Search - Joni Mitchell :: Songs of a Prarie Girl (Dig)

Mitchell's Third Personally Chosen Collection

Juan Mobili | Valley Cottage, NY USA | 05/06/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As you may know Joni Mitchell has decided a while back to stop writing and singing -sad, sad news- so since Travelogue, her album of full orchestra arrangements of many of her great songs, fans of her stunning songbook have been confined to compilations like this.

Now, the question is why would you add this album to your collection? Well, if you are relatively unfamiliar with Mitchell, or do not own much of her discography this release or the earlier "Beginning of Survival," are valuable places to go for surveying such extensive and extraordinary body of work.

In both cases, Joni has selected each of the songs included herself and, rather than doing so based on personal preferences or sentimental attachments, these anthologies were created with a certain theme in mind.

Whereas the earlier, above mentioned predecessor focus on songs that showed Ms. Mitchell's personal philosophy on the state of the world through her lifetime," Songs of a Prairie Girl reunites those songs, through the years, where she's looked back at her childhood growing up in Canada.

In that sense, this collection is quite revealing of someone's life, a diary of how a powerful and sensitive soul came to be what it is, moments of youth that may even bring to mind memories of yours. Certainly, a more interesting proposition than the typical "greatest hits" fare that merely tries to milk past successes.

Still, other than a remix of "Paprika Plains" and the beautiful "Urge for Going" which was released before on a prior anthology, there's nothing "new" here. And this fact, for someone like me who owns most of her albums, it's hardly enough to justify its purchase.

All that said, most of the selections contained here, spanning over thirty-plus years, are remarkable proof of the breadth and longevity of Mitchell's talent. Quite a feat given the praise bestowed to people who do not have half the track record and influential power of Mitchell's music.

Four stars, then, on the strength of these stunning songs, the nature of the anthology and the gorgeous packaging in which this CD is presented.

As far as the complaints some other people have expressed about Mitchell compromising of her values by releasing anthologies, I believe Joni's integrity over almost forty years of honest and intelligent songwriting outweigh any indictments. Besides, would you accuse a painter of selling his soul for mounting a retrospective of his earlier works?

So, buy it or don't buy it. Either way, celebrate a woman who gave us some of the most touching and courageous music of the last four decades."

A beautifully arranged and packaged collection

Michael Logan | Los Angeles, CA United States | 04/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the best (so far) of the themed reissue collections Joni Mitchell has been curating since here retirement from stage and studio. The songs come from all the phases of her varied career, and share the direct honesty that always marked her more autobiographical writing. I was especially happy that she chose to include "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" and "Paprika Plains," two of her most ambitious compositions, as well as the sonically stunning "Harlem in Havana" and my sentimental favorite, "Urge for Going"--which was recorded in 1967 but never made it on to any of her albums until the "Hits" collection 29 years later. I have two quibbles: I'd have chosen the eerily playful original version of "Cherokee Louise," from the "Night Ride Home" album, rather than the orchestral take from "Travelogue," and I'd have used the full-length version of her brilliant "Come in From the Cold," also from "Night Ride Home."



I suppose it's silly of me to buy these collections when I could just make an iTunes playlist of the tracks from their source albums, but Mitchell's releases are always pleasing objects. This one is beautifully illustrated with photos from the cover shoot for the "Hejira" album, featuring Mitchell skating on a gorgeous frozen lake."

A beautiful mix of classic Joni Mitchell....

J. Bilby | Kingston, New Hampshire United States | 04/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the opening "Urge for going" to "Song for Sharon" and the

better version of "Cherokee Louise", along side "River" "Unchained Melody" and rocking cool of "Raised on

Robbery", these songs are so powerful in their moods

and vision. More a winter collection with its "Come

in from the cold", "Urge for going" and "River" themes and beautiful cover art/photography here we are presented with yet another fascinating look into the greatest living female singer/writer/musician out there, such a shame she still receives so much negative crap from people. Its interesting

shes remixed "Paprika Plains", a nice journey, includes the earlier experimental pre-"Court and Spark" genius of

"Let the wind carry me" and the rhythmic and very cool guitar textures and Indian images from the far north with "Don Juans reckless daughter". Highlights galore, "Harlem in Havana" one of her last efforts with the new guitar sounds it made for her, just listen to the screaming kids on the Ferris wheel and

it makes you think back why you loved the carnivals. Great

jazz/pop song with the incredible horn style of Wayne Shorter.

I liked what she was trying to do. "Tea leaf prophecy" is an

interesting story about her mothers younger days and living

during war time and the loss of hope in our countries earlier

days during the wars.

"SONGS FROM A PRAIRE GIRL" is classic Mitchell, such a breathe

of fresh air listening to all these classic songs.

"