A Tribute To Joni Mitchell - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Tribute records live or die by the performers' ability to interpret the subject's work in new and inventive frameworks, or by how well they evoke the spirit of the original recordings. Joni Mitchell's poetic folk and jazz offers infinite possibilities for the former, which makes the notion of this collection by indie rockers, pop divas, and country and folk practitioners most appealing. Not surprisingly, for most of the men it turns out to be more of an intellectual exercise than an emotional foray (Elvis Costello's harder take on "Edith and the Kingpin," Sufjan Stevens's jumbled sonic landscape on "Free Man in Paris"). But there are some breathtaking performances from the women, starting with Bjoerk's wide-eyed cover of "The Bojo Dance" and moving on to Cassandra Wilson's mahogany-voiced "For the Roses," Emmylou Harris's devastating reading of "The Magdalene Laundries," and Sarah McLachlan's goosebump-raising "Blue," where her vocals approximate Mitchell's so thoroughly some folks might be fooled. Hands down, the most peculiar track is Prince's doo-woppy "A Case of You," which nearly defies description. The project got started in the late '90s and was finished only recently, which probably accounts for a stilted unevenness and seeming lack of continuity. Think of this as an interesting companion to Mitchell's vast and vital body of work. But the revered Lady of the Canyon doubtless deserves a far more comprehensive and well-executed homage. --Alanna Nash

Album Description
A Tribute to Joni Mitchell features a strikingly eclectic roster of artists who share Mitchell's fierce intelligence, musical sophistication, and boundary-pushing experimentalism. The creative interpretations of some of her best-known songs illustrate Mitchell's breadth as a composer and lyricist while putting something of a unique flavor on the chosen songs.

Customer Reviews: Read 49 more reviews...

2 out of 5 stars

Sloppy Tribute May 2, 2007
64 out of 81 found this review helpful

This is no "Return Of The Grievous Angel". Sadly they use admirers of Joni Mitchell's music instead of artists who would really know how to make some decent renditions. This CD is good for about three listens before it ends up collecting dust in the music rack. James Taylor and Sarah McLachlan fit for Joni's style (Folk, Jazz & World) and that is about it. Who should be here? Pat Metheny, Shawn Colvin, C.S.N.& Y., Jackson Browne, Judy Collins, David Wilcox, Richard Thompson, Arlo Guthrie, O'2L, Steely Dan, John Gorka, Carly Simon, Laura Coyle, Robben Ford and Loreena McKennitt. Maybe even Rickie Lee Jones and Joni could kiss and make peace. Let's try a second tribute and get this right. The booklet by the way is a joke. A 2 Star only for Sarah McLachlan's "Blue". Avoid unless you're one of those collectors from A to Z on Joni Mitchell. She deserved way better than this. Save your $$$$ and read the other honest reviews which I didn't.

2 out of 5 stars

Really Disappointing April 30, 2007
44 out of 56 found this review helpful

This disc is not very interesting. The performances are mostly lackluster. The only stand out tracks are Annie Lennox's brilliant reading of Ladies of the Canyon. Lennox has a wonderfully distinctive voice and the synthesizers and Indian instrumentation reminded me plesantly of the Beatles. k. d. lang does a wonderful job on Help Me and James Taylor does a good job on River but I already had that on his holiday release. It was sort of interesting to hear Prince but the rest of the disc is just plain boring.

2 out of 5 stars

Disapointed. Where are the other cuts? April 26, 2007
35 out of 42 found this review helpful

This tribute was announced almost ten years ago, and it seems to have undergone a transformation since then. To be fair, there are some interesting additions such as the Sufjan Stevens and Brad Mehldau tracks. And Emmylou Harris is brilliant. But Sarah McLachlan's "Blue" has been heard before as has Prince's "A Case of You." Earlier reports indicated contributions from heaviweights like Steely Dan and Lindsey Buckingham. I sure would like to have heard what they would have done. Even more disappointing is that Joni's Hejira-Mingus era albums are mostly ignored - and that was her best music, in my opinion. As a final indignity, it sounds to me that too much compression was added in the mastering phase, and hence the overall sound quality of the CD is lacking in dynamics.

2 out of 5 stars

Overdue Yet Underweight April 26, 2007
25 out of 32 found this review helpful

This tribute disc was originally announced way back in 1996, and several of the tracks were recorded not long thereafter. No doubt there is an interesting story behind both the delays and the absence of some songs that were promised on a track list released circa 2000. Stevie Wonder was said to have recorded or to be recording "Woodstock," PM Dawn "Night And The City," and Janet Jackson "The Beat Of Black Wings" -- none of these made the final cut, if indeed they were ever recorded. I wish I could say that what *was* released was well worth the wait, but in truth, it has a whiff of anticlimax about it, for several reasons.

In the plus column, the song selection is less hackneyed than it could have been. A heavy 1970s bias is unfortunate though perhaps unavoidable (only one song dates from later than 1978), but some "obvious" choices have been thankfully bypassed (no "Big Yellow Taxi"; no "Chelsea Morning"; most shockingly, no "Both Sides Now"). However, this offers weak compensation for a good deal of questionably chosen material and/or bland performances; a haphazard, slapped-together quality; and a deflating familiarity factor -- the project has been gestating for so long that several tracks have surfaced over the years on the artists' individual releases.

Mitchell was an eminently deserving singer/songwriter for such a tribute as this, but the intensely personal nature of her material always has made her a challenging writer to cover. Many of the lyrics of her great songs are wedded with such specificity to her own relationships, opinions, and personal circumstances that they simply won't "travel" well. (To hear "Song For Sharon," "Chinese Cafe," "The Last Time I Saw Richard" or "Little Green" from anyone else would sound odd if not ludicrous, like copying a page from another person's diary into one's own.) Cassandra Wilson hits that particular snag with "For The Roses," a primo Mitchell composition that should have been left to Mitchell. As interesting a recreative artist as Wilson is, it seems pointless for someone else to be giving voice to Joni's snapshot musings on the music industry and her place in it circa 25 years ago, written while on sabbatical. I wish that Wilson had instead chosen a more objective piece from the same album, "Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire," an alternately abstract and graphic song about addiction; she could have owned that.

Annie Lennox's "Ladies Of The Canyon," fine in and of itself, likewise seems an odd match of a mature, polished artist and "diva" personality with a song that, to my ear, represents pre-BLUE Mitchell at her most "precious" (in the bad way). There's a certain logic behind the inclusion of jazz pianist Brad Mehldau on the roster -- this overtly acknowledges the important role jazz has played in Mitchell's career, and reminds us of her collaborations with notables such as Mingus, Pastorius, and Shorter. Unfortunately, his instrumental "Don't Interrupt The Sorrow" still seems to belong on a different record; it is jarringly out of place with everything around it. Faithful covers of "Blue" (Sarah McLachlan) and "Dreamland" (Caetano Veloso) add little to the existing versions other than superficial differences at the level of texture; they err on the side of near-reproduction (something that cannot be said of Bjork's slightly eerie, love-it-or-hate-it take on "The Boho Dance"). James Taylor's smooth, affectionate "River" (an increasingly popular choice on holiday albums in recent years) perhaps gains an additional level of interest if one is familiar with his and Mitchell's long personal history (they have occasionally collaborated and were once lovers; she has admitted he was the "you" of "See You Sometime" and other songs of that period).

k.d. lang sings "Help Me" in the same facile, technically stunning but emotionally generalized way she sings everything else these days; one marvels at the voice but sorely misses the thrilling commitment and greater sense of risk in her SHADOWLAND-period singing (not to mention the romantic rush of Mitchell's own version of this song). Still, lang's devotees can add this to "Jericho" and "A Case Of You" from her all-Canadian album, and her duet with Madeleine Peyroux on "River," for a "k.d. Sings the Joni Songbook" EP. Elvis Costello is one of the few singer/songwriters to equal Mitchell for longevity, depth, and breadth, and "Edith And The Kingpin" was a good choice for him, but the version here is an honorable misfire that makes one (again) miss the qualities of Mitchell's original. The warm, gauzy arrangement on HISSING OF SUMMER LAWNS perfectly evoked in sound the song's world of seductive decadence (of women's tired faces being tilted "gently to the spoon"). Costello (in good voice) and his expert sidemen only conjure up a sort of cool lucidity; the result is wholly without atmosphere, even sterile.

So what does work? Well, with all due respect to Ms. Nash (the writer of the fine editorial review above), my reaction to Prince's "A Case Of You" was so different from hers that I wondered if a different recording had been substituted on pressings at the last minute. I was expecting from her description to hear something strange and off-putting; instead, I got a cover that was at once respectful and highly individual -- a pertinent reminder not only of Prince's oft-stated love for Mitchell's work, and its influence on his own, but of the sheer beauty with which he can sing. What a surprise and a joy to hear such easy, supple high notes and effortlessly soaring phrasing from this most hardworking of singers, 30 years into his career! Perhaps wisely, he omits verses one and three (so, no drawing a map of Canada; no meeting a woman with a familiar mouth), but he rearranges the rest with such skill and savvy that you may not even notice their absence. And I hear nothing at all "doo-wop" about this performance, unless Ms. Nash's reference is to the layering of overdubbed vocals, a key feature of both Mitchell's and Prince's recordings. Sharing pride of place is Emmylou Harris, the only artist to attempt a relatively "recent" (1994) composition, and the only one, in my estimation, to surpass the author. I had always considered "The Magdalene Laundries," a first-person song about life in a cruel and austere home for wayward teen girls, to be one of the weaker tracks on TURBULENT INDIGO. Mitchell's version was a gloomy, didactic affair; its prevailing mood was one of indignation at the hypocrisy of the home's ostensibly religious, "charitable" authority figures. Harris, while not changing a word, actually seems to be inside the place in a way that Mitchell was not. She brings a haunting sorrow and pathos to the tale, and makes such a convincing narrator that one completely forgives or forgets that her voice is obviously that of a middle-aged woman (something this listener could not do when hearing Mitchell's original). She made me hear and appraise this song in a new way, and one can pay a cover version no higher compliment than that.

Would that more here were so revelatory. Fans of Mitchell and/or the artists involved will no doubt want to hear this at least once, and it must be said that there is not a track here that is truly "bad." But with the talent of the musicians involved, the vast catalog of songs available to them, and the decade-plus the label has had to put this together, it would not have been churlish to expect more.

4 out of 5 stars

A Fitting Tribute April 28, 2007
14 out of 24 found this review helpful

Only the very best musicians have had tribute albums released by their peers in their lifetime. Frank Sinatra was treated to one exclusively by Tony Bennett; Carole King had an array of artists sing the songs of her most famous work Tapestry; Dolly Parton got the full treatment by country and pop artists alike; while groups such as The Beatles and songwriters such as Harold Arlen and The Gershwins, just to name a few, have had tributes commemorating their collective genius. Add Joni Mitchell to that distinguished crowd, and let it be known that she belongs rightfully alongside them.

A Tribute to Joni Mitchell is stellar. The album kicks off with one of her most commercial radio singles, "Free Man In Paris," performed by folk artist Sufjan Stevens. He combines his soft vocal with whispery jabs. The song opens with an assault of trumpets that are interspersed throughout the track. It's one of the most interesting and alternative interpretations on the disc.

Bjork's vocals are as unique as the fabulous selection "The Boho Dance," from Mitchell's 1975 opus The Hissing of Summer Lawns. She gives the song a quiet, electronic feel that is surprisingly warm and inviting. This song springs right into Brazilian sensation Caetano Veloso's interpretation lifted from Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, and it's the perfect selection for the Bossa Nova shake and the sound of the snare drum that takes us on his journey into Mitchell's "Dreamland."

The only instrumental selection on the CD is pianist Brad Mehldau's rendition of Mitchell's "Don't Interrupt the Sorrow," which is another selection lifted from The Hissing of Summer Lawns. As lovely as this song is, and as skillfully as the piano is played, I missed hearing the original lyrics written by Mitchell. 88 keys still work just fine but it made me long for Joni's vocal accompaniment.

The lovely Cassandra Wilson does magic with the title track to 1972's For The Roses. This is a splendid song selection from Ms. Wilson, and the harmonica and softly strummed guitar were all her smoky vocal needed to do this poem the justice it deserves.

It's no secret that Prince is a huge fan of Ms. Mitchell's. He has stated so on several occasions and was thrilled to offer his unique take on one of his (and my) favorite Mitchell songs, "A Case of You." Prince's falsetto and emotional delivery is flawless.

Sarah McLachlan appears on this album interpreting her previously released "Blue," the title track from one of Mitchell's most cherished albums. McLachlan's take is one of the most gorgeous on this album, due in large part to her interpretive style and her crystalline vocals.

Once you hear Annie Lennox's vocal open up on the extraordinary title track from Mitchell's third album, Ladies of the Canyon, it's clear that she's not only a fan, she's made this composition all her own. Speaking of extraordinary vocals, does it get any better than Emmylou Harris following McLachlan and Lennox? The hat trick pays off as Harris's incredible vocals interpret "The Magdalene Laundries" lifted from Turbulent Indigo. Like Sarah and Annie before her, Emmylou has made the perfect song choice as she makes this stunner all her own. I can only imagine Joni's gratitude to these three astonishing women for treating her "children" as if they were their own.

Elvis Costello chose "Edith and the Kingpin," which is the third selection from The Hissing of Summer Lawns. He treats this composition with kid gloves, and the result is a magnificent, quiet and haunting reading.

Before I even heard k.d. lang's vocals on Mitchell's most successful commercial hit single, "Help Me," lifted from Court and Spark, I could already hear it in my head. Her voice never overpowers the infectious "head-over-heels-in-love-song," but rather she treats it at first with subtle passion and then lets loose as her voice melts over the gorgeous melody and lyrics until the result is utterly breathtaking. This is just another reminder of why Ms. lang is so important to the musical landscape.

The expression is "save the best for last." This could be true with many of Joni Mitchell's songs, but James Taylor wisely chose the most covered Mitchell composition because it never fails to resonate with the listener. This song relates to so many people on so many levels that Taylor and his unmistakable vocal couldn't miss. He's as clear as he was when he was "Sweet Baby James," and his interpretation of this most beloved Mitchell song is the reason why she is as important as she was, is, and always will be.

This tribute is just a taste of the Canadian-kid turned California-girl that writes songs of the human soul and spirit. Joni Mitchell is one of the most prolific singer/songwriters of the late 20th century. Her compositions are hailed by her peers as some of the finest of all time, and if it's twelve reasons you need to hear why, this album is proof enough.

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