Nuriel wrote: "...TTT for Joni's worst album", "Where did that spirit go on TTT?"
You're joking, right, Owen?" Im a frayed not - I really don't hear much going on on TTT. To me, Joni's best work is either inspirational or insightful, or both, at it's *very* best. TTT starts off well - Harlem in Havana is such an uplifting song, with a great hook to the melody and production that reminds me of Court and Spark. Then Man From Mars, which is a really beautiful tune (tho I *still* can't decide if I like "big boohoo"). After that introduction, I felt the rest was a real let down, I didn't feel it was musically adventurous, nor was it saying anything particularly arresting - you could argue No Apologies here but I find that the lyrics in the chorus have little to do with the verse - moral decay yes, but the "lawyers and loansharks" come out of nowhere! Turbulent Indigo was a different story altogether, it had atmosphere and a great, angry energy to it, and the lyrics rank up there with some of her best (the techniques she employs on a song like Borderline are brilliant). It's a very personal thing, but few of the things I love about Joni - melodies that are completely original yet totally uncontrived; concise, intelligent, incisive and balanced lyrics loaded with dazzling imagery; production that throws out the rule book (Burundi drummers looping away years before sampling appeared) - are evident to me when I listen to TTT. It was the first new Joni album (bar hits and misses) to come out after I found her, so I desperately wanted to love it! Maybe in years to come I'll listen to it with new ears and renegue on this, but I dont hold out a lot of hope :( Owen
