Joni Mitchell is so talented that her visions have a tendency to become overwhelming. Her lyrics, both personal and societal, have the hard persuasiveness of truth in them, and they can sweep you away.
That’s why Miles of Aisles (Asylum), a two-record live set, is so difficult to listen to all the way through at one time.
It has most of her best stuff, like “Rainy Night House,” “Woodstock,” “Blue,” “Circle Game,” “Big Yellow Taxi” and “You Turn Me On I’m A Radio.” Trying to absorb those songs and 11 others in one sitting can have a boggling effect. The album is so rich that it’s best to sample it one side at a time.
Technically, the recording is fine, although the versions here aren’t really that different from the ones on previous Mitchell albums. In addition to the well-known numbers, Miles of Aisles contains two new numbers, “Love Or Money” and “Jericho,” which Joni introduces as “love songs, of course.”
Her backup, provided by Tom Scott and the L.A. Express, is excellent.
Printed from the official Joni Mitchell website. Permanent link: https://jonimitchell.com/library/view.cfm?id=5244
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