One has to wonder why this box, Joni Mitchell's The Studio Albums
1968-1979, was issued only in the European market. During this period
--and some would argue even after -- Mitchell had one of most consistent
quality runs in pop history. She is one of the most influential
songwriters and recording artists of the 20th century. Included here are
Song to a Seagull, Clouds, Ladies of the Canyon, Blue, For the Roses,
Court and Spark, Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira, the double album Don
Juan's Reckless Daughter, and Mingus. The first four are regarded as her
"singer/songwriter" era offerings, the next one (For the Roses) details
her crossing over into pop success (without compromise, of course), and
the final five as her "jazz period," an era that lasted longer than her
tenure with Warner Bros, and into her years at Geffen. What's
remarkable is that they are all indelibly Mitchell. From the earliest,
her vocal phrasing and guitar playing were just off enough to underscore
the depth and poetry in her lyrics. By the time she reached For the
Roses, she was already inventing new melodic and rhythmic paths. By
Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira, and especially on Don Juan's Reckless
Daughter, she was off-road, cutting a new swath of rhythmic invention in
popular music, utilizing jazz syncopation and harmonics, Brazilian and
Latin rhythms, and even modal elements that seemed to make time, melody,
and lyric concerns more elastic. There is a great anecdote from Robbie
Robertson about Mitchell asking the Band to back her at the Watkins Glen
rock festival. They were unable to play with her because only drummer
Levon Helm could flow with her sense of groove. All these albums feature
their own mini-LP sleeves (no fancy paper, sorry). There is no bonus
material of any kind included. The art is not so much redone as
extremely reduced, making most of the print small enough that reading
can be difficult. There is no liner essay in the package, either. The
plus -- in addition to a stellar body of music -- is that the price is
right; each album prices out to considerably less than these recordings
sell for individually.
by Thom Jurek
1968 - Song To A Seagull
Tracklist:
01. I Had A King 03:37
02. Michael From Mountains 03:41
03. Night In The City 02:29
04. Marcie 04:35
05. Nathan La Franeer 03:20
06. Sisotowbell Lane 04:04
07. The Dawntreader 05:04
08. The Pirate Of Penance 02:44
09. Song To A Seagull 03:51
10. Cactus Tree 04:38
00:38:08
Joni
Mitchell's debut release is a concept album. Side one, subtitled "I
Came to the City," generally exhibits songs about urban subjects that
are often dour or repressed in some way. "Out of the City and Down to
the Seaside," by contrast, is a celebration of nature and countryside,
mostly containing selections of a charming, positive, or more outgoing
nature. What sets this release apart from those of other
confession-style singer/songwriters of the time is the craft, subtlety,
and evocative power of Mitchell's lyrics and harmonic style. Numbers
such as "Marcie," "Michael From Mountains," "The Dawntreader," and "The
Pirate of Penance" effectively utilize sophisticated chord progressions
rarely found in this genre. Verses are substantive and highly charged,
exhibiting careful workmanship. "Song to a Seagull" has graceful and
vivid lyrics about the joys of freedom set to a haunting, wide-ranging
vocal line. Conversely, "Cactus Tree" explores the downside of a
no-strings-attached approach to life, the fear of committing to a
relationship (ironically wedding these words to a hopeful melody and
pulsating guitar texture). "Marcie" utilizes poignant, twisting music
set to desolately lonely lyrics about a jilted woman; the recurrent use
of red and green imagery in the verses is especially clever. Character
studies such as "I Had a King" and "Nathan la Franeer" are painfully
bleak in contrast to the lithe domestic scene of "Sisotowbell Lane" and
the winsomely reserved love song "Michael From Mountains." Unusual in
her oeuvre are the overlapping dialogue prose manner of "The Pirate of
Penance" and the jaunty honky tonk stylings of "Night in the City."
Mitchell sings in a light, gossamer, at times diffident manner; vocal
harmony is sparingly employed here. David Crosby's production is simple
and effective. This excellent debut is well worth hearing.
by David Cleary
Credits:
Bass – Stephen Stills
Guitar [Banshee] – Lee Keefer
Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Written-By, Artwork, Guitar [Banshee] – Joni Mitchel
1969 - Clouds
01. Tin Angel 04:09
02. Chelsea Morning 02:35
03. I Don't Know Where I Stand 03:13
04. That Song About The Midway 04:37
05. Roses Blue 03:52
06. The Gallery 04:12
07. I Think I Understand 04:27
08. Songs To Aging Children Come 03:10
09. The Fiddle And The Drum 02:49
10. Both Sides, Now 04:34
00:37:42
Clouds
is a stark stunner, a great leap forward for Joni Mitchell. Vocals here
are more forthright and assured than on her debut and exhibit a
remarkable level of subtle expressiveness. Guitar alone is used in
accompaniment, and the variety of playing approaches and sounds gotten
here is most impressive. "The Fiddle and the Drum," a protest song that
imaginatively compares the Vietnam-era warmongering U.S. government to a
bitter friend, dispenses with instrumental accompaniment altogether.
The sketches presented of lovers by turns depressive ("Tin Angel"),
roguish ("That Song About the Midway"), and faithless ("The Gallery")
are vividly memorable. Forthright lyrics about the unsureness of new
love ("I Don't Know Where I Stand"), misuse of the occult ("Roses
Blue"), and mental illness ("I Think I Understand") are very striking.
Mitchell's classic singer/songwriter standards "Chelsea Morning" and
"Both Sides Now" respectively receive energetically vibrant and warmly
thoughtful performances. Imaginatively unusual and subtle harmonies
abound here, never more so in her body of work than on the remarkable
"Songs to Aging Children Come," which sets floridly impressionistic
lyrics to a lovely tune that is supported by perhaps the most remarkably
sophisticated chord sequence in all of pop music. Mitchell's riveting
self-portrait on the album's cover is a further asset. This essential
release is a must-listen. by David Cleary
Credits
Bass, Guitar – Stephen Stills
Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Artwork, Written-By – Joni Mitchell
1970 - Ladies Of The Canyon
01. Morning Morgantown 03:13
02. For Free 04:31
03. Conversation 04:26
04. Ladies Of The Canyon 03:32
05. Willy 03:00
06. The Arrangement 03:34
07. Rainy Night House 03:24
08. The Priest 03:40
09. Blue Boy 02:54
10. Big Yellow Taxi 02:15
11. Woodstock 05:29
12. The Circle Game 04:55
00:45:00
This
wonderfully varied release shows a number of new tendencies in Joni
Mitchell's work, some of which would come to fuller fruition on
subsequent albums. "The Arrangement," "Rainy Night House," and
"Woodstock" contain lengthy instrumental sections, presaging the
extensive non-vocal stretches in later selections such as "Down to You"
from Court and Spark. Jazz elements are noticeable in the wind solos of
"For Free" and "Conversation," exhibiting an important influence that
would extend as late as Mingus. The unusually poignant desolation of
"The Arrangement" would surface more strongly in Blue. A number of the
selections here ("Willy" and "Blue Boy") use piano rather than guitar
accompaniment; arrangements here are often more colorful and complex
than before, utilizing cello, clarinet, flute, saxophone, and
percussion. Mitchell sings more clearly and expressively than on prior
albums, most strikingly so on "Woodstock," her celebration of the
pivotal 1960s New York rock festival. This number, given a haunting
electric piano accompaniment, is sung in a gutsy, raw, soulful manner;
the selection proves amply that pop music anthems don't all have to be
loud production numbers. Songs here take many moods, ranging from the
sunny, easygoing "Morning Morgantown" (a charming small-town portrait)
to the nervously energetic "Conversation" (about a love triangle in the
making) to the cryptically spooky "The Priest" (presenting the speaker's
love for a Spartan man) to the sweetly sentimental classic "The Circle
Game" (denoting the passage of time in touching terms) to the bouncy and
vibrant single "Big Yellow Taxi" (with humorous lyrics on ecological
matters) to the plummy, sumptuous title track (a celebration of
creativity in all its manifestations). This album is yet another
essential listen in Mitchell's recorded canon.
by David Cleary
Credits
Arranged By [Assisted On Arrangements For Cello] – Don Bagley
Baritone Saxophone – Jim Horn
Cello – Teressa Adams
Clarinet, Flute – Paul Horn
Composed By, Arranged By – Joni Mitchell
Percussion – Milt Holland
Vocals [Bop Vocal By] – The Saskatunes
Vocals, Guitar, Cover, Piano – Joni Mitchell
1971 - Blue
01. All I Want 03:34
02. My Old Man 03:34
03. Little Green 03:27
04. Carey 03:03
05. Blue 03:05
06. California 03:50
07. This Flight Tonight 02:52
08. River 04:05
09. A Case Of You 04:23
10. The Last Time I Saw Richard 04:16
00:36:13
Sad,
spare, and beautiful, Blue is the quintessential confessional
singer/songwriter album. Forthright and poetic, Joni Mitchell's songs
are raw nerves, tales of love and loss (two words with relative meaning
here) etched with stunning complexity; even tracks like "All I Want,"
"My Old Man," and "Carey" -- the brightest, most hopeful moments on the
record -- are darkened by bittersweet moments of sorrow and loneliness.
At the same time that songs like "Little Green" (about a child given up
for adoption) and the title cut (a hymn to salvation supposedly penned
for James Taylor) raise the stakes of confessional folk-pop to new
levels of honesty and openness, Mitchell's music moves beyond the
constraints of acoustic folk into more intricate and diverse territory,
setting the stage for the experimentation of her later work. Unrivaled
in its intensity and insight, Blue remains a watershed.
by Jason Ankeny
Credits
Drums – Russ Kunkel (tracks: 4, 6, 9)
Guitar – James Taylor (tracks: 1, 6, 9)
Steel Guitar [Pedal Steel] – Sneeky Pete (tracks: 6, 7)
Written-By – Joni Mitchell
1972 - For The Roses
01. Banquet 03:01
02. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire 04:17
03. Barangrill 02:51
04. Lesson In Survival 03:11
05. Let The Wind Carry Me 03:56
06. For The Roses 03:48
07. See You Sometime 02:56
08. Electricity 03:01
09. You Turn Me On I'm A Radio 02:39
10. Blonde In The Bleachers 02:42
11. Woman Of Heart And Mind 02:38
12. Judgement Of The Moon And Stars (Ludwig's Tune) 05:19
00:40:25
On
For the Roses, Joni Mitchell began to explore jazz and other influences
in earnest. As one might expect from a transitional album, there is a
lot of stylistic ground explored, including straight folk selections
using guitar ("For the Roses") and piano ("Banquet," "See You Sometime,"
"Lesson in Survival") overtly jazzy numbers ("Barangrill," "Cold Blue
Steel and Sweet Fire," and hybrids that cross the two "Let the Wind
Carry Me," "Electricity," "Woman of Heart and Mind," "Judgment of the
Moon and Stars"). "Blonde in the Bleachers" grafts a rock & roll
band coda onto a piano-based singer/songwriter main body. The hit single
"You Turn Me on I'm a Radio" is an unusual essay into country-tinged
pop, sporting a Dylanesque harmonica solo played by Graham Nash and lush
backing vocals. Arrangements here build solidly upon the tentative
expansion of scoring first seen in Ladies of the Canyon. "Judgment of
the Moon and Stars" and "Let the Wind Carry Me" present lengthy
instrumental interludes. The lyrics here are among Mitchell's best,
continuing in the vein of gripping honesty and heartfelt depth exhibited
on Blue. As always, there are selections about relationship problems,
such as "Lesson in Survival," "See You Sometime," and perhaps the best
of all her songs in this genre, "Woman of Heart and Mind." "Cold Blue
Steel and Sweet Fire" presents a gritty inner-city survival scene, while
"Barangrill" winsomely extols the uncomplicated virtues of a roadside
truck stop. More than a bridge between great albums, this excellent disc
is a top-notch listen in its own right.
by David Cleary
Credits:
Bass – Wilton Felder
Composed By – Joni Mitchell
Drums – Russ Kunkel
Harmonica – Graham Nash
Percussion – Bobbye Hall
Strings – Bobby Notkoff
Woodwind [Woodwinds], Reeds – Tommy Scott
1974 - Court And Spark
01. Court And Spark 02:46
02. Help Me 03:22
03. Free Man In Paris 03:03
04. People's Parties 02:15
05. The Same Situation 02:57
06. Car On A Hill 03:02
07. Down To You 05:38
08. Just Like This Train 04:24
09. Raised On Robbery 03:06
10. Trouble Child 04:00
11. Twisted 02:21
00;36:58
Joni
Mitchell reached her commercial high point with Court and Spark, a
remarkably deft fusion of folk, pop, and jazz which stands as her
best-selling work to date. While as unified and insightful as Blue, the
album -- a concept record exploring the roles of honesty and trust in
relationships, romantic and otherwise -- moves away from confessional
songwriting into evocative character studies: the hit "Free Man in
Paris," written about David Geffen, is a not-so-subtle dig at the
machinations of the music industry, while "Raised on Robbery" offers an
acutely funny look at the predatory environment of the singles bar
scene. Much of Court and Spark is devoted to wary love songs: both the
title cut and "Help Me," the record's most successful single, carefully
measure the risks of romance, while "People's Parties" and "The Same
Situation" are fraught with worry and self-doubt (standing in direct
opposition to the music, which is smart, smooth, and assured from the
first note to the last).
by Jason Ankeny
Credits
Bass – Max Bennett
(tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 9, 11)
Composed By – Joni Mitchell
(tracks: 1 to 10)
Drums, Percussion – John Guerin
Electric Guitar – Larry Carlton
(tracks: 1 to 5, 7, 8, 11)
Electric Piano –
Joe Sample
Producer, Vocals, Piano, Painting – Joni Mitchell
Woodwind, Reeds – Tom Scott
1975 - The Hissing Of Summer Lawns
01. In France They Kiss On Main Street 03:19
02. The Jungle Line 04:26
03. Edith And The Kingpin 03:37
04. Don't Interrupt The Sorrow 04:05
05. Shades Of Scarlett Conquering 04:59
06. The Hissing Of Summer Lawns 03:01
07. The Boho Dance 03:50
08. Harry's House / Centerpiece 06:48
09. Sweet Bird 04:12
10. Shadows And Light 04:17
00:42:38
Joni
Mitchell evolved from the smooth jazz-pop of Court and Spark to the
radical Hissing of Summer Lawns, an adventurous work that remains among
her most difficult records. After opening with the graceful "In France
They Kiss on Main Street," the album veers sharply into "The Jungle
Line," an odd, Moog-driven piece backed by the rhythms of the warrior
drums of Burundi -- a move into multiculturalism that beat the likes of
Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, and Sting to the punch by a decade. While not
as prescient, songs like "Edith and the Kingpin" and "Harry's House --
Centerpiece" are no less complex or idiosyncratic, employing minor-key
melodies and richly detailed lyrics to arrive at a strange and beautiful
fusion of jazz and shimmering avant pop.
by Jason Ankeny
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar – Joni Mitchell
(tracks: 1 to 4, 8)
Bass – Max Bennett
(tracks: 1, 5, 6 to 8), Wilton Felder
(tracks: 3 to 4)
Drums – John Guerin
(tracks: 1, 3 to 7)
Electric Guitar – Larry Carlton
(tracks: 3 to 5, 8)
Electric Piano – Victor Feldman
(tracks: 1, 5)
Flute – Bud Shank
(tracks: 3, 9 to 7)
Guitar – Robben Ford
(tracks: 1, 3)
Trumpet – Chuck Findlay
(tracks: 6, 8)
Vocals, Mixed By, Illustration, Design – Joni Mitchell
Written-By – Joni Mitchell
1976 - Hejira
Tracklist
1 Coyote 5:00
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Lead Guitar – Larry Carlton
Percussion – Bobbye Hall
2 Amelia 6:00
Lead Guitar – Larry Carlton
Vibraphone – Victor Feldman
3 Furry Sings The Blues 5:03
Bass – Max Bennett
Drums – John Guerin
Harmonica – Neil Young
4 A Strange Boy 4:15
Lead Guitar – Larry Carlton
Percussion – Bobbye Hall
5 Hejira 6:35
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Clarinet – Abe Most
Percussion – Bobbye Hall
6 Song For Sharon 8:30
Bass – Max Bennett
Drums – John Guerin
7 Black Crow 4:20
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Lead Guitar – Larry Carlton
8 Blue Motel Room 5:03
Acoustic Guitar – Larry Carlton
Bass – Chuck Domanico
Drums – John Guerin
9 Refuge Of The Roads 6:37
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Drums – John Guerin
Horns – Chuck Findley, Tom Scott
00:51:55
Joni
Mitchell's Hejira is the last in an astonishingly long run of top-notch
studio albums dating back to her debut. Some vestiges of her old style
remain here; "Song for Sharon" utilizes the static, pithy vocal
harmonies from Ladies of the Canyon's "Woodstock," "Refuge of the Roads"
features woodwind touches reminiscent of those in "Barangrill" from For
the Roses, and "Coyote" is a fast guitar-strummed number that has
precedents as far back as Clouds' "Chelsea Morning." But by and large,
this release is the most overtly jazz-oriented of her career up to this
point -- hip and cool, but never smug or icy. "Blue Motel Room" in
particular is a prototypic slow jazz-club combo number, appropriately
smooth, smoky, and languorous. "Coyote," "Black Crow," and the title
track are by contrast energetically restless fast-tempo selections. The
rest of the songs here cleverly explore variants on mid- to slow-tempo
approaches. None of these cuts are traditionally tuneful in the manner
of Mitchell's older folk efforts; the effect here is one of subtle rolls
and ridges on a green meadow rather than the outgoing beauty of a
flower garden. Mitchell's verses, many concerned with character
portraits, are among the most polished of her career; the most striking
of these studies are that of the decrepit Delta crooner of "Furry Sings
the Blues" and the ambivalent speaker of "Song to Sharon," who has
difficulty choosing between commitment and freedom. Arrangements are
sparse, yet surprisingly varied, the most striking of which is the
kaleidoscopically pointillistic one used on "Amelia." Performances are
excellent, with special kudos reserved for Jaco Pastorius' melodic bass
playing on "Refuge of the Roads" and the title cut. This excellent album
is a rewarding listen.
by David Cleary
1977 - Don Juan's Reckless Daughter
Tracklist
1 Overture-Cotton Avenue 6:35
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Drums – John Guerin
Guitar,vocals – Joni Mitchell
2 Talk To Me 3:40
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Guitar,vocals – Joni Mitchell
3 Jericho 3:25
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Bongos – Don Alias
Drums – John Guerin
Guitar,vocals – Joni Mitchell
Saxophone [Soprano] – Wayne Shorter
4 Paprika Plains 16:19
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Drums – John Guerin
Orchestrated By, Orchestra [Conducted By] – Michael Gibbs
Piano, Vocals – Joni Mitchell
Saxophone [Soprano] – Wayne Shorter
5 Otis And Marlena 4:05
Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Joni Mitchell
Electric Guitar – Larry Carlton
Percussion [Snare Drum] – John Guerin
Piano – Michel Colombier
6 The Tenth World 6:45
Bongos – Jaco Pastorius
Congas, Lead Vocals [Lead Voice] – Manolo Badrena
Congas, Vocals – Don Alias
Drums [Surdo] – Airto
Vocals – Alejandro Acuna, Chaka Khan, Joni Mitchell
7 Dreamland 4:37
Congas – Manolo Badrena
Cowbell – Jaco Pastorius
Drums [Surdo] – Airto
Percussion [Shakers] – Alejandro Acuna
Percussion [Snare Drum] – Don Alias
Vocals – Chaka Khan, Joni Mitchell
8 Don Juan's Reckless Daughter 6:40
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Bells [Ankle Bells] – Alejandro Acuna
Guitar, Vocals – Joni Mitchell
Percussion [Shakers] – Don Alias
9 Off Night Backstreet 3:22
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Drums – John Guerin
Orchestrated By – Michael Gibbs
Vocals – Glenn Frey, J. D. Souther, Joni Mitchell
10 The Silky Veils Of Ardor 4:02
Guitar, Vocals – Joni Mitchell
A
big chunk of the pop audience Joni Mitchell had earned with Court and
Spark in 1974 deserted her in 1975 and 1976 when the follow-ups, The
Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira, proved more difficult works. With
the pretentious double album Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, Mitchell lost
many of the loyal fans who'd stuck with her from the beginning, but
who, upon hearing her here as she spread her obscure poetic observations
and thin melodies across whole sides of the album, found her disengaged
from the close, personal observations that filled her best songs. This
was Mitchell's last album to go gold.
by William Ruhlmann
1979 - Mingus
01. Happy Birthday 1975 (Rap) 00:57
02. God Must Be A Boogie Man 04:35
03. Funeral (Rap) 01:07
04. A Chair In The Sky 06:42
05. The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey 06:33
06. I's A Muggin' (Rap) 00:07
07. Sweet Sucker Dance 08:04
08. Coin In The Pocket (Rap) 00:11
09. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines 03:22
10. Lucky (Rap) 00:03
11. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat 05:36
00:37:23
In
the months prior to the passing of legendary jazz bassist Charles
Mingus, Joni Mitchell had been personally summoned by the bop pioneer to
collaborate on a musical version of T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets. The
project would entail Mitchell to condense the text for Mingus to score
instrumentally. He planned on utilizing a full orchestra, as well as the
more traditional guitar and bass. They would accompany Mitchell's
vocals and the narration of selected portions of the text. After a few
weeks of consideration, Mitchell's reaction was that "[she]'d rather
condense the bible." Mingus then bestowed Mitchell with six melodies --
"Joni I" through "Joni VI" -- penned specifically for her. Mitchell
spent a few weeks with Mingus -- who was totally immobilized from
amyotropic lateral sclerosis (aka Lou Gehrig's Disease) -- during the
spring of 1978. Their partnership advanced the half-dozen tunes. More
importantly, it shook Mitchell from a three-month long writer's
block/drought -- yielding two of her best late-'70s compositions: "God
Must Be a Boogie Man" and the revisitation and completion of a track
she'd been wood-shedding, now titled "The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey."
Incidentally, the former piece was inspired by the opening chapters of
Mingus' autobiography, Beneath the Underdog. Initial recordings during
Mitchell's stay with Mingus in New York City produced several
interesting experimental sessions with the likes of Stanley Clarke
(bass), Jan Hammer (keyboards), John McLaughlin (guitar), Gerry Mulligan
(baritone sax), and Tony Williams (drums). A few of these recordings --
while rumored to have been lost, destroyed, or made otherwise
unavailable -- were leaked into the trading community in the late '90s.
Arguably, Mitchell could not have chosen any finer musicians than the
sextet she ultimately incorporated into this work. The luminaries
include Herbie Hancock (electric piano), Wayne Shorter (soprano sax),
Jaco Pastorious (bass/horn arrangements), Peter Erskine (drums), Don
Alias (congas), and Emil Richards (percussion). Sprinkled amongst these
soulfully jazzy pieces are five "raps," or aural snapshots of the time
Mitchell and Mingus spent together. Sadly, Charles Mingus passed before
he was able to listen to this timeless and ageless paean to his
remarkable contributions to bop and free
by Lindsay Planer
Credits:
Arranged By [Horns] – Jaco Pastorius
(tracks: 9)
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Congas – Don Alias
Drums – Peter Erskine
Electric Piano – Herbie Hancock
Featuring – Charles Mingus
Guitar, Vocals, Mixed By, Painting [Paintings] – Joni Mitchell
Percussion – Emil Richards
Soprano Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
