I agree that Dog Eat Dog is a class act - there are some great angry lyrics in there, and the production works to unify the album as far as Im concerned (maybe I like the 80s sound cos Im an 80s kid tho - it always reminds me of films of my youth like 'Mannequin' and 'The Breakfast Club'!) The tunes are also far more engaging than those on 'Night Ride Home', for example. In fact, I'm gonna risk a lynching by suggesting that for me, there's a toss up between NRH and TTT for Joni's worst album. NRH is pretty much (dare I say this) a middle aged album - she sounds half asleep on most of it, the rhythms are plodding, melodies unadventurous and the chord sequences cliched. Don't get me wrong, I like Come in From the Cold, Slouching Towards Bethlehem and I LOVE Two Grey Rooms, but the rest are either dull or embarassing (stand up Ray's Dad's Cadillac). Similar situation with TTT, although at least when I heard the first two tunes I thought it was gonna be a really good album. Why did Joni just settle back into those boring VG-8 guitar numbers when she had some great production going on on Harlem in Havana and Man from Mars? And theyre all in the same key! I mean, compare TTT with the musical energy and innovation of CAS - thats music that takes your breath away (when the strings kick in on Same Situation - wowser!). Same story with DJRD - exhilarating! Where did that spirit go on TTT? Especially after the brooding, dark and intelligent works on Turbulent Indigo showed that Joni was still a master (and a half). Now thankfully she's pioneering again - Coyote by an orchestra - now who can say what THAT's gonna sound like! Just my two cents worth. I'm off down the bunker in anticipation of an angry NRH loving mob!
Owen (who is doing a compilation of later Joni songs for his mum, who says she "went weird" after Hejira-tsk!)
