Joni Mitchell has always been one of my favorite singer-songwriters in more ways than one. First of all, she isn't afraid to follow her own creative Muse wherever it leads her (akin to Miles Davis' modus operandi through all periods of his musical career). Second of all, she has always been the adventurous type from a musical standpoint. Third, her lyrics are honest as much as they are heartfelt; she's an awesome teacher, offering up her lessons in, on & about life through song. Finally, she's one of the most important singer-songwriters of all time, based on all of the above reasons which I just gave.
Court and Spark, released in 1974, was Joni's highwater point as far as mainstream/commercial success went. Her follow-up & equally worthy sequel to C&S, 1975's The Hissing of Summer Lawns, would be a different story. Not only was it more challenging but also slightly less accessible; in a sense, she was making a statement of intent that she wasn't about to repeat the same formula twice. And she wasn't going to recreate Court and Spark all over again. She wholeheartedly saw to it that she wouldn't either. This may have been the end of the line for her from a commercial standpoint; but somehow THOSL has become one of her most enduring masterpieces ever as JM tackles incisively & prophetically all the good & bad that goes with the American Dream.
This would also serve as a transformation for Joni from a lyrical standpoint; in assessing the American Dream through the entire 10-song program, she also became a critic of sorts & this kind of criticism only could come from personal experience, as a few of my favorite tracks will attest:
(1) "Shades of Scarlett Conquering": This song paints a picture of a woman at odds with herself, both personally & from a moral standpoint. At the same time, it reveals a woman struggling to find her true identity in this world (dreaming on making it big on the silver screen) & really hurting as a result of these conflicts she is facing.
(2) the title track. A pretty descriptive track about the superficial, loveless, materialistic life the female protagonist is living out big time (as with so many others long well over 3 decades after this tune was recorded, & one of the strongest points on all of THOSL, BTW).
(3) "Harry's House/Centerpiece": It's all about a dude who's great to be around on the job but when it comes to his family life, he's a miserable failure & his wife & kids are feeling it. Like the title track, this tune (as well as Centerpiece, which JM didn't write but was done in appreciation of her jazz roots & to connect the dots with the song's key character, Harry) is an ode on the bored housewife, trying to make sense of her existence with the man she's with since love doesn't seem to factor into the equation.
(4) "Sweet Bird": On being human & how powers, ideals & beauty, even though they thrive, reach a point where they lose their luster & fade away, as well as time itself.
THOSL, about 30-odd years after it was recorded, is not only a supreme gem in Joni Mitchell's discography but also one of the more defining albums she ever released. Love her or hate her for being extremely adventurous (& she always has been that type of artist) but looking back on this masterpiece of compelling songcraft & social commentary, you can't help but appreciate her efforts that much more. And this would be a perfect intro to Joni's next phase in her musical adventure, 1976's Hejira. Gotta love artists who love to take risks from the heart.
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