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81 of 84 found the following review helpful:
The album on which the "real" Joni Mitchell fully emerges Jul 13, 2002
By Lawrance M. Bernabo
The verdict of history is the "Court & Spark" is the album where the "real" Joni Mitchell let loose. On previous albums like "Clouds" and "Blue" she had played piano and guitar, certainly appropriate for her folk roots. But for this album Mitchell brought in Tom Scott's jazz-rock band the L.A. Express. "Raised on Robbery" was the first single released from the album and certainly introduces the "new" Joni Mitchell to the world. How many other songs do you know with hockey references? But notice how the title song opens the album with just the sound of a piano, making the listener think this is still the "old" Mitchell. Of course, "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris" are the best-known tracks (I consider the latter the quintessential Joni Mitchell song), representing the fact that Mitchell's romantic side tended to be more popular than her quirky fun side (although who can forget "Twisted" once they hear it?). The final pair of lines of the chorus from "Help Me"--"We love our lovin'/But not like we love our freedom"--may well be the most insightful into Mitchell's work. Maybe it is because I have been looking over sonnet forms lately, but it suddenly strikes me that Mitchell is one of the premier writers of couplets in American music. Think about it: "We are stardust we are golden/And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden"; "They paved paradise/Put up a parking lot"; "Stoking the star maker machinery/Behind the popular song"; "I wish I was a river/I could sail away on." Mitchell is a singer/songwriter's singer/songwriter. This is why there are so many covers of songs like "River" and why David Crosby, Graham Nash, Robbie Robertson, Jose Feliciano, and even Cheech & Chong show up for this one. It goes without saying that the cover painting for "Court and Spark" is done by Joni Mitchell.
26 of 26 found the following review helpful:
The hidden bittersweet beauty of "Court And Spark" Sep 09, 1999
By David S. Minjares
"Court And Spark" is most definitely Joni Mitchell's transitional album, from wistful and haunting songstress/writer to edgy, bittersweet visionary. At first listen, it's so musically melodic and catchy you can pass it off as great dinner music. But once the reality sets in at the appropriate time, this album rubs your face in the sand. There is cynicism here. "Trouble Child" is one of the most haunting and bitter songs I have ever heard. The title track is almost a last flirtation with her "Blue" period. "Help Me" is beautiful pop about blissful confusion. "Free Man In Paris" is great tale about a mogul's exaustion and cravings of personal freedom (Geffen, perhaps?). "People's Parties", "The Same Situation", "Down To You" & "Car On A Hill" are all self-explanatory. "Raised On Robbery" and her cover of Wardell Gray's (via Annie Ross) "Twisted" pre-date punk rock with plenty of attitude and "don't **** with me" vibes. I first had this album when I was nine, then got back into it during my early 80's punk era. Now I've rediscovered it with new eyes. She's up there with people like Black Sabbath and Iggy Pop...people that you wish you could hear more of on the radio (besides the hits), but these days are sadly underplayed. Make a difference and buy this timeless scripture. Then buy "Hissing of Summer Lawns" and "Hejira" and you'll round up a trio of highly appreciated and misunderstood 70's Joni Mitchell masterpieces. There's more to the story behind the lilt!!
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
Ahead of its time, and still a wonderful experience Nov 05, 1999
If there is one Joni Mitchell album to own this is likely it. Her singing, writing, and playing are all terrific. This music marked a break with her past work and with the pop trends of the time, and alluded to her future work. Even today it remains a timeless album. People sometimes lament that Joni has never written another "C and S". Well, that come from then, no other time. Her other work has been different, and remarkable, it is just not the unique product of those incredible times, and one moment of an artist's journey as is "Court and Spark".
15 of 16 found the following review helpful:
Come "Court And Spark' With The Incredible Joni Mitchell! Sep 03, 2000
By Barron Laycock
"Labradorman"
For over thirty years Joni Mitchell has been a source of consistent amazement among her legions of fans. In a hundred years, when someone wants the perfect example of a stellar and singularly talented singer/songwriter and a peripatetic innovator of 20th century music, they will dust off any of a dozen of Joni Mitchell's albums and give it a spin. This album is an example of her ability to subtly change styles and approaches, fusing jazz and blues to her popular venue, resulting in a captivating and quite arresting collection of my personal favorites. My personal favorites here are early in the song cycle, including her smash hit "Free Man In Paris", "Help Me", and of course, Court And Spark" itself. Moreover, the rest of the songs are excellent, as usual for Ms. Mitchell. From beginning to end this song cycle is an ardent but soft-spoken exploration of her internal landscape, a tour of her thoughts and feelings about the state of contemporary relationships. Taken in total, the song cycle represents a sort of informal inventory of all her feelings and emotions about herself, her close friends, and the world at large. Never one to stand still, this album was the worthy successor to both the immensely popular "Blue" and the even more intimate and eclectic "For The Roses". Each of these three albums is both unique and quite different from the others, and as a body of work illustrates her fantastic creativity and ability to change style s and venues like so many suits of stylish clothing. Her in particular Mitchell's gorgeous and intricate lyrics, melodies and acoustic guitar arrangements meld into the strings, horns, and piano work to create an indescribably beautiful work. As with her other work, this album shows Joni at her apex, full of hope, compassion, and with all her creative juices flowing. For folk fans and people just interested in one of the best albums to have come out of her unforgettable stable of mysteries, this is an essential album. Enjoy.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
essential Joni Dec 29, 2003
By eclectictastes
"eclectictastes"
Despite the many accolades by current artists that I admire, until recently I didn't give Joni Mitchell much thought. Her biggest commercial success was during the 70s when I was a child and if she registered at all on my radar, it was as an earnest guitar strumming folk singer in the Judy Collins mode. One day, I was in the supermarket of all places when Help Me came on over the loudspeaker. I remembered the song from my childhood but some reason on that day, the song's vocal and instrumental arrangements had me totally entranced. I actually avoided getting in line until it was over. Soon after, I had to buy Court and Spark even though it had been probably 30 years since its initial release. Ever since, this CD has stayed on regular rotation. The songs have aged well. My favorites are Help Me and Free Man In Paris, a song to which I can relate even though I'm not a music mogul a la David Geffen. Other favorites include Court and Spark, People's Parties and Twisted. Mitchell's storytelling is strong and her musical intuition is sharp. In retrospect, one can hear her jazz leanings and understand that she was already headed toward a more experimental phase in her later recordings. If you can't understand why baby boomers complain that music is not what it used to be, pick up Court and Spark to see what they're talking about.
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