Joni Mitchell's Essential Bronze Strings, 'Broken Trees & Ivories': "Blue"

(Hejira photo sessions, 1976)

(Blue photo sessions, 1971)

[Stage direction: setting, corner of Horatio and Cedar, Hyde Park in Tampa -- rock writer with CD boombox writing about A Case of You [quoted in part below] in the yard east of the front stoop. A fetching chestnut-haired woman rounds the corner -- hearing Ms. Mitchell sing this tune of hers. The woman stops her jeep in front of the writer, as if she needs directions. The woman, in an elated voice, asks, "What's that you're playing? I love that ...." [End of Epigram on discussion of quotes below with a lay preacher / neighbor:]

".... Just a little green Like the color when the spring is born
There'll be crocuses to take to school tomorrow ...."
( -- from Little Green, ((c)[Joni], 1967)

" .... I met a woman
She had a mouth like yours
She knew your life She knew your devils and your deeds
And she said, "Go to him, stay with him if you can
But be prepared to bleed ...."

( -- from A Case of You, (c)[Joni], 1971)

Blue: this record is all Joni -- a raw poet with a hell of an octave range and a seductive rhythm all her own.

All the hand-picked supporting players are gently blended into the music under Ms. Mitchell's extraordinary direction.

Stephen Stills' additions to the cut Carey turn it into a certified rocker by adding a sparkling rhythm, melody line and bass guitar.

On California, All I Want and A Case of You, James Taylor, somehow, plays his second acoustic guitar (behind Joni) in perfect harmony with Mitchell's. 1971 James Taylor studio work, here (on Blue) and also on Carole King's Tapestry, is as good as it gets. Embedded in Joni's trademark, irreproducible rhythms on acoustic guitar, Taylor's guitar is as translucent as lace.

And keep an ear out for pedal steel guitarist "Sneaky Pete".

After that epigram above, I shall wrap up my thoughts by calling your attention to Ms. Mitchell's broken-trees-and-elephant-ivories piano, superb as always.

Nuff said. This one's truly essential, essential blue.

Yo, Cobain, Hendrix, Van Zandt, and Patsy fans -- so you think you don't like classical music?

One of the reasons why Carnal Reason blog taking a sabbatical is a necessary but, for us, nasty medicine -- rest assured, the editor deserves the time off -- is the guiding vision it provides, agree or not.

Case in point:

Bachbusters

Are you a fan of any of the music in the categories on the right sidebar? If you think you don't care for, or indeed dislike, classical music -- think again, dude. The Editor-on-Sabbatical of Carnal Reason turned me on to J. S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor on 3rd generation Moog synthesizers. Trust me, it rocks!

Rest in Peace, Robert Moog.

See you soon, Ciceronian blogger.

May the rain fall softy on your fields.
(-- an Irish toast)

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Speaking of Lou Reed Covers ....

Nobody, ever, did a better version of the haunting Sweet Jane better than Cowboy Junkies on both SNL in '89 and also on their best album, The Trinity Session.

Shwweeeettt!

The Definitive C&W Cover of "Sunday Morning"

Ms. Cook demolishes the original Velvet Underground version of this Lou Reed song with a satin C&W sledgehammer. Check her cover of Sunday Morning out -- for sure. This is an Music Editor's Pick (single): Four Stars.

And she can bait her own hook, in a cocktail dress, on the pier, out back of the bar, where the gig is -- you down with that, dudes and dudettes? Satin Mojo folks. I gai-raunnn-teee.

The Zen of Making Mix Tapes

The best resource on how to make a mix-tape (or mix-CD) is co-producer and male-lead actor John Cusack's excellent film High Fidelity. As Cusack (Rob [Gordon]) explains, "There are lot's of rules."

This is my second post on mix-tapes. Here is the set list from the best multi-artist mix I ever made, that, as you will see, wasn't a velvet grenade tossed at a current love interest of mine. I made this one fo' me:
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Blood on My Hands (compiled by FJK on 6Apr06)

Track list:

Little Baby Rolling Stones (studio /rehearsal cut off live album Stripped.

Blood Kacy Crowley -- her album Moodswing

Billy The Kid Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; their contribution to the
2000 edition of the Oxford American Southern Sampler (CD insert
in one copy per year of the Oxford American magazine).

Kind of Perfect Kacy Crowley -- her album Moodswing

Badass Kacy Crowley -- her album Tramps Like Us

Hot `Lanta The Allman Brothers Band, The Best of

Our Lips Are Sealed Go-Go's -- (album not known)

Shotgun Down the Avalanche Shawn Colvin, her contribution to 1988's Theodore - An Alternative Music Sampler

Bandit Neil Young & Crazy Horse, from the concept album and film Greendale

Sense of Purpose The Pretenders; album Packed

Shake Your Hips Rolling Stones double album: Exile on Main Street

Maria's Bed Bruce Springteen: Devils and Dust

Leah Bruce Springteen: Devils and Dust

Sunny Day Deana Carter, her album The Story of My Life

Foolin' Myself Billie Holiday: compilation The Great Billie Holiday (Disc 2)

The Seventh Son Mose Allison his contribution to the
2000 edition of the Oxford American Southern Sampler (CD insert
in one copy per year of the Oxford American magazine).

Whatever Way the Wind Blows Kelly Willis, her contribution to the
2000 edition of the Oxford American Southern Sampler (CD insert
in one copy per year of the Oxford American magazine).

Locked Away Keith Richards and the X-Pensive Winos: Live at the Hollywood Palladium December 15, 1988.
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