features in: Album Chart of 1974 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die  |
“Court and Spark”, issued in January ’74, proved to be Joni’s most successful album; not only was it critically acclaimed it was a massive #2 hit in the US charts and resulted in her only #1 album in her homeland. It was her first “proper band” album and she worked hard on these songs, enlisting a whole host of session pros including members of The Jazz Crusaders, Tom Scott's L.A. Express as well as cameos from Robbie Robertson, David Crosby and Graham Nash. Ordinarily, all of this might have impacted negatively on my taste-buds, but the set holds together well for me; she remains the acceptable face of A.O.R. Included in my favourites are the two singles, “Raised on Robbery”, one of Joni’s poppiest efforts to date, and “Help Me”, in which her vocal is just dynamite, and overcomes the easy-listening template served up by Tom Scott's L.A. Express. This was Joni’s biggest-ever hit single, peaking at #7 in the Billboard 100. The album’s sole cover, “Twisted” (Annie Ross with Teacho Wiltshire Band, 1952), foretells her move towards jazz and is a nice surprise at the end. That song in particular suits Joni – a neurotic tale about a kid who was different. Music is therapeutic they say. If she continues singing cover versions like that she’ll save herself a fortune in professional fees…
The Jukebox Rebel
14–Feb–2016
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [02:46]  Joni Mitchell - Court And Spark (Joni Mitchell) Songwriter |
| A2 | [03:22]  Joni Mitchell - Help Me (Joni Mitchell) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| A3 | [03:02]  Joni Mitchell - Free Man In Paris (Joni Mitchell) Folk Rock / Americana |
| A4 | [02:15]  Joni Mitchell - People’s Parties (Joni Mitchell) Songwriter |
| A5 | [02:57]  Joni Mitchell - Same Situation (Joni Mitchell) Songwriter |
| B1 | [03:02]  Joni Mitchell - Car On A Hill (Joni Mitchell) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| B2 | [05:38] Joni Mitchell - Down To You (Joni Mitchell) Songwriter |
| B3 | [04:24]  Joni Mitchell - Just Like This Train (Joni Mitchell) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| B4 | [03:06]  Joni Mitchell - Raised On Robbery (Joni Mitchell) Pop |
| B5 | [04:00] Joni Mitchell - Trouble Child (Joni Mitchell) Soft Rock / A.O.R. |
| B6 | [02:21]  Joni Mitchell - Twisted (Annie Ross, Wardell Gray) Jazz |
