Today we have Joni Mitchell's ninth studio album Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. Released in 1977, the album is noted for being her most experimental work up to that point and, as with her past few albums, is jazz-influenced. It was first double album and mostly received mixed reviews upon release.
Always experimental, often boring, and occasionally derivative of Hejira, this is also Mitchell's most ambitious musical statement and it'd probably be just as interesting (more?) as Hejira if it was shortened to a single album--the 16 minute "Paprika Plains" is one of the songs that needs to go--and if her previous album didn't exist. Unfortunately, "just as interesting" wouldn't mean "just as good" and the excess material here delegitimizes most of the good songs like the title track, which musically sounds exactly like "Coyote." B-
(Scroll down for a ranking of Mitchell's best albums!)
Well, we finished Joni Mitchell! As usual, she released more albums after this, but most of them aren't as highly praised as what we've covered, so the full reviews are stopping here. Joni Mitchell is one of the best musicians I've ever gone through and she'll very likely place second among the best artists I listened to this year.
Lyrically, she's more poetic than Bob Dylan, but overall their lyrics are basically of equal value. The one disappointing thing about her is that (from what I've gathered from Robert Christgau's reviews and other sources) it is unlikely that any of her albums past this will score higher than a B+. This is especially disappointing when compared to other equally talented contemporaries Dylan and Young.
I recommend listening to her albums from Song to a Seagull to Hejira if are interested in getting into Mitchell. Make sure you listen to each of them several times before deciding your opinion because, like I mention below, some of her albums take time to fully digest (especially first and second place).
Here's a ranking of her albums worth checking out (B+ or higher):
5. Hejira (1976):
Too precisely done, stretched-out, and monotoned, but it's a classic anyway and the songwriting is some of her best. "Coyote"! B+
4. Ladies of the Canyon (1970):
The production is so excellent that after listening to this, I lost complete interest in her previous work and I still haven't returned to a single song from Clouds or Song to a Seagull. Mitchell first introduces piano on this album and she's been a legend ever since. A good place to start. B+
3. Court and Spark (1974):
Mitchell's full embrace of pop is incredible and it'd be easy to put this over For the Roses (not that I definitely would) if not for "Twisted Child." Court and Spark is unfortunately the last album with Mitchell at her peak power but this shouldn't concern you while listening to it. Another good place to start. A-
2. For the Roses (1972):
"You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio" was technically her first hit song (recorded by her), but today it's somewhat of a deep cut in Mitchell's catalogue. So is, unfortunately, this entire album, which can be just as hypnotic as Blue when you give it a chance. Surprisingly, I found it to be the easiest of her albums to get into behind Ladies of the Canyon. I fell in love with it before even reading the lyrics and after I read them, she immediately became my second favorite artist I've started this year. A
1. Blue (1971):
Despite the fact that this is rightly and consistently ranked as one of the greatest albums of all time, it's unlikely to make that much of an impression on you for the first three listens at least--heck, I even thought it was a little overrated when I reviewed it (which would have been ten listens in at least). Although I liked it a great deal, a mostly acoustic album didn't seem to me to warrant such praise and I envisioned it barely making my top ten albums of the year. I'm embarrassed to even admit that now. A
Here's the link to her discography page where all her albums are reviewed.