Help! - MOJO

[mala_D]

Rick - lol.

 

I think Hejira [correct sp] is 1976. I do recomend it.

 

I'll check the ones you've mentioned now. Just getting into her stuff myself.

 

This Virginia Astley one is a bit of a slow burner from what I hear. It's acoustic and got a lot of naturalistic sounds [i.e. trees rustling and bees buzzing etc] all in the background I think...and not at all like Floyd's Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict.

 

Whether it lives up to the reviews is another matter. They didnt have a sample on Amazon...so I dont know!

[G Angel]

Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender

 

One of the releases of 2004 to be sure, you'll enjoy it if you can get past the whiny voice which can irritate at times. This was my fanzine review:

 

"I know JN is "the latest thing" in some circles, and the kookie lyrics and minimal harp / acoustic backings are interesting, but the strained and grating neo-authenticity of her voice is difficult to accept on first listens. I hope it's her natural voice. As to the tunes, they're undeniably pleasant, but I wouldn't describe any as essential. I find the sing-along 'Inflammatory Writ' the most memorable track, which is a little disappointing." Actually, after a few more listens, 'This Side of the Blue' is an outstanding track.

 

TMEM is her third release, following two self-released CDs which will probably get re-released in time You also want to be careful about this 'new US folk revival' banner which rags such as MOJO tend to use without really thinking about things, JN, Devendra Banhart et al. DB is heavily influenced by Marc Bolan's pre-electric Tyrannasaurus Rex days (not a bad thing, but folk?), for example. It's great, but nothing like the new Joni or Sandy, I'm afraid. More influenced by the true greats of GB / US folk which I recommend you check out if you like this sort of thing - Shirley Collins / Vashti Bunyan's 'Just Another Diamond Day' / even Comus' 'First Utterance' which is a little more toward the pagan side of things!

[Chubbhead EFM]

I was thinking of getting some of Joni Mitchell's stuff, but I don't know much about her. Any recommendations?

[mala_D]

Can only reccomend what I have already, chubbhead.

 

Hejira:

The music is sparse, but not bleak. Much of the song themes tend to deal with "travelling" and journeys".

It's sophisticated and "adult" and not at all like the emptyness of Stadium Rock...it's intelligent, and a little "jazzy" in feel. A good one to play in the background, with the lights low, while sharing a bottle of rioja with a member of the opposite sex.

 

JM's guitar is mostly chorused throughout and a few of the songs have Jaco Pastorius [former Weather Report and holder of Best Bass Player Ever award until his murder]...and are simply backed with unfussy percussion. Neil Young plays harmonica on one track.

 

The opening track sounds like the opening bars of the Stones "Waiting on A Friend"...but, of course the Stones copied her!

 

Very wordy..like much of JM and Dylan. And she does her trademark "chuckle" on a couple of occasions.

 

Downside: Personally, I find some of the album's lyrics difficult to relate to as much of the travelling imageries refer to Canadian/American landmarks etc. I'd understand it better if she mentioned Dagenham, or Brick Lane. <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

 

Hope this helps.

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

G Angel - nice one, cheers.

 

Chubbster - get Blue for starters. I've got her first one on delivery and expect that to be one of her best too.

 

I've also got a compilation of her called "Hits". First half is brilliant, but once you get to late 70s and 80s stuff, it becomes truly dreadful.

 

 

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

Blimey, G Angel. You weren't joking about the voice, were you!

 

Sounds like a mixture of Janice from Friends, and Yoko Ono!!

 

 

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

 

Joni Mitchell definitely the pick of the three, then!

 

Only recently realised that Paul Simon is wearing a duffle coat with the hood up there - spent years thinking it was some bizarre Valderrama-type hairstyle he had in the early 70s!

 

Ahhh, those were the days! You wouldn't get Busted or Robbie Williams pictured on the front of their debut album wearing a duffle coat!!

 

Off for some beverage now - laters losers.