Joni Mitchell

Archives Vol 2 – The Reprise Years (1968-1971)

RHINO Unreleased takes and live performances: sparks caught.

The latest revelation from Joni’s vaults is a 5-disc box set from the time between the releases of Song To A Seagull (her debut) and Blue

(fourth album). Chronologically ordered, it tells a story. Actually, over a hundred stories. From home demos to studio sessions, through live shows climbing from coffee houses to TV broadcasts, it traces the ascent of an increasingly confident, creatively ambitious woman. The folk-singer anecdotes and shy giggles of the earlier days evolve into consummate deliveries of Chelsea Morning on John Peel’s Top Gear and Both Sides Now at Carnegie Hall. By Disc 5, she’s hitting the heights of the songs which became Blue – River, A Case Of You – with James Taylor guesting, for the Beeb. To say a star is born doesn’t feel right. A major, important talent is confirmed.

There’s a disarming innocence to the first two discs, as it’s mostly just Joni and her guitar, relaxed, unstudied. In an Ottawa café, Ladies Of The Canyon is introduced with a chuckle at how rock stars are being driven out of LA’s canyons by hordes of celeb-spotters. Tellingly, she chats elsewhere of the influence jazz made on her writing, while at Carnegie Hall she’s interrupted one song in by a Valentine card. As we move on, the versions of, say, Urge For Going and For Free

are inhabited with greater focus and depth. Whenever such “deleted scenes” emerge, something’s lost (mystique) and something’s gained. Joni’s gift, audibly growing here, wins out. ■■■■■■■■■■