Day 2: We Are Stardust

I am a Slow Appreciator of Music. I very rarely like something on a first listen. In fact, I am far more likely to spit and mewl and complain and walk away in disgust the first time I hear something.

I am known—rather notoriously amongst my friends, well okay maybe just the one— as a music ‘skipper.’ I am never happier than when I am skipping over a song and tsking and blecking and mumbling disgruntledly under my breath about how ‘they’re not as good as they used to be’ OR ‘what the hell is this shit’ or ‘this is awful' (or some variation thereof)’ to then suddenly and magically one day find myself turning up the volume or pressing repeat and lauding its praises and proclaiming it possibly The Best Song of All Time. At least for that day/week/moment. And fickle music listener that I am, my tastes are ALWAYS subject to change.

That being said, once I am hooked, I am a pretty loyal listener. At least until the next album. And Joni Mitchell has long held a place in my heart since that night when I was nineteen and C was very passionately, very drunkenly singing ‘Case of You’ in his living room. At first, I wasn't too sure about that "Joni Mitchell." I kinda thought she was a little too high-pitched to be a singer. But that 'Big Yellow Taxi’ song of hers was okay. And so it began.

Winter for me means Joni Mitchell and Ladies of the Canyon. Now usually, I don’t pull this album out until the bowels of January necessitate a lighter heart. But this year, it called me a little early. A complete breakdown of all music devices in our home all at the same time including ipod, both laptop and desktop and stereo receiver means that I have been playing Ladies of the Canyon in my car on the way to work.

This is not actually driving music. It is more curl-up-on-the-couch-with-a-bottle-of-red-wine-on-a-cold-winter’s-night music; however, one must do what one can. This album is almost FORTY YEARS old and it still kicks some serious ass. It doesn’t kick ass in the same way that PJ Harvey kicks ass. It kicks folk ass, not rock ass, but ass all the same. I am telling you, there are so many layers to her music: it is soulful and longing, haunting and innocent. It responds in me a need to love and grieve and sing and play a tambourine. This is the album with ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ fame, although personally, I think this is the least great of all the great songs on this album. And the album is solid from beginning to end. Which is saying something. I don't skip over one song!

Every time I listen to it, I have a new favourite, which I think is the sign of a first-rate album. ‘Conversation’ has pretty consistently been my favourite on this album, although lately it is slowly being edged out by ‘The Priest’ with an intermittent ‘Woodstock’ on regular repeat. But then there's 'Morning Morgantown' and 'The Circle Game' too...just all so good.

It captures something that I am not old enough to be a part of, but understand completely. And Joni Mitchell understood and expressed something that is beyond my grasp , but which I somehow appreciate anyway. As long as she knows what it is, we are all going to be okay. We will survive this day, this winter, this drive to work and shall even live to see another.

This album to me is most telling of why Mitchell is and how she became a music icon, legend, songstress and lyricist. And considering that it has stood the test of forty years, I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that this album is one of the greatest of its time. We are talking Desert Island status here. I would even be so bold as to say that it has eclipsed ‘Blue’ as my long-standing favourite Joni Mitchell album.

And here's the other great thing I discovered this week: The thing about underrated and great things is that they are underrated because not everyone understands them. And understanding can sometimes take years; a lifetime. You need to build up to it, kind of like the yoga. Just like you can’t rush into a yoga pose to get to the end, you kinda can’t start with Ladies of the Canyon all haphazard-like. Well maybe you can, but I am a Slow Appreciator, so I need to build up to it. If you are not a Joni Mitchell fan, don’t start here. Start with ‘Blue.’ If you are not a fan of folk music, then don’t start with Joni Mitchell. Build up to her, too. Start at level one and hang out there until you understand the music completely.

I am still working my way up to Hejira. Call it the Dancer Pose of the music world. But I'll get there someday.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get myself back to the Garden.