Joni Mitchell: For The Roses - 1972

 

Things liven up for Joni Mitchell from the bleakness of Blue a little (well only slightly) on this more melodic and playful offering (again, only at times) although it is still essentially Joni as singer-songwriter accompanying herself. 

A song like Banquet is a lovely song - with some wonderfully inventive lyrics about who gets the marrowbone and who gets the gristle - but its piano and vocal sound is nothing we haven't heard before. The same applies to Lesson In Survival, but again I cannot deny its stark, lyrical, poetic beauty. "I looked again at the ocean, love to see that green water in motion...". Joni never fails to delver, does she?

For The Roses is beautifully, acoustically warm. It is simply lovely songwriting too, I can't hope to convincingly analyse it. See You Sometime is in the same category. "I spring from the boulders like a mama lion" is my pick of the lyrics here. Musically similar is Woman Of Heart And Mind, albeit with an understated bass and percussion backing. Its guitar part reminds me of something else but I can't put my finger on it.

The album's closer, Judgment Of The Moon And Stars (Ludwig's Tune) is also classic piano and vocal Joni, containing one of her many references to "long silk stockings on the bedpost". It also has a nice jazzy, orchestrated but in the middle. 

She does let the full band in, though, on several occasions - the upbeat highlight being the catchy and slightly Dylanesque You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio and also half way through Blonde In The Bleachers, when drums and saxophone suddenly kick in. Barandgrill is a fine song too, as is the plaintive Let The Wind Carry Me. Oh man, just listen to that lovely, subtle bass and drum backing to Electricity as well. 

I  can’t help but carry a torch for Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire’s vague funkiness. 

Don't get me wrong - this is still a largely serious, contemplative album and one that sees Joni getting stuck into environmental and human rights issues in places as opposed to personal ones. I like this album a lot, and it is one that has remained somewhat overlooked. I much prefer it to Blue, which will horrify many, no doubt. 

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