Walnut Whales
{{More citations needed|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Walnut Whales
| type = EP
| artist = Joanna Newsom
| cover = walnutwhalesnewsom.jpg
| alt =
| released = 2002
| recorded = 2002
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Indie folk, contemporary folk, folk rock
| length = 36:15
| label = Self-released
| producer = Noah Georgeson, Joanna Newsom
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Yarn and Glue
| next_year = 2003
}}
Walnut Whales is the self-distributed debut EP by American multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom.{{Cite web|title=Not On Label (Joanna Newsom Self-Released)|url=https://www.discogs.com/label/176250-Not-On-Label-Joanna-Newsom-Self-Released|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Discogs|language=en}} It was released in 2002{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Walnut Whales track listing ~ Joanna Newsom Lyrics.com|url=https://joannanewsomlyrics.com/album/6-walnut-whales/|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Joanna Newsom Lyrics}} and sold in limited numbers in CD-R format.{{Cite web|title=Walnut Whales by Joanna Newsom|url=https://genius.com/albums/Joanna-newsom/Walnut-whales|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Genius|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Wiki - Walnut Whales — Joanna Newsom|url=https://www.last.fm/music/Joanna+Newsom/Walnut+Whales/+wiki|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Last.fm|language=en}} All tracks on the record, except for "Erin", "Flying a Kite", and "The Fray", were later re-recorded, the re-recorded versions being released on Newsom's debut studio album The Milk-Eyed Mender (2004), with minor lyrical changes. The EP has been described as indie folk, contemporary folk,{{Citation|title=Walnut Whales by Joanna Newsom - RYM/Sonemic|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/release/ep/joanna-newsom/walnut-whales/|language=en|access-date=2021-02-09}} and folk rock.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Joanna Newsom Walnut Whales (EP)- Spirit of Rock Webzine (en)|url=https://www.spirit-of-rock.com/en/album/Walnut_Whales/52718|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Spirit of Rock}}
The title of the EP was inspired by the 1975 children's book "Snips and Snails and Walnut Whales: Nature Crafts for Children" by Phyllis Fiarotta.{{Cite web|last=ThriftBooks|title=Snips and Snails and Walnut Whales:... book by Phyllis Fiarotta|url=https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/snips-and-snails-and-walnut-whales-nature-crafts-for-children_phyllis-fiarotta_noel-fiarotta/634721/|access-date=2021-02-09|website=ThriftBooks|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=9780911104493: Snips and Snails and Walnut Whales: Nature Crafts for Children - AbeBooks - Fiarotta, Phyllis; Fiarotta, Noel: 0911104496|url=https://www.abebooks.com/9780911104493/Snips-Snails-Walnut-Whales-Nature-0911104496/plp|access-date=2021-02-09|website=AbeBooks|language=en}}
Background
Walnut Whales was initially not intended for public distribution, but at the suggestion of Noah Georgeson, Newsom's then-boyfriend as well as co-producer and recording engineer of the EP, she burned several copies to sell at her early performances.{{Cite web|last=Gillespie|first=Ryan|date=October 2006|title=Under the Radar - Joanna Newsom Interview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013111802/http://undertheradarmag.com/newsom.html|url=http://undertheradarmag.com/newsom.html|archive-date=October 13, 2007|access-date=2021-02-09|website=Under the Radar}}{{Cite web|last=Harmanci|first=Reyhan|date=2005-05-29|title=Playing by the bookings|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Playing-by-the-bookings-2667895.php|access-date=2021-02-09|website=SFGATE|language=en-US}} Newsom's friend and bandmate in Golden Shoulders, Adam Kline, gave one of her CDs to singer-songwriter Will Oldham at a show in Nevada City. Oldham was impressed with Newsom's music and asked her to tour with him. Kline also gave a copy of the record to the owner of his record label, Drag City. Drag City signed Newsom and released her debut studio album The Milk-Eyed Mender in 2004.
Discussing the record, Newsom stated that "The very first Walnut Whales recording was recorded just a few weeks after I had started singing, out of the blue, started singing. And the voice, you can hear how uncomfortable I am with it, and how terrified I am with it."{{cite web |last1=Cramer |first1=Michael |title=Harp's Delight - An interview with Joanna Newsom |date=April 19, 2004 |url=http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/243 |website=Dusted}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing = Joanna Newsom
| length5 = 6:34
| length8 = 4:40
| title8 = The Book of Right-On
| length7 = 6:26
| title6 = The Fray
| length6 = 3:22
| title5 = Flying a Kite
| title4 = Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie
| title1 = Erin
| length4 = 3:52
| total_length =
| title3 = Peach, Plum, Pear
| length3 = 3:27
| length2 = 4:00
| title2 = Cassiopeia
| length1 = 3:41
| title7 = En Gallop!
}}
References
{{2000s-folk-album-stub}}