Now, I only own 2 of her albums which are revolutionary-- Blue and Court & Spark. I heard this album, The Hissing Of Summer Lawns were better than all of them, but I also heard it got some terrible reviews back in 1975 when it was released. So, do you think I should go for it or leave it alone?

If you're a Prince fan and you own Blue and Court and Spark, then I think Hissing of Summer Lawns is the most appropiate album to get next. I think this is definitely a "turning point" record where Joni completely abandoned the folk stylings and incorporated more jazz fusion folk. Put it this way if you dig the tracks Joe Sample plays on Court and Spark then you'll dig Hissing of Summer Lawns.

When you're done with that one, see if you can handle Hejira
[Edited 3/28/05 21:21pm]

believe it or not, this is the only joni album i currently own. i love it. it has a definite mood to it, and it's nice to either have on in the background or listen to through my headphones. i've always meant to dive deeper into joni's music, but whenever i need a quick fix, i enjoy this record a lot.

Hot album. It has funky moments for sure. Very easy to see where Prince gets his sprawling, expository songs from (Raspberry Beret, The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker). "Shadows And Light" is too hot.

Ndeed. When you listen tracks like 'Shadows and Light', and 'Don't Interrupt The Sorrow', You can almost see Prince nodding along to 'em, soaking up some musical ideas...
Listening now, it's very hard to see what problem critics had with Hissing Of The Summer Lawns. It's a beautiful album that seems to flow logically from Court and Spark, with only 'The Jungle Line' being a truly radical, adventurous departure...

I could see if it was an album like "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" that got misunderstood...but I'm really confused as to why they would love Court and Spark, and yet turn up their noses at this one...... what, were they lost because there was no radio-friendly tune like "Help Me" to latch on to?...



...
[Edited 3/29/05 0:08am]

Anxiety said:

I don't believe you

Hissing of Summer Lawns had "The Jungle Line" on it. Which is sheer brilliance




Rousseau walks on trumpet paths
Safaris to the heart of all that jazz
Through I bars and girders-through wires and pipes
The mathematic circuits of the modern nights
Through huts, through Harlem, through jails and gospel pews
Through the class on Park and the trash on Vine
Through Europe and the deep deep heart of Dixie blue
Through savage progress cuts the jungle line

In a low-cut blouse she brings the beer
Rousseau paints a jungle flower behind her ear
Those cannibals-of shuck and jive
They'll eat a working girl like her alive
With his hard-edged eye and his steady hand
He paints the cellar full of ferns and orchid vines
And he hangs a moon above a five-piece band
He hangs it up above the jungle line

The jungle line, the jungle line
Screaming in a ritual of sound and time
Floating, drifting on the air-conditioned wind
And drooling for a taste of something smuggled in
Pretty women funneled through valves and smoke
Coy and bitchy, wild and fine
And charging elephants and chanting slaving boats
Charging, chanting down the jungle line

There's a poppy wreath on a soldier's tomb
There's a poppy snake in a dressing room
Poppy poison-poppy tourniquet
It slithers away on brass like mouthpiece spit
And metal skin and ivory birds
Go steaming up to Rousseau's vines
They go steaming up to Brooklyn Bridge
Steaming, steaming, steaming up the jungle line

This is one of her best albums. There's nothing really off the wall about it for it to deserve such bad ratings back in the day. If you enjoy where she was going with Court & Spark, you'll love Hissing of Summer lawns.

Definately one of her very best albums along with Hejira, Court and Spark and For the Roses. Go and get it. NOW. You won´t regret it.

Great stuff.

I love it start to finish

Tom said:

agree 100% ...it will stick with u for life.

by all means, buy or steal this album! songs are incredible, esp. Edith and the Kingpin

This is my absolute FAVORITE album of all time. I first purchased a used vinyl copy back in '85 or '86 for $3 when I was 16 and have been in awe of everything about it ever since. I've never grown tired with it and it's a wonderful 'slow burn' sort of album where the genius of it continues to reveal itself over time.

paligap said:

I can tell you what the problem is... Joni went from being the fragile, hippie girl singing tender confessional songs - "Help me I think I'm falling..." - to a world wise observer who suddenly grew up, found her own inner strength and turned the spotlight on society and those around her instead of herself - "It takes a heart like Mary's, these days, when your man gets weak."

Notice that Joni backtracked quite a bit on Hejira in regards to where she was pointing the spotlight... as it was mostly turned back at herself and her own personal relationships.

jtfolden said:

Good Point...I was thinking about the musical structures, and completely forgot about the lyrical point of view...

"he put up a barbed wire fence, to keep out the unknown and on every thorn just a little blood of his own"

That lyric is cool as fuck. joni mitchell lyrics always knock me out. They are often so simple but really hit home. particulary on the album 'Blue' some of lyrics on there are beautiful. "I wanna re-new you, i wanna shampoo you".
[Edited 3/31/05 11:48am]

It's great, but it's weird. You might not like it if you're expecting a logical follow up to Court & Spark. The Jungle Line (track 2) took me a while to get past.

Hejira is more in the Blue/Court & Spark tradition, though it takes some work to listen to, also, as the songs are pretty long.

Both are really cool and interesting albums though. Tough to go wrong with her in the 70's
[Edited 3/31/05 11:47am]

Get it NOW!

I bought this album because of Prince

I play it continuously because of Joni

this is my saturday morning CD

my girls grew up singing it.

I went to Blue from here and then to Court and Spark

But is still is my absolute fave,


I am going out to the car now to get it

andyman91 said:

Indeed. All of her 70s stuff is cool.