Joni Mitchell – Shine – Universal Music (2007)/Craft Recordings CR00182 180-gram stereo vinyl, 46:57 ****1/2:
Craft Recordings has released a 180-gram vinyl of Joni Mitchell’s Grammy-winning final album.
(Joni Mitchell – piano, synthesizer, guitar, vocals; Bob Sheppard – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Greg Leisz – pedal; steel guitar; Brian Blade – drums; Larry Klein – bass, double bass; Pauhlina Da Costa – percussion; James Taylor – acoustic guitar)
It is difficult to accurately summarize the impact of singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell. With nine Grammy awards and induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, the Canadian-born musician has ascended to the pantheon of late 60’s early 70’s performers. Her philosophical, musically diverse observations of love, ecology and culture were the epitome of the burgeoning Laurel Canyon collective. Mitchell paid her dues in the 60’s as a struggling folk performer in Toronto. There, she had a small breakthrough when Tom Rush recorded “Urge For Going”. Other songs were covered by Judy Collins (“Both Sides Now” also done by Dave Van Ronk/ “Chelsea Morning”), and fellow Canadian female pioneer Buffy Sainte-Marie (“The Circle Game”). Inevitably Mitchell was signed to a major label and released her debut Song For A Seagull. But in 1969, Clouds earned her first Grammy and included her own versions of “Chelsea Morning” and “Both Sides Now”. Mitchell’s stunning mezzo-soprano voice and unconventional chords (including over 50 guitar “open” tunings) captivating music listeners. Her next album Ladies Of The Canyon was more popular, yielding the moodier “Woodstock” (on electric piano) and the environmental anthem “Big Yellow Taxi”. Mitchell achieved huge commercial success with Blue. In 1974, she pursued a jazz-fusion influence on Court And Spark. She earned four Grammys for this. That style would define her later career with albums like The Hissing Of Summer Lawns, Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter and Mingus. She wound down touring and in 2002 released Travelogue, widely considered to be her final project.
To the surprise of many, Joni Mitchell still had something to say. In 2007, she released Shine and added another chapter to her legacy. Craft Recordings has released a 180-gram vinyl (only one) of the artist’s first collection of new material in 9 years. With some participation from studio players, Mitchell delivers a pared-down musical vision, primarily accompanying herself on piano and synthesizers. Side A opens with the glowing instrumental, “One Week Last Summer”. As described in the liner notes, there are seven verses corresponding to the days in a week. Mitchell’s leads off with a coyly rythmic piano in quasi 3/4 time. She expands with a variety of synth-driven riffs that approximate reeds (with vibrato) and a vocal chorus. Bob Sheppard’s alto saxophone is a nimble organic counterpoint. “This Place” embraces the Native American environmental theme with a syncopated country vibe, as Greg Leisz adds pedal steel guitar. Mitchell’s voice register has dropped to alto, but her command of singing is still compelling. Her nuanced jazzy phrasing (with some twang) infuses the song with engagingly crisp accents. The mood darkens on “If I Had A Heart”. With a mournful synth groove and trademark chord transitions, the dismal state of the human condition is delivered with resentment. Words like hate, cruelty, genocide, suicide, funeral pyre and phrases like big bombs and barbed wire depict a hopelessness. There is a lyrical musical flow before the ending plaintive notes. Certainly more aspirational, “Hana” is a celebration (though somewhat guarded) of the tenacity of a woman trying to make things better in the world. It is pulse-driven with tracked backup vocals. A soprano saxophone brings a lilting resonance to the number. “Bad Dreams” has a strikingly gorgeous melody with a touch of gospel. This is juxtaposed against social angst. Modern terms like “cell phone zombies” and ‘shopping malls” are symbols of a world without grace and empathy. Opposing reflections (…”who will shoulder the blame or learn from past mistakes/Bad dreams are good in the final plan…”) expose the dichotomous exasperation of the songwriter.
Side B begins with a re-worked version of “Big Yellow Taxi (2007)”. The crisp tempo on acoustic guitar still has a pleasant jauntiness. Mitchell’s commentary of “…They paved paradise and they put up a parking lot” is timeless. With a nod to inflation, the tree museum now charges an “arm and a leg just to see ‘em”. All of the instrumentation on this track is performed by Joni Mitchell. With a Latin-infused groove, “Night Of The Iguana” is an abstract travelogue. Evocative lyrics (…”The jasmine is so mercilessly sweet/Can you hear the castanets…”) help to establish the exotic context. There are references to the Tennessee Williams play and its fragile characters. An electric guitar and bass (Larry Klein) change the musical tenor. “Strong And Wrong” is unmitigated protest with feminist underpinnings. The title track is a quintessential Mitchell composition with a haunting melody. It is hypnotic, dream-like ambience with a fluent arrangement. Intermingled with the cautionary warnings of evaporating seas and Frankenstein technologies is an aspirational litany of benediction to shine light on all things, good and bad. The finale (“If”) is a reworked Rudyard Kipling poem. The upbeat (for this album) narrative is framed by finger-snapping, cool jazz.
Craft Recordings has done a superior job in transforming Shine to 180-gram vinyl. Bernie Grudman’s mastering is adroitly meticulous. Mitchell’s is still in fine voice and exudes subtlety and depth. The synthesizers are glowing, and the acoustic instruments are prominent in the mix.
TrackList:
Side A: One Week Last Summer; This Place; If I Had A Heart; Hana; Bad Dreams
Side B: Big Yellow Taxi (2007); Night Of The Iguana; Strong And Wrong; Shine; If
—Robbie Gerson
