Lyndal Martin reviewed the album for PopMatters in May 2010:

Maximilian Hecker and Rachael Yamagata at »Sejong Cultural Center« in Seoul, South Korea, January 23rd 2011

»[…] Perhaps the most startling, out of character moment is on the opening track, “Blue Soldier Night”, which is delivered in a robotic female voice. This is nothing new, but it shows some levity that one wouldn’t expect from Hecker. Paradoxically, the song becomes that much more moving for that aspect, especially when the robot delivers the title line, “I am nothing but emotion”, which would sound simply insipid had it been delivered by Hecker. When the formula works, it really works. The simply beautiful “Glaslights” is evidence of this, with its ambient piano and quiet vocals. There are some nice touches here as well, such as the sound of the piano pedals rising and falling, lending an intimate immediacy to the song. “There are angels in the glaslights”, Hecker sings soothingly. “The Greatest Love of All” (not a Whitney Houston cover—promise!) features quiet acoustic guitar arpeggios that augment the piano. On an album this piano-heavy, the guitar is a nice touch. Unfortunately, this is one of three songs that rely on angel imagery in order to survive. While one could claim this is a concept album about angels, that would still be a trite concept for any album that’s not contemporary Christian (and even then, it’d be a little dicey). “You’ll Come Home Again” is a highlight because of its perfect melody. Hecker displays less vocal monotony here than his usual, one-note-albeit-heartfelt one. […]«^[6]

In April and May 2010, Hecker played the first part of an extensive Chinese tour of 24 Chinese cities – he accomplished the second part in the autumn of the same year –, and his song »Kun Zai«, written along with Sodagreen singer Wu Qingfeng, was released as the first single of Taiwanese singer Wei Ruxuan's album »Graceful Porcupine« in Taiwan and Mainland China. In the course of his current release, Hecker went on a tour of Germany in June of the same year.

In November 2010, he released the two albums »Favourite Demos« and »Rare And Unreleased« digitally. These albums contain the demos of 27 songs from his first five albums, as well as twelve B-sides and other songs unreleased up to then.

On January 23, 2011, Hecker gave a double concert, along with American musician Rachael Yamagata at Sejong Cultural Center in Seoul, South Korea.

Discography[link]

Albums:

• 2001 - Infinite Love Songs (CD/LP) - Kitty-yo
• 2003 - Rose (CD/LP) - Kitty-yo
• 2005 - Lady Sleep (CD/LP) - Kitty-yo
• 2006 - I'll Be A Virgin, I'll Be A Mountain (CD/LP) - V2 Records
• 2007 - Once I Was (CD) - Pastel Music / Avant Garden Records
• 2007 - I Am Falling Now (CD) - Pocket Records
• 2007 - Live Radio Sessions (digital) - Kitty-yo
• 2009 - One Day (CD/LP) - Louisville Records
• 2010 - I Am Nothing But Emotion, No Human Being, No Son, Never Again Son (CD/LP) - Blue Soldier Records
• 2010 - Favourite Demos (digital) - Blue Soldier Records
• 2010 - Rare And Unreleased (digital) - Blue Soldier Records

Singles:

• 2001 - Infinite Love Song (CDM) - Kitty-yo
• 2001 - Polyester (CDM) - Kitty-yo
• 2003 - Fool (CDM) - Kitty-yo
• 2003 - Daylight (CDM) - Kitty-yo
• 2004 - Help Me (CDM) - Kitty-yo
• 2006 - Silly Lily, Funny Bunny (CDM) - V2 Records
• 2009 - Misery (digital) - Louisville Records
• 2009 - The Space That You’re In (digital) - Louisville Records

Videography[link]

• 2001 - Infinite Love Song (Magnus Winter)
• 2001 - Polyester (Jana Oberdörffer)
• 2003 - Fool (Miriam Yung Min Stein)
• 2003 - Daylight (Miriam Yung Min Stein)
• 2004 - Help Me (Liisa Lounila & Henri Tani)
• 2006 - Silly Lily, Funny Bunny (Christopher Weser)
• 2009 - The Space That You're In (Til Obladen)
• 2010 - Nana (Til Obladen)
• 2010 - No One's Child (Nuflicks)
• 2010 - Court My Eyes Alone (Ken-Tonio Yamamoto & Daniela Haitzler)

Songwriting for other artists[link]

• 2008 - The Space That You're In (music and lyrics) - artist: Wei Ruxuan, album: La Dolce Vita
• 2009 - Miss Underwater (music and lyrics) - artist: Faith Yang, album: Self-Selected
• 2010 - Kun Zai (music) - artist: Wei Ruxuan, album: Graceful Porcupine

External links[link]

• Official website
• Music player
• Interview Alternativmusik.de
• Chinese website about Maximilian Hecker

References[link]

1. ^ The New York Times, 2001-12-23, Neil Strauss, The Year in Classical Music: The Critics' Choices; Blues and 60's Rock; Classy, Slick Soul
2. ^ Nigel Williamson from British music magazine Uncut about »Rose« in July 2003: »Given the romantic movement began in Germany, it's odd that the country is today known for electronic experimentalism rather than emotional warmth. Maximilian Hecker's name may not belong in the same breath as Beethoven or Goëthe. But he seeks to readjust the balance with his second album of frail, elegiac hymns of unrequited love. That the opening track is called "Kate Moss" is unpromising. Yet even that turns out to be another exquisite paean to heartbreak. Not as dark or deep as Ed Harcourt. But fans of From Every Sphere should definitely give Max a listen.« [1]
3. ^ New Musical Express, 2003-05-03, Dan Martin
4. ^ BBC Collective, 2005-04-01, Jim Butler
5. ^ Cracked webzine, April 2009
6. ^ PopMatters, May 2010, Erin Lyndal Martin

Joanna Newsom
Joanna Newsom in 2007
Background information
Born	Joanna Caroline Newsom (1982-01-18) January 18, 1982 (age 30) Nevada City, California, United States
Genres	Indie folk
Instruments	Voice Harp Piano Harpsichord
Labels	Drag City
Associated acts	The Pleased

Joanna Newsom (born January 18, 1982) is an American harpist, pianist and singer-songwriter from Nevada City, California.

Early life[link]

Newsom grew up in the small town of Nevada City, California. As a child, Newsom was not allowed to watch television or listen to the radio because she was raised by doctors who were "kind of idealists when it came to hoping they could protect us from bad influences, like violent movies, or stupid stuff".^[1] She was exposed to music from a young age. Her father played the guitar and her mother was a classically trained pianist who played the hammered dulcimer, the autoharp and conga drums.^[2][3] Newsom attended a Waldorf school where she studied theater and learned to memorize and recite long poems. This skill helps her to remember lyrics while on tour.^[4]

At the age of five, Newsom asked her parents if she could play the harp. Her parents eventually agreed to sign her up for harp lessons, but the local harp teacher did not want to take on such a young student and suggested she learn to play the piano first. Starting at the age of four, she began playing the piano and later the harp, which she "loved from the first lesson onward."^[5] From her instructor, Joanna learned composition and improvisation. She learned to play on smaller Celtic harps until her parents bought her a full-size pedal harp in the seventh grade.^[6] During her teens, she and the instrument became inseparable, and she describes her relationship with the harp as similar to "an artificial limb or a wheelchair. It’s almost part of me, but more to the point, it serves a purpose, and if it wasn’t there I would wonder what was supposed to fit in its place."^[1]

She studied composition and creative writing at Mills College in Oakland, California. While at Mills, she played keyboards in The Pleased. She dropped out of the school in order to focus on her music.^[1]

Career[link]

In 2002 and 2003, Newsom recorded two EPs, Walnut Whales and Yarn and Glue. These homemade recordings were intended to serve as a document of her early work; she recorded them on a Fisher-Price tape recorder.^[7] These EPs were not intended for public distribution. At the suggestion of Noah Georgeson, her then-boyfriend and recording engineer of the EP, she burned several copies to sell at her early shows.^[7] John Fellman, co-producer of Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival, claims to be the first to have booked a show for her.^[8]

A friend of Newsom's passed one of these CDs on to Will Oldham at a show in Nevada City. Oldham was impressed with Newsom's music and asked her to tour with him. He also gave a copy of the CD to the owner of Drag City, his record label. Drag City signed Newsom and released her debut album The Milk-Eyed Mender in 2004.^[9] Shortly thereafter, Newsom toured with Devendra Banhart and Vetiver and made an early UK appearance at the Green Man Festival in Wales, returning to headline in 2005, 2007 and 2010.

Newsom's work has become prominent on the independent music scene. Her profile has risen, in part, due to a number of live shows and appearances on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC.

Her second album Ys was released in November 2006. The album features orchestrations and arrangements by Van Dyke Parks, engineering from Steve Albini and mixing by Drag City label-mate Jim O'Rourke. On a road trip, Bill Callahan recommended she listen to the album Song Cycle by Parks, which led to his being chosen to arrange her work on Ys.

Joanna Newsom at the Sasquatch Music Festival, Washington in May 2005

Joanna is known to debut songs impromptu at her concerts. On March 28, 2009, she performed over two hours of new material at a 'secret' concert in Big Sur, California with fellow Nevada City singer-songwriter Mariee Sioux under the pseudonym 'The Beatles's'. Those in attendance reported that about one-third of her new material was played primarily on piano, with a backing arrangement of banjo, violin, guitar and drums.^[10]

Since late 2006, Joanna has performed a solo harp version of the traditional Scottish song "Ca the Yowes Tae the Knowes".^[11]

Several of the songs on The Milk-Eyed Mender have been covered by her peers. "Bridges and Balloons" was covered by The Decemberists on their 2005 EP Picaresqueties. "Sprout and the Bean" has been covered by The Moscow Coup Attempt and Sholi. "Peach, Plum, Pear" has been covered by Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett) on the 2006 EP Young Canadian Mothers, as well as by Straylight Run. M Ward has played "Sadie" at some of his live shows.^[12]

In 2009, she appeared in the music video for the song "Kids" by the group MGMT.^[13]

On January 12, 2010, an entry cryptically entitled "@!?*(%$#!!" was posted on the Drag City website. It contained a link which led to a short comic strip titled "Joanna Newsom 'Have One on Me'" with a date of February 23, 2010.^[14] Later that day, it was confirmed by Spunk, Newsom's Australian label, that the title and date represented the title of Newsom's upcoming album and its release date.^[15] P-Vine Records in Japan announced that Have One on Me, which was recorded in Tokyo in 2009, would be released in Japan on March 3, 2010, as a three-disc CD set, with a total of approximately three hours of new recordings.^[16] Newsom was chosen by Matt Groening to perform at the edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival he curated in May 2010 in Minehead, England.

On February 11, 2010, Pitchfork Media reported that Newsom would be the subject of a tribute book titled Visions of Joanna Newsom which has now been published by Roan Press.^[17] She toured throughout Europe and America in 2010 to promote her latest record, supported by a five-piece band. In December 2010, a tribute album of Newsom covers was released as a digital download. Artists involved include M. Ward, Billy Bragg and Owen Pallett, with all proceeds going to Oxfam America's Pakistan Flood Relief Efforts.^[18]

On July 19, 2011, Newsom's second single, What We Have Known, was released on 12" vinyl. The single was originally the b-side to her first single, Sprout and the Bean.^[19] In June 2011, she filmed her second music video (for the song "Good Intentions Paving Company") with directors Karni & Saul.^[20] Newsom was also chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he curated in March 2012 in Minehead, England.^[21]

In late 2011, Newsom contributed vocals to "The Muppet Show Theme" for The Muppets^[22] and appeared on the cover of the 10th anniversary issue of Under the Radar with Robin Pecknold.^[23]

Newsom began 2012 with television appearances on Austin City Limits (on January 21) and Portlandia (on February 7).^[24][25]

Style[link]

Newsom's earlier work was strongly influenced by polyrhythms.^[26] Her harp teacher, Diana Stork, taught her the basic pattern of four beats against three which creates an interlocking, shifting pattern that can be heard on Ys, particularly in the middle section of "Sawdust & Diamonds." After Ys, Newsom said she had lost interest in polyrhythms. They "stopped being fascinating to me and started feeling wanky."^[27]

The media have sometimes labeled her as one of the most prominent members of the modern psych folk movement. Joanna, however, claims no ties to any particular music scene.^[28] Her songwriting incorporates elements of Appalachian music and avant-garde modernism.

Newsom's vocal style (in the November 2006 issue of The Wire she described her voice as "untrainable") has shadings of folk and Appalachian shaped-note timbres. Newsom has, however, expressed disappointment at comments that her singing is "child-like."^[28]

Critics noticed a change in Newsom's voice on her latest album.^[29][30] In the spring of 2009, Newsom developed vocal cord nodules and could not speak or sing for two months. The recovery from the nodules and further "vocal modifications" changed her voice.^[31][32][33]

Collaborations[link]

In addition to her solo work, Newsom has played on records by Smog, Vetiver, Nervous Cop, The Year Zero, Vashti Bunyan, Moore Brothers, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Golden Shoulders and The Roots^[34] and played keyboards for The Pleased.

Personal life[link]

Newsom's family includes her brother Pete, a fellow musician, and sister Emily, who inspired her song "Emily" (and contributed backing vocals). She is the second cousin, twice removed, of Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom of California.^[35] She has dated Noah Georgeson, Bill Callahan and is dating Andy Samberg.^[36]

Discography[link]

Albums

• The Milk-Eyed Mender (Drag City, 2004)
• Ys (Drag City, 2006) US #134, UK #41
• Have One on Me (Drag City, 2010)^[37] US #75, UK #28

Early unofficial recordings

• Walnut Whales (self-released, 2002)
• Yarn and Glue (self-released, 2003)

EPs

• Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band (Drag City, 2007) UK #135^[38]

Singles

• "Sprout and the Bean" (Drag City, 2004)
• "What We Have Known" (Drag City, 2011)

Licensing of songs[link]

• In 2004, "Peach, Plum, Pear" played over the credits of the animated short City Paradise.
• In 2004, "This Side of the Blue" was used on a British television commercial for Orange SA.
• In 2006, "Sprout and the Bean" was used in a tourism ad for Melbourne, Australia.
• In 2007, "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie" was used in the PBS documentary Following Sean.
• In 2007, "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie" was sung by an aspiring musician in the film Great World of Sound.
• In 2008, "Sprout and the Bean" was featured in the film The Strangers.
• In 2008, "Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie" was used in a television commercial for HSBC.
• In 2008, "The Book of Right-On" was used in an MTV ad for sexual care and education.
• In 2009, "The Book of Right-On" was licensed for the end credits of the Mexican/Italian film The Best of Feelings
• In 2009, "Sprout and the Bean" was used in a Victoria's Secret Bra commercial.
• In 2009, the harp intro of "Cosmia" was used in the Louis Theroux documentary "A Place for Paedophiles."
• In 2009, "Sprout and the Bean" was used again in a tourism ad for Melbourne, Australia.
• In 2009, a shorter edit of "Inflammatory Writ" was used in ads for the Spanish TV channel La Sexta^[39]
• In 2010, "Bridges & Balloons" was used in an LG commercial.^[40]

References[link]

Interviews[link]

• Tiny Mix Tapes (September 2004)
• KCRW (February 2005)
• The Guardian (October 15, 2006)
• The Wire (November 2006)
• Pitchfork (November 20, 2006)
• The Times (February 20, 2010)

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Joanna Newsom

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Joanna Newsom

• Drag City