The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)
- Thread starter RobMCFC
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FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
I love Carlton’s solo on KC too, but guitar, schmitar. Let’s talk about the fretless bass. Pastorius absolutely MAKES this record, or at least the songs he plays on. More later.
Bill Walker
Well-Known Member
Jaco was a freak. The Hendrix of Bass. What a horribly sad end to his short life.
And the guy who killed him basically walked free.
Joni Mitchell...Hejira
Liked the voice and the stories in the songs.
But found the guitar and tunes very samey and it made listening a bit of chore.
The opening track Coyote found myself thinking of Waiting on a Friend by the Stones and enjoyed that and Amelia the next track.After that lost interest due to the above and got bored after a good start.
If she ever comes back to Spotify I would more than likely investigate a best off but this recording not for me on the whole.
Still another good pick.5/10.
Liked the voice and the stories in the songs.
But found the guitar and tunes very samey and it made listening a bit of chore.
The opening track Coyote found myself thinking of Waiting on a Friend by the Stones and enjoyed that and Amelia the next track.After that lost interest due to the above and got bored after a good start.
If she ever comes back to Spotify I would more than likely investigate a best off but this recording not for me on the whole.
Still another good pick.5/10.
I'll probably end up saying very similar things to what I said about the Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed albums previously, and that is kind of how I feel about it. I can appreciate the musical qualities in there, but it is not for me.
Similar contrasts there, find the singing and voice (on this album, rather than in general) quite laboured, and the melodies and instruments very rich. Some good storytelling, some felt a bit stretched out. The youtube way of listening with interruptions, ads and such, didnt help.
Furry sings the blues and blue motel room are two songs I enjoyed the most.
Somewhere between a 5 and a 6 for me. If I let her decision to pull her music from spotify influence it, which I will, a 5.
Similar contrasts there, find the singing and voice (on this album, rather than in general) quite laboured, and the melodies and instruments very rich. Some good storytelling, some felt a bit stretched out. The youtube way of listening with interruptions, ads and such, didnt help.
Furry sings the blues and blue motel room are two songs I enjoyed the most.
Somewhere between a 5 and a 6 for me. If I let her decision to pull her music from spotify influence it, which I will, a 5.
OB1
Well-Known Member
I'm not a big fan of the singer / song writer genre but I do own 3 of Joni's albums on cd and one of them is Hejira.
It's a nice album. Her voice is lovely. The playing by Carlton and Pastorious is excellent. The lyrics are interesting.
I'l go with 7/10.
It's a nice album. Her voice is lovely. The playing by Carlton and Pastorious is excellent. The lyrics are interesting.
I'l go with 7/10.
Mancitydoogle
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I was really looking forward to this, given JM’s reputation and my love of the track ‘Coyote’ , sadly it didn’t get any better.The songs and musicianship were excellent and I liked a number of other songs namely’Hejira’ and ‘Refuge of the Roads’. but a number of songs sounded very similar.As I’ve mentioned before I’m not a big fan of
female singers , i don’t mind Joni’s voice I just felt a whole album was too much.
Like others have said listening on ‘You Tube’ does it no favours , I’ll have to revise my next choice as it’s also not available on Spotify.
I think a 6 but ‘Coyote’ is such a great song I’ll give a 7.
female singers , i don’t mind Joni’s voice I just felt a whole album was too much.
Like others have said listening on ‘You Tube’ does it no favours , I’ll have to revise my next choice as it’s also not available on Spotify.
I think a 6 but ‘Coyote’ is such a great song I’ll give a 7.
FogBlueInSanFran
Well-Known Member
I've expressed before how pop music falls into two camps for me: music you sit and listen to, and music you get up and move to. I have always been much more a movement guy, but that's not to discount records for ears-only -- I like plenty of ambient, for instance, and I grew up with a dad from Texas, so I listened to Charlie Rich and Merle Haggard and and Tom T. Hall and Glen Campbell. What's really hard to pull off is a record that fits both categories, like Paul Simon's "Graceland", or some of Johnny Cash, or a lot of Steely Dan's catalog (which is what makes them so fucking great). And as I listened to "Coyote" I thought maybe we'd have a contender. Sadly, though, it's a unique song here -- the rest of the record is for listening to, which makes it less appealing. But not UNappealing.
I read a number of you describe this as jazzy in feel (and apparently critics did too), but I actually found it more avant-folk (or avant-easy listening) than jazzy. A lot of that jazzy feel comes down to how Mitchell so often ditches hooks and meldoies and rolls with grooves -- not grooves as in dance grooves, but sonic grooves, helped immensely by the coming and going of different improv instruments, and held together on half the songs by the impeccable Jaco Pastorius. I do love the fretless bass (Tony Levin makes the later versions of King Crimson bearbale and adds a lot to Peter Gabriel's work) and when played by the undisputed master, he's going to add a special something to anything he plays on. The avant aspect almost made me think of Laurie Anderson in parts -- an artist for whom I have a particular affinity (because she has a sense of humo(u)r -- notably lacking here).
This isn't jazz to me (save maybe "Blue Motel Room") because it's the singing that's the boat and the music that's the river, whereas in jazz (save for certain great vocalists -- e.g. Billie Holiday), it's all river with maybe a key instrumentalist as a boat. Mitchell''s voice is astounding, and she moves from note to note so effortlessly, and sometimes almost conversationally, which is really winning. And while I find her lyrics (as with many 60s/70s hippie poets) as over-complicated and dense when there's no need for them to be, there are some turns of phrase that work solely because of how she sings them. It's a very winning formula.
As for individual songs, like many of you, "Coyote" leapt out of the i-phone as the clear winner just on the groove alone, but the imagery in the song is also much more direct than in the other songs too. I did really like one many of you haven't mentioned -- "A Strange Boy" -- and "Song for Sharon" to has a lilt that's very pleasant and honest (though I could do without the length and the superfluous back up singers). "Hejira" works okay too. "Black Crow" is a fine tune that ups the intensity and the volume. But there is a definite sameness (despite the subtley in approach) among all the songs that links them (like a long journey). But like being on an extended freeway drive (at least in America, or, probably Canada), the scenery all blends together after awhile. In part, I'd bet that's the effect she's going for. Songs rise, and fade away, when they could have stopped two minutes earlier, or gone on another two, and no one would have known the difference. Maybe in her terms, the "road" is series of men, all lovers, some casual, some serious, all of whom have created a series of observations worthy of song in her mind (even if not in mine).
The best thing I can say is that I've missed a talent here vocally not having heard more JM, and I'm impressed with the experimentation (and the use of one of my fave side musicians), production and craft. Moreover, this makes me want to listen to her earlier stuff. But stylistically I can't see spending a great deal more time with this record. For a "listen", I'll stick with Steely Dan. They're still the kings. 6/10.
I read a number of you describe this as jazzy in feel (and apparently critics did too), but I actually found it more avant-folk (or avant-easy listening) than jazzy. A lot of that jazzy feel comes down to how Mitchell so often ditches hooks and meldoies and rolls with grooves -- not grooves as in dance grooves, but sonic grooves, helped immensely by the coming and going of different improv instruments, and held together on half the songs by the impeccable Jaco Pastorius. I do love the fretless bass (Tony Levin makes the later versions of King Crimson bearbale and adds a lot to Peter Gabriel's work) and when played by the undisputed master, he's going to add a special something to anything he plays on. The avant aspect almost made me think of Laurie Anderson in parts -- an artist for whom I have a particular affinity (because she has a sense of humo(u)r -- notably lacking here).
This isn't jazz to me (save maybe "Blue Motel Room") because it's the singing that's the boat and the music that's the river, whereas in jazz (save for certain great vocalists -- e.g. Billie Holiday), it's all river with maybe a key instrumentalist as a boat. Mitchell''s voice is astounding, and she moves from note to note so effortlessly, and sometimes almost conversationally, which is really winning. And while I find her lyrics (as with many 60s/70s hippie poets) as over-complicated and dense when there's no need for them to be, there are some turns of phrase that work solely because of how she sings them. It's a very winning formula.
As for individual songs, like many of you, "Coyote" leapt out of the i-phone as the clear winner just on the groove alone, but the imagery in the song is also much more direct than in the other songs too. I did really like one many of you haven't mentioned -- "A Strange Boy" -- and "Song for Sharon" to has a lilt that's very pleasant and honest (though I could do without the length and the superfluous back up singers). "Hejira" works okay too. "Black Crow" is a fine tune that ups the intensity and the volume. But there is a definite sameness (despite the subtley in approach) among all the songs that links them (like a long journey). But like being on an extended freeway drive (at least in America, or, probably Canada), the scenery all blends together after awhile. In part, I'd bet that's the effect she's going for. Songs rise, and fade away, when they could have stopped two minutes earlier, or gone on another two, and no one would have known the difference. Maybe in her terms, the "road" is series of men, all lovers, some casual, some serious, all of whom have created a series of observations worthy of song in her mind (even if not in mine).
The best thing I can say is that I've missed a talent here vocally not having heard more JM, and I'm impressed with the experimentation (and the use of one of my fave side musicians), production and craft. Moreover, this makes me want to listen to her earlier stuff. But stylistically I can't see spending a great deal more time with this record. For a "listen", I'll stick with Steely Dan. They're still the kings. 6/10.
Bill Walker
Well-Known Member
I don't this it's outright Jazz either, her work changes over time with different albums. Drawing from folk, pop, rock, classical, and jazz. She can sing very well in the style and feel of Jazz, especially free Jazz.
Jazz musicians have over the years been drawn to her, the highly esteemed jazz band leader and bassist Charles Mingus contacted her and they ended up collaborating for the album "Mingus".
Pat Metheny, Jaco, John Guerin, Tom Scott, Chuck Domanico and various other horn players have collaborated on her songs giving a jazz "feel" with intricate timing and chordal structures. She flirts with Jazz as she does with other genre's.
I too love Steely Dan, I think them and mid to later Joni both leaned heavily in a Jazz direction. But neither imo were out and out Jazz. (she wasn't jazz in the way that Amy Winehouse was).
I'd class Dan as Jazz/Rock fusion and Joni as Folk/Jazz fusion.
Damn I hate genre's, it's all music at the end of the day.
Flashback: Joni Mitchell Gigs With Jazz All-Stars in 1979
"We want to be considered a musical event," the singer-songwriter said of her touring band featuring Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker and other stellar improvisers
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BlueHammer85
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I really wanted to like this! But … I just couldn’t
Joni Mitchell has always been on my plans to listen too and I’m grateful to finally listen to one her albums properly- being a massive Dylan fan i really was hoping I’d get a similar experience- but nothing clicked.
She clearly is a unique talent, has a great voice, the production sounds great and there’s nice instrumentation all the way through
‘Coyote’ and ‘Amelia’ were a strong start but found the rest a struggle, much to my annoyance.
Thanks for the pick though and a great write up to present this Album
5/10
Joni Mitchell has always been on my plans to listen too and I’m grateful to finally listen to one her albums properly- being a massive Dylan fan i really was hoping I’d get a similar experience- but nothing clicked.
She clearly is a unique talent, has a great voice, the production sounds great and there’s nice instrumentation all the way through
‘Coyote’ and ‘Amelia’ were a strong start but found the rest a struggle, much to my annoyance.
Thanks for the pick though and a great write up to present this Album
5/10