Excellent and thorough examination of Joni’s work. I agree with you that Hissing and Hejira get better and better as you age, like it’s waiting for you to catch up to everything they’re saying. We’ll agree to disagree about Night Ride Home, and throwing a Modest Mouse reference in there was pure gold. Great read!
Thanks for this about my all time fave singer songwriter. I agree with your album rankings. So knowledgeable from someone so young! I was a teen when I bought her first album and frequented Laurel Canyon back then. Though too young to get into too much trouble unfortunately.
Great summary, Marshall - thanks! I think that Mitchell is THE singular genius of popular music in the last 75 years. (I'm not including bands here.) Her sense of rhythm is astonishing - she sings like a jazz singer while she is playing some insanely complicated guitar tunings and chords and singing poetry from the angels. My favorite record of hers is "Hejira." It is profound in its depiction of a woman's interior and exterior journeys through love and landscape. Jaco - another great genius - brings himself to the forefront as an equal, and the result is magic. "Court and Spark" is also a masterpiece. I am not drawn to "Blue" the way others are, although "River" is a classic for all time. I never liked "Carey," or even "A Case of You." Heresy, I know, but I think the analogy of "A Case of You" is not as sophisticated as her other work. "Miles of Aisles" was the first record of hers I bought, and so I have a soft spot for it. "The Last Time I Saw Richard" is one of her greatest songs. Let's also remember that Prince loved "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" and "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter," which is good enough for me. Neil Young famously said that Joni Mitchell "may be the greatest of us all." There is no maybe for me. Dr. Vicki Burrichter, Professor of Humanities and Artistic Director, Boulder Chorale P.S. Taylor Swift is similar to Dylan - great lyrics, average voice, average musicality. I will never get it.
Thanks for stopping by, Dr. Burrichter! Agreed with pretty much everything you said about Mitchell, although I adore "Carey" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard" is perhaps a little too cynical for me. Dylan has a great voice! No one sings like him. Disagree about the musicality too - the organ on "Visions of Johanna" means much to me, as does the rhythm section of John Wesley Harding and the electric guitar of Bringing It All Back Home. Those textures and tones swim in my head forevermore.
Thanks, Marshall! I love Dylan, don't get me wrong. And he has wisely used great musicians to buoy him throughout the years. But to compare the stunning serpentine, jazz-influenced melodies and brilliant tunings of Mitchell to his pedestrian melodies...I don't see it. Also, Dylan is one of the most cynical songwriters ever - and even nasty, at times (along with his optimism, of course), so I don't see that either. Thanks for the conversation - I appreciate your work!
Excellent and thorough examination of Joni’s work. I agree with you that Hissing and Hejira get better and better as you age, like it’s waiting for you to catch up to everything they’re saying. We’ll agree to disagree about Night Ride Home, and throwing a Modest Mouse reference in there was pure gold. Great read!
Thanks for this about my all time fave singer songwriter. I agree with your album rankings. So knowledgeable from someone so young! I was a teen when I bought her first album and frequented Laurel Canyon back then. Though too young to get into too much trouble unfortunately.
Great summary, Marshall - thanks! I think that Mitchell is THE singular genius of popular music in the last 75 years. (I'm not including bands here.) Her sense of rhythm is astonishing - she sings like a jazz singer while she is playing some insanely complicated guitar tunings and chords and singing poetry from the angels. My favorite record of hers is "Hejira." It is profound in its depiction of a woman's interior and exterior journeys through love and landscape. Jaco - another great genius - brings himself to the forefront as an equal, and the result is magic. "Court and Spark" is also a masterpiece. I am not drawn to "Blue" the way others are, although "River" is a classic for all time. I never liked "Carey," or even "A Case of You." Heresy, I know, but I think the analogy of "A Case of You" is not as sophisticated as her other work. "Miles of Aisles" was the first record of hers I bought, and so I have a soft spot for it. "The Last Time I Saw Richard" is one of her greatest songs. Let's also remember that Prince loved "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" and "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter," which is good enough for me. Neil Young famously said that Joni Mitchell "may be the greatest of us all." There is no maybe for me. Dr. Vicki Burrichter, Professor of Humanities and Artistic Director, Boulder Chorale P.S. Taylor Swift is similar to Dylan - great lyrics, average voice, average musicality. I will never get it.
Thanks for stopping by, Dr. Burrichter! Agreed with pretty much everything you said about Mitchell, although I adore "Carey" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard" is perhaps a little too cynical for me. Dylan has a great voice! No one sings like him. Disagree about the musicality too - the organ on "Visions of Johanna" means much to me, as does the rhythm section of John Wesley Harding and the electric guitar of Bringing It All Back Home. Those textures and tones swim in my head forevermore.
Thanks, Marshall! I love Dylan, don't get me wrong. And he has wisely used great musicians to buoy him throughout the years. But to compare the stunning serpentine, jazz-influenced melodies and brilliant tunings of Mitchell to his pedestrian melodies...I don't see it. Also, Dylan is one of the most cynical songwriters ever - and even nasty, at times (along with his optimism, of course), so I don't see that either. Thanks for the conversation - I appreciate your work!