Until I listened to Court And Spark, Joni Mitchell’s sixth studio album, I think the only two songs of hers that I consciously knew were “Big Yellow Taxi” and the 2002 version of “Both Sides Now” – I didn’t even know the original! Still, this Canadian singer-songwriter is infamous for her contributions to the music industry.

Court And Spark was released in January 1974 and Mitchell worked on the album for about a year in-studio before it was released. In fact, 1973 was the only year since her debut album in 1968 that Mitchell did not release an album. She took time in 1973 to focus on expanding into different sounds, including the jazz influences you can hear on Court And Spark.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect of Joni Mitchell. As I mentioned, most recent track I’ve heard of Joni Mitchell’s was her 2002 release of “Both Sides Now”.  It was released over 40 years after her first album, and as a result, her voice also aged and is more full and mature. I thought her voice would be similar on her 1974 album, but I was wrong. Its much more ethereal and smoother than I expected.

Court And Spark was Mitchell’s most popular album, especially after the release of “Help Me” as a single, which made it into the Billboard Top 10. There are two characteristics of this album, and in particular, her music in general (from what I’ve heard and researched)  that I find particularly interesting.

The first is the clarity with which she writes. Reading her lyrics, they are emotional and honest, discussing her personal struggles and unease, such as in “People’s Parties”, where she sings about “living on nerves and feelings / with a weak and lazy mind / and coming to people’s parties / fumbling deaf dumb and blind”.  All of her songs are beautifully expressed stories with a simplicity and poetic ease that is unmatched by any of the albums I’ve listened to so far.

And of course, Joni Mitchell has a very distinct vocal style, balancing the deep fullness and power of her voice with higher range, falsetto lines. Her use of varied rhythms and changing time signatures gives her songs such a free-flowing feeling which also highlights poignant moments in her stories. A great example of this would be in “Same Situation”.

I’d like to listen to more of Joni’s music now, although I don’t think Court And Spark is my favourite. Its very accessible and was commercially successful, but its got really easy rock vibe to it, which isn’t really in my tastes. That said, my understanding is that when this album was released, it was the most jazz influenced album for her, with the previous five albums being rock-folk albums. It will be interesting to listen to some of her older music (and newer music, too) to compare differences.

Although “Both Sides Now” is not part of Court And Speak, if you want to see a really interesting comparison of her music, check out this live video of Joni singing the song in 1970, and this live video of her in 2000. Very different sound, very different feeling.

What do you think? What has Joni’s influence been on the music industry? If you’re a fan, what do you think makes her fantastic? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Stay cool, music fans.

Track Listing

Side One

1. Court And Spark
2. Help Me
3. Free Man In Paris
4. People’s Parties
5. Same Situation

 Side Two

1. Car On A Hill
2. Down To You
3. Just Like This Train
4. Raised On Robbery
5. Trouble Child
6. Twisted

I heard “Fit Against the Country” from the birp.fm February 2012 playlist, and I love the acoustic-folk sound and the light and upbeat sound that the banjo adds in the background, contrasting the constancy of the strings.  But mostly, I love the timeliness of the lyrics. Its a clear commentary on the state of the world, and my guess, American, written by an American. Its honest and simple, and poignant. Ringle quietly sings about a topic that has been all over the news for the last two years. The lyrics have such a powerful intensity that refrains from expressing blame or anger, and instead actually accepts some blame: “It’s a hard country we made.”

Horse Feathers are preparing to release an album, Cynic’s New Year, and I believe this track is a preview single. You can actually download a free copy if you visit their website, and sign up for their mailing list.

Please check out this track. It surprised me in a really amazing way.

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All of a sudden this song has exploded onto the pop music scene, at least in Canada, and rumour has it, its working its way up the charts in the US. I don’t usually post mainstream pop on here, but I’ve got to say, Carly Rae Jepsen has released one of the catchiest tunes I’ve heard in a long time. And I’m so proud to say that Ms. Jepsen is Canadian-born, from Mission, B.C..

“Call Me Maybe” is from her new EP, Curiosity, and this girl can sing, too. There are some low-quality live performances on YouTube that show how she actually rocks out to this song live. You could also search some of her videos from her stint on Canadian Idol in 2007, which she won.

Just last week, it was announced that Scooter Braun, signed Carly Rae Jepsen onto his label, Schoolboy Records, which also signed Justin Bieber two years ago.  And only a few days ago, J-Biebs and some of his friends released an impromptu, fun home made video to Jepsen’s song, which you can check out here.

So, I’m sorry if you don’t like pop, but this song is so catchy I couldn’t resist…and I wanted to support a fellow Canadian. Congrats, Carly Rae Jepsen!

Cream's Disraeli Gears (November 1967)

Would you believe me if I told you that until a few months ago I didn’t know that Eric Clapton was part of Cream? I’m such a music terd! Seriously, I’m shocked at how little I DO know about music when I listen to these albums and start writing about them. But anyway, now I do know Clapton was part of this band, and that’s that.

This album was released in the heart of that psychedelic rock movement of the late 60s, and you can both see and hear those influences on this album. The cover art is vibrantly coloured and features a collage of illustrations that point clearly to the psych-rock era. And when you listen to the album, the tracks all incorporate the typical psych-rock rounds of wailing guitars with a full, complex, layered sound (at least during the climax). Disraeli Gears differs from other albums I’ve listened to from this time period because  you can hear the heavy blues and jazz sound, which creates a diversity that is unique from other albums of the time. On “Blue Condition”, you can hear the blues piano and even a slow variation on some of the typical blues guitar riffs. And again, “Outside Woman Blues” has a really blues-y sound (clearly, look at the title!).

I think what is most interesting about this album to me, is that I don’t recognize any of the tracks! Most of the other albums I’ve listened to by major artists (Led Zeppelin, The Who, etc.), I recognize at least some of the songs, or the sound. But the only thing I recognize about Cream is Eric Clapton’s distinct voice, and occasionally,  the sound and style of his guitar playing (which has clearly changed quite a bit since 1967).  Okay, no, that’s not 100% true. But there is only one track I recognize, and I think its just the main riff of “Sunshine of Your Love”, but nothing else.

Cream has a unique sound. Its a bit more grungy, heavy and layered and has less of the classic, psychedelic-rock  sound. I like it, but I think it will take a few more listens for me to love it.

Track Listing

Side One

1. Strange Brew
2. Sunshine of Your Love
3. World of Pain
4. Dance the Night Away
5. Blue Condition

Side Two

1. Swlabr
2. We’re Going Wrong
3. Outside Woman Blues
4. Take it back
5. Mother’s Lament

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Get ready to rock out, music fans…this fan is surely going to bring rock you right into the weekend! Because it kicks ass! I am so pleased that I discovered this radical song from an amazing Canadian label, Arts & Crafts, that has an amazing list of great artists, including Broken Social Scene, Dan Mangan, Feist, Apostle of Hustle, Los Campesinos!, Stars, Jason Collett and The Hidden Cameras.

I heard “Are You Gonna’ Waste My Time?” for the first time today, and its so nostalgic of classic rock, I couldn’t resist. Zeus has got the incredible 70s sound of The Who, mixed with some Beatles-esque guitar riffs and some great rag-inspired piano added into the mix. This song has got some serious bad-ass attitude, and its got the slow swagger of all of your favourite tunes from the early 70s.

Listen to this track and love it. I’m going to go check out some of their other tunes!!

Oh, and you can download this track for free off their website right now! Check it out!

So, without further ado…I think these 2 songs might just make you move today. If you are at work, maybe you can lock your door, close your blinds, and let loose for 7 minutes as you enjoy these beats! And if you are in your car, maybe you can blast the stereo at full volume and rock out in the driver’s seat. And if you are anywhere else, then put in some headphones and take a cue from this guy below…

1. “Catgroove” by Parov Stelar

 2. “Get a Move On” by Mr. Scruff

So happy love day to you and your loves, be it friends, family, lovers, dreams or passions.

These guys are FUN. If you haven’t heard of YACHT before, its actually two people, Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans. In fact, they’ve got a handy guide to the semiotics of YACHT on their website. YACHT actually stands for Young Americans Challenging High Technology, hence the capitalization of the letters.

I love their eclectic sound, and I love this track. I first heard YACHT on the soundtrack for How To Make It In America, and I thought they had a cool sound. But the first time I heard anything of their newest album, Shangri-la, was on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts podcast. They played a show at NPR, and “Utopia” was one of those tracks.

I love it because its upbeat, exciting, a little space-age, and unique. It stays in my head. And its fun.

Check out their official video below (which features their song “Dystopia (The Earth Is On Fire)”. Oh yeah.

Many of you may have heard the Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson release of “Valerie” from a few years ago. On her post-humous album, Lioness: Hidden Treasures, the “’68 version” of this track was released with a more laid back drum track and its got a nice easy sound that I love. If you want to get back in touch with some Amy Winehouse, listen to her new album. There are some great tracks on it, including this one.

Enjoy, and have a great day!

Today on Jeju-do, it is a very grey, rainy Winter day, and I thought the beautiful guitar in this song, “Youth”, has a sweet, smooth, atmospheric sound that reminds me of the clouds. I thought you might enjoy this track on a rainy day. I wouldn’t say this is the usual upbeat kind of tune I love to post. This is a little more sullen and if you listen to the lyrics, you will notice that there is a pain-filled fire that fuels and contrasts the creamy guitar licks.

While you listen to this beautiful song by Daughter, indulge in the emotions that arise as you listen to music like this. Embrace it, experience it, and appreciate it. It makes you feel alive.

Stay tuned on Monday for the next album off the RS150, by Cream! Enjoy, and for those of you who follow the Lunar calendar, best wishes for the new year!

youth daughter