Turbulent Indigo

1. Sunny Sunday

2. Sex Kills

3. How Do You Stop

4. Turbulent Indigo

5. Last Chance Lost

6. The Magdalen Laundries

7. Not To Blame

8. Borderline

9. Yvette In English

10. The Sire Of Sorrow (Job's Sad Song)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The 1996 Grammy winner for best pop album, Joni Mitchell's Turbulent Indigo is the singer's most distinctive and rewarding work since Wild Things Run Fast in 1982. Coproduced by Mitchell and her longtime collaborator and former husband Larry Klein, Turbulent Indigo is perhaps the only one of her '80s and '90s discs on which she isn't unduly hampered by studio technology. Whereas her rotten taste in synthesizers lent an automatically dated sound to 1988's Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm and 1998's Taming the Tiger, here the gadgetry is unobtrusive and enhances the power of Mitchell's voice and guitar playing. It also helps that this batch of songs is particularly evocative and well written, ranging from the graceful "How Do You Stop," on which she wonders how to stop "love from slipping away," to the wonderful vignette "Yvette in English," which describes a chance encounter between Picasso and a reluctant model. Paintings and painters are obviously a major theme on the disc--the cover is Mitchell's portrait of herself in the guise of Van Gogh--but more striking is her pessimistic view of humanity. "The Magdalene Laundries" describes the fate of girls left pregnant and abandoned in convent laundry rooms, "Not to Blame" details "the miseries made of love" for all the world's battered wives, and the title of "Sex Kills" is entirely self-explanatory. "The Sire of Sorrow (Job's Sad Song)," the album's finale, is nothing less than the cries of the much-put-upon Job against a heartless God who makes "everything I dread and everything I fear come true." The plaintive beauty of the music helps sweeten the potential sourness of Mitchell's lyrics. Indeed, the contrast gives great force to Turbulent Indigo and confirms that Mitchell's intellectual prowess and willfully contrary outlook are two qualities sorely missing in the work of many of the contemporary songwriters who cite her as their godhead. --Jason Anderson

Turbulent Indigo,Joni Mitchell,Reprise / Wea,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop

Turbulent Indigo

Average customer rating:

With TURBULENT INDIGO, Joni Mitchell Takes BLUE to the Next Level
The Beginning of the Onslaught
Disenchanted Joni
An Inspired Masterpiece
Brilliant Record.

Turbulent Indigo
Joni Mitchell
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Night Ride Home
Taming the Tiger
Hejira
Don Juan's Reckless Daughter
Mingus

ASIN: B000002MVH
Release Date: 1994-10-25

Tracks:

Sunny Sunday
Sex Kills
How Do You Stop
Turbulent Indigo
Last Chance Lost
The Magdalen Laundries
Not To Blame
Borderline
Yvette In English
The Sire Of Sorrow (Job's Sad Song)

Amazon.com

The 1996 Grammy winner for best pop album, Joni Mitchell's Turbulent Indigo is the singer's most distinctive and rewarding work since Wild Things Run Fast in 1982. Coproduced by Mitchell and her longtime collaborator and former husband Larry Klein, Turbulent Indigo is perhaps the only one of her '80s and '90s discs on which she isn't unduly hampered by studio technology. Whereas her rotten taste in synthesizers lent an automatically dated sound to 1988's Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm and 1998's Taming the Tiger, here the gadgetry is unobtrusive and enhances the power of Mitchell's voice and guitar playing. It also helps that this batch of songs is particularly evocative and well written, ranging from the graceful "How Do You Stop," on which she wonders how to stop "love from slipping away," to the wonderful vignette "Yvette in English," which describes a chance encounter between Picasso and a reluctant model. Paintings and painters are obviously a major theme on the disc--the cover is Mitchell's portrait of herself in the guise of Van Gogh--but more striking is her pessimistic view of humanity. "The Magdalene Laundries" describes the fate of girls left pregnant and abandoned in convent laundry rooms, "Not to Blame" details "the miseries made of love" for all the world's battered wives, and the title of "Sex Kills" is entirely self-explanatory. "The Sire of Sorrow (Job's Sad Song)," the album's finale, is nothing less than the cries of the much-put-upon Job against a heartless God who makes "everything I dread and everything I fear come true." The plaintive beauty of the music helps sweeten the potential sourness of Mitchell's lyrics. Indeed, the contrast gives great force to Turbulent Indigo and confirms that Mitchell's intellectual prowess and willfully contrary outlook are two qualities sorely missing in the work of many of the contemporary songwriters who cite her as their godhead. --Jason Anderson

Customer Reviews:

With TURBULENT INDIGO, Joni Mitchell Takes BLUE to the Next Level .......2007-03-28

Universally accepted as one of the major creative forces in modern music, Joni Mitchell never ceases to amaze me with her genius. From the early innocent work of the 1960's, to her groundbreaking opus, "BLUE", she has always challenged the norm. With "Turbulent Indigo", Ms. Mitchell takes the brilliance of "Blue" to the max. An hommage to Vincent Van Gogh, "Turbulent Indigo" not only pushes the boundaries of pop music, but redefines them. As opposed to other pop songs where Vincent was romanticized in lovely poetry, Joni takes a different approach. She writes: "Tourists talking about the madhouse/ Talking about the ear/ The madman hangs in fancy homes/ They wouldn't let him near!/ He'd piss in their fireplace!/ He'd drag them through turbulent Indigo." Hardly the stuff of love songs, but this sets a tone to the other difficult topics Joni tackles in this album. Who else but Ms. Mitchell would write about being sold into white slavery in a 17th Century nunnery (The Magdalene Laundries) and actually make the work soar! Who else would dare tackle physical abuse with thinly veiled refernces to a popular music icon and an actress, and do so in such a delicate fashion, in perfect juxtaposition to the harsh nature of the topic. And, she does this all while never losing her sense of art. Each song is a painting, not unlike her paintings that decorates the covers of this CD. And, each of these "Paintings" works together to create one solid work of a CD. Like most of Ms. Mitchell's greater albums, the whole is dependant on the sum of its parts. These are not singular songs, randomly placed on the order. They are chapters in a book- pull out one song, and the "story" suffers. Choosing the greater songs off "Turbulent Indigo" is like choosing your favorite Van Gogh Painting-they are all so wonderful in their own right. I do find myself drawn to the amazing cut "Borderline", whose keen observations of human behavior are reminiscent of those in the "Court and Spark" stand-out "People's Parties". And, of course, the album's grande finale, the writer at the height of her craft, is illustrated in the final cut, titled "The Sire Of Sorrow (Job's Sad Song". More Passion Play that mere song, "The Sire Of Sorrow" soars on sweeping melodies and brilliant lyrics that most writers strive for but most shall never achieve.

The Beginning of the Onslaught .......2007-03-11

" Turbulent Indigo" brought Joni Mitchell more fame than she probably ever wanted. Two grammies, numerous awards to follow. Deserved praise, but what about all the former brilliance?

Never mind. Joni finally got her dues. " Indigo" is a fine example of how to stay inspired. The guitar work is honed 90's style. The influence of some new age guitar workings, along with " Joni" tunings, ring out. " Sex Kills" has a metallic backing that is perfect for the lyrics. The music creates the clattering of a back alley, very vivid. Disposable culture, defaming the most holy.

The title song laments the ignorance of the world at large regarding what it takes to be an artist. Artists aren't manufactured, they are born. They are then shaped by time and experience, releasing joy and sorrow into some form. Sheep need not apply.

Another highlight is " Yvette in English", a song that might be considered slight by some, but rolling melody melds around the lyrics to make this such a pleasant experience.

All the tracks have a stand-out quality with few words to translate meaning. Suffice to say that the attention was well deserved. Mitchell created another masterpiece.

Disenchanted Joni.......2006-12-19

No, Mitchell isn't at the apex of her game on this album - the egregious album cover says as much - but 2nd-tier Joni is still world-class songwriting & performance by most standards. On this set, she looks at the raging injustices of the world from her wry, increasingly detached point of view. There is bitterness in almost track and the topics are pretty downer; "I've lost all taste for life, I'm all complaints," she sings on the final track. Nevertheless, her acoustic guitar is warm & smart, Shorter's sax is sly & sweet and Mitchell places a few savvy pop hooks & harmonies here & there. Lyrically, she's better addressing the human condition than working world events. The overall sound is a continuation of the formula perfected on "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" with waves of synth bass taking the place of (the more creative) Pastorius. Standouts include "Sunny Sunday," "How Do You Stop," the title track and, featuring one of her most direct melodies since the 60's, her devastating address to God on "The Sire of Sorrow." All in all, not Mitchell's best work - but her best work of the 90's.

An Inspired Masterpiece.......2006-11-07

As a Boomer who came of age during the halcyon days of the Sixties, I fondly recall the burst of creativity in music and the arts that those years brought forth. I acquired an enviable collection of vinyl LP's, and through repeated listening saturated myself with their inventiveness along with every nuanced detail.

Fast forward to the present time - for decades now I've been listening primarily only to symphonic music or other instrumental pieces, or exotic songs sung in foreign languages, so as to avoid the distraction of trite lyrics (not to mention some less than appealing musical styles). As such, I've been out of the 'pop culture' loop for many years.

But as fate would have it, a copy of "Turbulent Indigo" has just recently landed in my lap. This has amounted to a reawakening for me. I much enjoyed "Hejira" and some of Joni Mitchell's other recordings years ago, but then lost track of her. Then I heard her perform "Sex Kills" on a TV documentary (an eye and ear opener), and I followed the trail to "Turbulent Indigo". When I first heard it, I was unsure what to make of it. Being "lazy", I left the CD in place and subsequently listened to it over again. And again. I'm struck and enriched by something different each time. Lightbulbs are going off everywhere. Joni Mitchell is a poet of the first degree and a true artist, and I'm delighted to find out that I'm still capable of being passionate about something. Joni puts the muse back in music; otherwise it's just 'ic', as she'll tell you.

"Turbulent Indigo" has given me an education ("The Magdalene Laundries") along with its invocation of the literature and art of others ("Sunny Sunday" "Yvette in English" "Turbulent Indigo"), and even the Old Testament ("The Sire of Sorrow"). And only after listening to it many times did I learn that "Turbulent Indigo" won multiple awards. Wow; is it ever worthy. For once the music industry got it right.

Brilliant Record........2006-01-18

I love Joni, and this is another amazing album by her. Everything is perfect. The lyrics, instruments, imagery, artwork...flawless! Get this album!

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