Joni Mitchell - Miles of Aisles
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Free Music Notes for Miles of Aisles
Free Music Review: A+***** Beautiful Songs Performed To Perfection THE BEST!
Hit: 5 Stars
I grew up listening to Joni Mitchell since my sisters played her albums almost constantly, so yes I am biased on my opinion of this artist. Still, how can some people say they prefer the regular recordings to these jazzed, lovely versions? Fools! The reviewer who skips over the last two numbers is a nut!. My favorites ARE the last two songs- "Jericho" and "Love or Money." "Jericho" is beautifully sung and quite moving while "Love or Money" is rocking and played exceptionally well by the jazzy musicians. A friend of mine who had only heard the slow version of "Woodstock" was blown away by the upbeat, live version . In all of the songs, Joni comes across as an exceptionally talented singer! Her later live recordings don't stand up because of the songs chosen. I like later Joni Mitchell music, but this was the peak of her creative energy, when she still had the folk sound but was experimenting with jazzy, more upbeat tempos. What a great CD, EASILY deserving 5 stars!!!!!Free Music Review: 3 1/2* Minority Report: A Disappointing Effort
Hit: 3 Stars
Most of Joni Mitchell's albums merit a 5* rating--she's that good. Unfortunately, this 1974 joint effort with Tom Scott's jazz/rock fusion band is not one of her better albums. The band's sound is too polished, with predictable, dated riffs and electronic hooks (as if Ms. Mitchell needs any of this). Most of all, the band insinuates itself on Ms. Mitchell, rather than complementing her. Fortunately, much of the album is Joni without the full band. The two opening tracks, "You Turn Me On I'm a Radio" and "Big Yellow Taxi," get things off to a bad start. On 'Radio,' there is, at least, one good section where Ms. Mitchell accompanies a slide guitar: The two voices don't seem to be competing for attention. However,"Big Yellow Taxi" is mostly terrible. The band's often praised "jazz/rock" styling lays down the backing with the subtlety of Las Vegas. Though it doesn't last too long, Tom Scott's prototypical jazz/rock 70's sax, the kind of sound you've heard ad nauseum opening "Saturday Night Live," sounds so dated that you'll go outside expecting to see feathered haircuts.
The band lays back more on "Rainy Night House." Although it's not one of Ms. Mitchell's strongest songs, at least we can hear Joni with minimal distraction (until the guitar enters later). "Woodstock" is played fast, opening with a guitar solo, but the dated, clichéd guitar lines and bass riff overpower the song. Obviously, I'm not impressed with the band's sound-they haven't worn well with time. But it's more than the arrangements, it's the way they call attention to themselves. You don't use such a preeminent singer as a mere addition to your own bravado playing, especially when that playing seems so calculated and trendy. This is the style that gave jazz/rock a bad name. If you want to hear Joni, listen to "Blue" or any other great album; if you want jazz/rock, listen to how Miles Davis does it.
Now the good news: Beginning with Track 5 ("Cactus Tree") the band lays out more, and the album is rescued. Tracks 5 and Track 6 are more restrained, with Track 6 ("Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire") the better of the two. There's a good blues edge to it, and the violin solo adds texture. Ms. Mitchell stays up in the high register on "A Case of You," there aren't quite as many of her captivating high/low tone vocal transitions, but it's still a compelling performance, and her guitar is a masterpiece of dazzling understatement. "Blue" is quietly powerful, with beautiful singing and exquisite accompaniment on piano. It's one of the best cuts on the album. Ms. Mitchell has some playful and interesting talking with the audience on "Both Sides Now," and the sing-along on the chorus works. Still, she's a bit overmiked, and the resulting sound is a little cold. "All I Want" features some excellent percussive guitar. Vocally, we get a fuller range and beautiful liquid singing; it's quintessential Joni Mitchell.
"Real Good for Free" is all right, and a soft, reflective "Both Sides Now" with just Joni on guitar and minimal comping is satisfying until Robben Ford almost ruins the mood with a showy ending. This signals the reappearance of the full band. "Carey" is rocking enough without the electronic flash and wa-wa effects blaring here; it sounds like "Joni on Parade" at Disneyland, all electric lights and feel-good, sanitized power guitar. Ugh. "The Last Time I Saw Richard" features the same bubbly guitar and electronic effects. They're distracting sounds that neither add to nor complement the song. I have the same complaints about the last two songs, especially "Love or Money," with Scott's wailing sax and Robben Ford's indulgent solo bringing things to a close.
Obviously, I don't like the arrangements or the orchestration here! If you happen to like these, then do get the album. However, I think it's a failed experiment-the band and Joni Mitchell never really coalesce, and the result is an overbearing and distracting sound that almost never meshes with the vocals. The best songs here have the least accompaniment, they're the ones in which we can hear the magical Joni shine and soar.
Free Music Review: What made the 70's music stand out....
Hit: 5 Stars
This live recording, in my opinion, (and like themajority write about) is one of several must have
collections of live music from the 70's. Joni seemed
to grow right before your eyes and never stood still,
what she did in 1970 was totally different just 5 years
later. It must have been difficult for her to try to
refine and still keep her fans happy with her brillant
mind always at work, always moving on. This collection like so much of her material
is so hard to classify by words, uplifting and sophisticated and during a time of social unrest, her music, especially on this
live set really brought Joni's music and songwriting to life, as did Court and Spark, which preceded this set with its touches of
jazzy pop/rock
and really expanded my world and opened my eyes to where music
could be taken. This is not for everybodys
taste but it sure was for mine. So many people love this or that
about Joni, she is hard to satisfy all her fans but this period
of time and the way she sang(right from her soul) and in peak
vocals just the best in my opinion,(much less shrill in tone), than some earlier work, a voice untouchable with very few
peers to compare. Buy this LIVE COLLECTION, its a period of time to cherish and revisit, she was so ahead of her time.
It will be very interesting to see what she comes up with in early
2003 taking so many of her earlier works as well as newer stuff to a double cd all
Orcestrated, and with that voice,(and many friends), like her material, always changing.
Free Music Review: As constant as the northern star
Hit: 5 Stars
The first song I ever heard from this album back in '74 was A Case Of You. That was all it took for me to leap out and buy it (on double vinyl). That such an exquisite song could be even improved upon was inconceivable to me. Yet Joni did it with the 'live' version recorded here.In almost every case the songs are fresher and more vibrant than the originals - Cactus Tree from her first album being a good example. The sound quality throughout is astonishingly good, making Miles Of Aisles one of the best 'live' albums of all time, and as a double length CD, the value is just out of control.
If you have heard a lot about Joni Mitchell but never really heard much of her material, this album would be a wonderful entry point to her work.
An absolute classic.
Free Music Review: More jazzy versions of folk sings
Hit: 4 Stars
Joni starts to get jazzy, reinterpreting her folk sounds as jazz pieces. The band is great. If you prefer her early folk cds, then you won't like the jazzy versions of those tunes. I like the CD because it has great songs but sounds much different than the studio cds. If it sounded just like her studio version of the songs than why buy it?