A singer, composer and lyricist of exceptional talent and unmatched influence, Joni Mitchell has crafted an extraordinary body of work spanning more than 40 years and is widely regarded as one of the brightest musical lights of recent generations. Fans, fellow musicians and critics have delighted in an ever-evolving creative journey, with songs both universal and profoundly personal. Her music has become a standard to which others are compared and which many aspire to copy, but its inventiveness and ineffable spirit make it decidedly her own. Explore the musical magnificence of Joni Mitchell.
This wonderfully varied release shows a number of new tendencies in Joni Mitchell's work. 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.
No longer the wistful folkie, Joni had by now joined the late 60s rock fraternity through her association with Graham Nash. Her lyrics had acquired an originality, which she expanded on Blue and For The Roses, but it was the quality of the songs that made them classics of the era. "For Free" was recorded by David Crosby and the re-formed Byrds, and CSNY turned "Woodstock" into a full-blown rock number. Joni's own definitive stamp remains on the much-covered "The Circle Game," the ecology-conscious "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Willy," her song for her then 'old man' Nash.
"...Ladies Of The Canyon revealed a more confident singer-songwriter. Still restless and introspective, her music showed more lyrical maturity and rhythmic drive compared to her previous release, the 1969 Grammy award winning Cloudsj. Her delicate vocals seemed to have gained another octave as she reached deeper to convey her feelings about life, love and its complexities...[the album] provided a personal platform on which she could paint her ever-evolving canvas. Conflicted between her desire for love and a need for independence, Mitchell expressed a variety of emotions based on her experiences, including those in Laurel Canyon. Like her earlier work, its optimistic - but its also significantly more mature in outlook. The hopes and dreams of a generation of California baby boomers may be gone, but we still have this album to listen to. Essential." - Michael Fremer, analogplanet, Music 10/11, Sound 10/11
Features:
Pressed at R.T.I. on 180g Vinyl!
Gatefold jacket
Selections:
1. Morning Morgantown
2. For Free
3. Conversation
4. Ladies of the Canyon
5. Willy
6. The Arrangement
7. Rainy Night House
8. The Priest
9. Blue Boy
10. Big Yellow Taxi
11. Woodstock
12. The Circle Game
This wonderfully varied release shows a number of new tendencies in Joni Mitchell's work. 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.
No longer the wistful folkie, Joni had by now joined the late 60s rock fraternity through her association with Graham Nash. Her lyrics had acquired an originality, which she expanded on Blue and For The Roses, but it was the quality of the songs that made them classics of the era. "For Free" was recorded by David Crosby and the re-formed Byrds, and CSNY turned "Woodstock" into a full-blown rock number. Joni's own definitive stamp remains on the much-covered "The Circle Game," the ecology-conscious "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Willy," her song for her then 'old man' Nash.
"...Ladies Of The Canyon revealed a more confident singer-songwriter. Still restless and introspective, her music showed more lyrical maturity and rhythmic drive compared to her previous release, the 1969 Grammy award winning Cloudsj. Her delicate vocals seemed to have gained another octave as she reached deeper to convey her feelings about life, love and its complexities...[the album] provided a personal platform on which she could paint her ever-evolving canvas. Conflicted between her desire for love and a need for independence, Mitchell expressed a variety of emotions based on her experiences, including those in Laurel Canyon. Like her earlier work, its optimistic - but its also significantly more mature in outlook. The hopes and dreams of a generation of California baby boomers may be gone, but we still have this album to listen to. Essential." - Michael Fremer, analogplanet, Music 10/11, Sound 10/11
Features:
Pressed at R.T.I. on 180g Vinyl!
Gatefold jacket
Selections:
1. Morning Morgantown
2. For Free
3. Conversation
4. Ladies of the Canyon
5. Willy
6. The Arrangement
7. Rainy Night House
8. The Priest
9. Blue Boy
10. Big Yellow Taxi
11. Woodstock
12. The Circle Game
