I did a Janet Jackson review a while back - where I really enjoyed one track called 'Got Til It's Gone'. Well, that song sampled an old Joni Mitchell track, which just so happens to be on this record. Follower janis! asked me to review the original, just to get my feedback on it. So here I am...getting to Joni Mitchell. Is it just me, or have my reviews been even more erratic lately? I mean, in a fun way - just really off the wall. Anywho - Mitchell was from Toronto, but moved to New York City in her 20's so she could be a part of the booming folk rock revolution. She dropped her first album in 1968 - which saw moderate success. It wasn't until Woodstock one year later, where she got noticed, and in a big way. Her career overall has seen TONS of ups and downs. She settled in California during her career. Changed her sound to a jazz style for a while - and then had a large series of music industry 'flops'. Her career saw a very successful resurgence in 2006 or so - but I don't think she's done anything huge in the last half a decade. She now is fighting an incurable disease known as Morgellons syndrome. I don't know much about it, but she has made public comments stating that it is slowly killing her. Very sad. She has a very unique guitar style, and it's fun to listen to. Big Yellow Taxi is one of very few songs I know from her. It's a solid song - nothing I'm in love with. It's clearly given many other artists ambition to cover it - not just Janet. For that reason, I encourage everyone to give her a listen. She's provided a model for many other artists to follow - and given plenty of inspiration. Let me know what you think!
TRACK LISTING:
1. Morning Morgantown
2. For Free
3. Conversation
4. Ladies of the Canyon
5. Willy
6. Arrangement, The
7. Rainy Night House
8. Priest, The
9. Blue Boy
10. Big Yellow Taxi
11. Woodstock
12. Circle Game, The
Listen To Samples
Top 3 Tracks:
1. For Free (love the piano and vocal)
2. Ladies Of The Canyon
3. Big Yellow Taxi
FINAL RATING:
3.25 out of 5 stars
i love joni mitchell's voice but i can't listen to the folk music very long. just not for me. i do actually love the song 'california,' which is on album Blue. culled that one for a theme playlist - California Songs (creative, no?) - and it's one of my favorite songs. but yes, she is very influential on a lot of artists.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big folk guy either. I like her voice, but not enough to listen for hours and hours.
ReplyDeleteInteresting on the Cali songs. Hopefully Going To California is on there by Zeppelin, California Love by Pac and Going Back to Cali by Biggie.
B.I.G. did not make the CD version (time constraints) but should be on the itunes master version. and of course led zep is on there, and of COURSE tupac is on there. i'll refrain from listing them all here.
ReplyDeleteBah! I'm going-going, back-back, to cali-cali.
ReplyDeleteGreat tune.