From: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org (onlyJMDL Digest) To: onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Subject: onlyJMDL Digest V2007 #129 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-onlyjoni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/onlyjoni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe onlyJMDL Digest Sunday, April 29 2007 Volume 2007 : Number 129 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- BMR [missblux@googlemail.com] anyone tracking reviews of the new JM tribute CD? ["Michael O'Malley" ] Songs you repeat? [Motitan@aol.com] Re: BMR [Motitan@aol.com] Re: BMR [missblux@googlemail.com] Re: BMR [Dave Blackburn ] Tribute (Bjork) and Cleaning ["Happy The Man" ] Re: Songs you repeat? [Bob Muller ] Blue Motel Room [srobe444@aol.com] Re: Songs you repeat? [Motitan@aol.com] Re: Miles Beyond [Wtking59@cs.com] Re: anyone tracking reviews of the new JM tribute CD? ["L. Bruce Vaughn" ] Joni Mitchell's WOHAM DVD ["L. Bruce Vaughn" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 14:49:03 +0100 From: missblux@googlemail.com Subject: BMR Well said Dave, also about the criticism which I didn't know about. I had never thought of how it has a different style to the other songs. But you are right, the way it is different is also the way it is outstanding. Just listened to it again, some 18 times... wow... Bene Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 10:50:53 -0700 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: In defense of Blue Motel Room Much has been said (and no doubt remains to be said) about the philosophical depth of certain songs on Hejira (Hejira, Refuge of the Roads, Amelia) as well as others which offer rich Shakespearean character portraits (Old Furry, Coyote, A Strange Boy, possibly even the absent Sharon by inference). Blue Motel Room appears, on the surface, to contain neither; It has an easy swing groove from another era (the romantic Bing Crosby era that Joni grew up in and loved--as she describes in the WOHAM DVD). Some feel that its torch ballad vibe is out of place stylistically on the album, and that the sentiments are relative fluff compared to the penetrating insights and poetic craft so evident on the Hejira album as a whole. I offer these thoughts: Blue Motel Room reveals a side of Joni seldom shown before or after: namely, sweetness. Vulnerability is all over Blue of course, and self reflection is everywhere in her career, but there's a particular sweetness in her plain language here: "will you still love me when I get back to L.A town" or "I hope you'll be thinking of me, because I'll be thinking of you, when I'm traveling home alone." Perhaps "See you Sometime" shows a similar side of Joni but I can't think of many other examples from her work of such unguarded softness and femininity. As such, I think the song offers an almost unique angle of this most complex woman. Here she is the opposite of the tough worldly rock star, the later political ranter or the sardonic commentator on humanity's baseness. Joni the girl is still visible here. Dare I say it, but it's sexy... Then thematically, on a road album, what could be more apt than home sickness in a drab motel room in the pouring rain in the opposite corner of the continent from where you live? Road adventures when alone usually contain more of that feeling than exciting liaisons or spiritual awakenings, even though she manages all three on this legendary trip (that we all wish we were a fly on the wall for). As Joni often does, she word associates heavily in this song: on the word "Blue", not for the first or last time. Blue bedspread, blue motel room, the blues inside and outside my head (no doubt suggesting the relaxed blues feel of the music to her). For a painter, what could come more naturally than seeing the connections between and connotations of colors. The poet is still crafting language threads even with her "high falutin'" switch turned off. I also love the cold war metaphor, anachronistic as it became. She probably saw some TV news in her blue motel room with some Soviet/US developments about peace talks and instantly wove that beautifully into the song. BMR, as acronymic BM calls it, is a lovely piece of colored cloth that fits into Hejira's rag rug in a gentle and most sensuous way. I love it... Dave ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 14:50:59 +0000 From: "Michael O'Malley" Subject: anyone tracking reviews of the new JM tribute CD? To my surprise, I found a review of the new tribute disc in my local, french-language newspaper. They gave it 3 out of 5 stars. They felt it was only a half-success, which is often the fate of such tribute discs. Versions which are too close to the original suffer by comparison, while versions that stray too far (Sufjan's FMIP and Prince's ACOY) miss the mark. They bemoaned the fact that KD's Help Me dates to 2003, as good as it is. The best thing about it, they conclude, is that it incites us to seek out the original versions, while we patiently wait for the release of Shine. I must say I prefer the version of Taylor's River from the TNT tribute. I feel the one on the new disc is flat by comparison. Michael in Quebec, who is actually getting to like Sufjan's FMIP after all ; - ) ! _________________________________________________________________ Check Out Our List Of Trendy Restaurants. You'll Eat It Up! http://local.live.com/?mkt=en-ca/?v=2&cid=A6D6BDB4586E357F!378 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:16:16 -0400 From: Victor Johnson Subject: Re: BMR On Apr 28, 2007, at 9:49 AM, missblux@googlemail.com wrote: > Well said Dave, also about the criticism which I didn't know about. I > had never thought of how it has a different style to the other songs. > But you are right, the way it is different is also the way it is > outstanding. > > Just listened to it again, some 18 times... wow... > > Bene > Yes, very eloquent response Dave. And Bene, I was driving around this morning, running some errands (actually putting together a costume for the Inman Park Festival Parade...a festival which I played at with Kate Bennett back in the day...lol)...anyway, I was listening to Dave Matthews Band, Live at the Gorge, and must have played "The Space Between" over and over about 20 some odd times. I just love this song, one of the best love songs ever written IMO. Victor NP: Mama Cass Elliot "Make Your Own Kind of Music", forever etched in my mind with Desmond from LOST ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:24:48 EDT From: Motitan@aol.com Subject: Songs you repeat? Dave Matthews Band, Live at the Gorge, and must have played "The Space Between" over and over about 20 some odd times. I just love this song, one of the best love songs ever written IMO - ------------------------------------------------------------------ Thanks. Your discussion made me think of a question. Are there any Joni songs that you ALMOST ALWAYS or ALWAYS press repeat? I know I've got songs by Joni (and other bands/artists) that just do not get away with one listen. Call me crazy but some songs are like that. So, do you have any songs like that? - -Monika P.S. If you want to name songs by someone other than Joni, feel free but make sure to put that lovely "NJC" on it. ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:39:30 EDT From: Motitan@aol.com Subject: Re: BMR Blue Motel Room reveals a side of Joni seldom shown before or after: namely, sweetness. Vulnerability is all over Blue of course, and self reflection is everywhere in her career, but there's a particular sweetness in her plain language here: "will you still love me when I get back to L.A town" or "I hope you'll be thinking of me, because I'll be thinking of you, when I'm traveling home alone."........................Joni the girl is still visible here. Dare I say it, but it's sexy... - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - ---------------- Hmm, very interesting. I never thought about that song like that. So would you say this is the only song where Joni reveals a "sweet, soft side?" I guess when you think about it, a lot of her songs which may contain a "I love you or him" or whatever sentiment in them also have the questioning of it or the troubles of it and so forth. Even though she has some very lovely love songs there seems to be a darker side to them. I mean, the song "Willy" says you know, that there are still more reasons why she loves the guy but then she goes on asking is it real, etc etc. But that's why I find Joni's love songs to be more realistic (and not pathetic) than the millions of love songs out there that just simply go "I'll love you forever and do anything you want me to." There are a lot of very disturbing love songs written where the speaker is BEGGING their lover to come back or they venture into stalker territory. Just think about some common love songs. They're so bizarre, unrealistic, and sometimes creepy. Of course there are other lovely, love songs written out there as well. But yes, I do find your comments on BMR very interesting. And I do appreciate the sentiment of BMR. I mean, when you listen to BMR you can almost picture yourself in that position alone in a motel room feeling very lonely and thinking of someone else. Joni paints a very vivid picture in that song. - -Monika NP: Tell Me Why- Neil Young ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 16:47:42 +0100 From: missblux@googlemail.com Subject: Re: BMR Hi Victor I never heard that song and don't know the band either but I just read the lyrics... They are kind of harrowing and wild and optimistic at the same time, pretty interesting. I think I need to find out more about that band. You must have had a hectic morning if you've been listening to this all the time! Speaking of festivals I feel pretty cool beause I can say that I was at the Topanga Earth Day Festival last week end. Lesli took me there and we heard her Pete perform - he is a really good drummer. Kakki came along and we had a really nice time. Anyway, am back in the UK and so back to work.... Bene On 4/28/07, Victor Johnson wrote: > > On Apr 28, 2007, at 9:49 AM, missblux@googlemail.com wrote: > > > Well said Dave, also about the criticism which I didn't know about. I > > had never thought of how it has a different style to the other songs. > > But you are right, the way it is different is also the way it is > > outstanding. > > > > Just listened to it again, some 18 times... wow... > > > > Bene > > > > > Yes, very eloquent response Dave. And Bene, I was driving around > this morning, running some errands (actually putting together a > costume for the Inman Park Festival Parade...a festival which I > played at with Kate Bennett back in the day...lol)...anyway, I was > listening to Dave Matthews Band, Live at the Gorge, and must have > played "The Space Between" over and over about 20 some odd times. I > just love this song, one of the best love songs ever written IMO. > > Victor > > NP: Mama Cass Elliot "Make Your Own Kind of Music", forever etched > in my mind with Desmond from LOST ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 08:57:40 -0700 From: Dave Blackburn Subject: Re: BMR Well, as I said Monika, I can't think of many other songs that reveal this same irony-free or doubt-free sweetness; possibly See you Sometime. The tortured intellect is absent here, while the girl needing comfort is visible. Dave On Apr 28, 2007, at 8:39 AM, Motitan@aol.com wrote: > Blue Motel Room reveals a side of Joni seldom shown before or > after: namely, sweetness. Vulnerability is all over Blue of course, > and self reflection is everywhere in her career, but there's a > particular sweetness in her plain language here: "will you still > love me when I get back to L.A town" or "I hope you'll be thinking > of me, because I'll be thinking of you, when I'm traveling home > alone."........................Joni the girl is still visible > here. Dare I say it, but it's sexy... > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------------------ > Hmm, very interesting. I never thought about that song like > that. So would you say this is the only song where Joni reveals a > "sweet, soft side?" I guess when you think about it, a lot of her > songs which may contain a "I love you or him" or whatever sentiment > in them also have the questioning of it or the troubles of it and > so forth. Even though she has some very lovely love songs there > seems to be a darker side to them. I mean, the song "Willy" says > you know, that there are still more reasons why she loves the guy > but then she goes on asking is it real, etc etc. > But that's why I find Joni's love songs to be more realistic > (and not pathetic) than the millions of love songs out there that > just simply go "I'll love you forever and do anything you want me > to." There are a lot of very disturbing love songs written where > the speaker is BEGGING their lover to come back or they venture > into stalker territory. Just think about some common love songs. > They're so bizarre, unrealistic, and sometimes creepy. Of course > there are other lovely, love songs written out there as well. > But yes, I do find your comments on BMR very interesting. And > I do appreciate the sentiment of BMR. I mean, when you listen to > BMR you can almost picture yourself in that position alone in a > motel room feeling very lonely and thinking of someone else. Joni > paints a very vivid picture in that song. > -Monika > NP: Tell Me Why- Neil Young > > > > See what's free at AOL.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:13:40 -0500 From: "Happy The Man" Subject: Tribute (Bjork) and Cleaning Must admit that I really enjoy Bjork's effort on the tribute I like the fact that she is still scared to perform something off of DJRD she says the album is "too immaculate for me". But a simplistic version of the song "Boho Dance" which to me is Joni wishing for simpler times. You might think it lacks emotion, and yet I think it's all emotion. She wants you to hear each lyric as it is.... I left the album on why I went on a ride while my cleaning lady was going through the house. She was still home after my ride and asked me what album it was that was on I said a Joni Mitchell tribute album she said oh I know Joni but I don't remember any of those songs. "Oh What Fools We Mortals Be..." NP: Bjork - The Boho Dance ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 09:09:22 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Muller Subject: Re: anyone tracking reviews of the new JM tribute CD? There are some in the JMDL library: http://www.jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=1589 http://www.jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=1593 http://www.jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=1591 http://www.jmdl.com/library/view.cfm?id=1590 And here's the Rolling Stone review: http://tinyurl.com/2l6k9z Bob NP: Christy Moore, "The Magdalene Laundries" - --------------------------------- Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 15:27:08 EDT From: FMYFL@aol.com Subject: Re: Songs you repeat? Monika asks: > Are there any > Joni songs that you ALMOST ALWAYS or ALWAYS press repeat? The past couple of years, especially when I'm cleaning, I will replay over and over "Night Ride Home". I love singing the song and it always makes me happy. "Hula girls and caterpillar tractors in the sand The ukulele man The fireworks This 4th of July Night Ride Home" Jimmy ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 12:43:46 -0700 (PDT) From: Em Subject: Re: Songs you repeat? funny you should ask. I listened to Blue about 4 times last night. em - --- Motitan@aol.com wrote: > Are there > any > Joni songs that you ALMOST ALWAYS or ALWAYS press repeat? http://www.myspace.com/emzdogz ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 15:46:39 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Muller Subject: Re: Songs you repeat? I've never repeated Joni songs per se, but I have repeated whole albums. HOSL, sometimes. It just seems like it's over too quickly and I have to hear it again. And then there was that time I broke up with a girlfriend in Raleigh, drove to Greenville and played Hejira about 5 times, flipping the LP over & over. As for songs - whenever I hear Prince's "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" I always do a replay. Bob NP: The Police, "The Bed's Too Big Without You" - --------------------------------- Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 20:23:05 -0400 From: srobe444@aol.com Subject: Blue Motel Room My second favorite song on my favorite album. Whoever wrote that a motel song is perfect on a road album hit the nail on the head. I love the easy swing jazz of it. I was going out with this girl at the time - her favorite line was "hangin' on your boom boom pachyderm". Ah well. ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 22:18:17 EDT From: Motitan@aol.com Subject: Re: Songs you repeat? Here are some songs that I normally always repeat that I can think of off the top of my head: - -River - -Free Man In Paris (holds a special place in my heart...my introduction to Joni....) - -Coyote - -Harry's House/Centerpiece - -Get Together - -You Can Close Your Eyes (from a live concert with James Taylor) I'll add more later. There are more. Believe me but I've got to go get ready. So...let's say....to be continued. - -Monika NP: In France They Kiss On Main Street- Miss Joni Mitchell ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 01:13:53 EDT From: Wtking59@cs.com Subject: Re: Miles Beyond The Bobster (scjoniguy@yahoo.com) wrote: >>>it's not like I don't like MOA - I do. But not nearly as much as S&L.<<< That's exactly the way "I" feel--only in reverse! ;-) >>>the *sound* of the band on MOA is dated, (but) I can certainly see how lots of people prefer it to the more challenging avant-fusion sounds on S&L.<<< GREAT, Bob--I know "I" certainly do. I think it depends on which period of Joni's music you most prefer, as I consider the groundbreaking pre-'75 era considerably different from the post-'75 work. And I also feel that the "sound" of the band on MOA has aged very well (okay--maybe "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Carey" are slightly dated). At LEAST they knew something about subtlety and restraint. By comparison--when listening to S&L--I often feel like screaming (to Jaco and Pat): "pick a NOTE, for chrisakes!" (LOL). And yet, I admit that the band on S&L probably WAS her most innovative and challenging group ever. But my point is that "innovative and challenging" doesn't always mean it's the most "appropriate." XXXOOO, Billy NP: 'Pieces of Me' (1971) by Linda Hoyle ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 22:25:20 -0700 From: "L. Bruce Vaughn" Subject: Re: anyone tracking reviews of the new JM tribute CD? Well, I've read a lot of reviews from various web sites, most are mixed, which happens with almost all tribute albums but I think 3 of 5 stars is a tad harsh. I'd personally give it 4 of 5. Dumping the Bjork and James Taylor tracks would get it 4 1/2 stars. Sorry but Bjork gets on my last nerve and does nothing to smooth them here. JT I've been a fan of since is his first Apple album nearly 40 years ago but this was just released a few months ago on his Christmas album so why not pick another Joni track and record it, plus it really doesn't fit the mood of the album well. At least the other recycled tracks are a date few years back or more. The Surfjan Stevens track took me off guard at first but is growing on me as I listen to it more. What to me is more disturbing here is the mastering which I noticed from the first playing. There is an upper end noisy twitter on most of the tracks and most of them are pushed well into the "clipped audio" range. The liner notes credit Bob Ludwig for the mastering and his work through the years has usually been quite exemplary but something went wrong here. I thought maybe I might have gotten a disc with a lot of error bits on it which can corrupt the sound somewhat but put it through the bit analyzer and it only came back with 17 error bits on the whole disc which is a miniscule number compared to the average on most CDs. All in all though I think it's a good effort even if it has a track or two I don't care for and if the reviewers dislike it, they can put the disc you know where.... Probably the same ones that trash this tribute are also ones that trash Joni's albums? Liner Note Trivia: I noticed that Emmylou Harris is working with former producer and ex-husband Brian Ahern again. Surprising. Judging from the timbre in her voice this track has to be recent and she and Ahern parted ways in the mid 80's. Love the track. It and k.d.'s will get the most repeats on my listening queue. Bruce in Tucson > To my surprise, I found a review of the new tribute disc in my local, > french-language newspaper. They gave it 3 out of 5 stars. They felt it > was only a half-success, which is often the fate of such tribute > discs. Versions which are too close to the original suffer by > comparison, while versions that stray too far (Sufjan's FMIP and > Prince's ACOY) miss the mark. They bemoaned the fact that KD's Help Me > dates to 2003, as good as it is. The best thing about it, they > conclude, is that it incites us to seek out the original versions, > while we patiently wait for the release of Shine. > > I must say I prefer the version of Taylor's River from the TNT > tribute. I feel the one on the new disc is flat by comparison. > > Michael in Quebec, > who is actually getting to like Sufjan's FMIP after all ; - ) ! > > _________________________________________________________________ > Check Out Our List Of Trendy Restaurants. You'll Eat It Up! > http://local.live.com/?mkt=en-ca/?v=2&cid=A6D6BDB4586E357F!378 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 22:53:41 -0700 From: "L. Bruce Vaughn" Subject: Joni Mitchell's WOHAM DVD Having loaned my copy of this DVD to a friend who didn't have a very high opinion of Joni in order to convince him otherwise, he seemingly kept it for quite a while, then moved. Figuring I wasn't going to ever get it back I purchased a new copy. In today's mail comes a package with the DVD and a note, that he'd found it unpacking and yes it did change his opinions. Now I have an extra copy so what better to do with it than offer it to anyone on this fantastic group list who may not already own it. First come, first served. The first offlist response I get (earliest time stamp) gets it. This is Region 1 NTSC format so US and Canada only please. I will respond to all requests whether you get it or not, but if you are the first to respond I will then ask for a mailing address. Bruce in Tucson ------------------------------ End of onlyJMDL Digest V2007 #129 ********************************* ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:onlyjoni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe ------- Siquomb, isn't she? (http://www.siquomb.com/siquomb.cfm)