Gang,
Of all the reviews I've read of TLOG, the one from the Boston Globe is the closest to my own opinion......Personally, I do not find Joni's ravaged and shattered voice, gasping for breath, great songs rendered uninteresting (at best ) and a thick and soupy orchestra that sounds like the BSN (yawn) arrangements (with different lyrics ) when it doesn't sound like some Frank de Vol movie soundtrack from an early 60's Doris Day comedy....something to swoon over. As I've mentioned to a couple of listers ......she shouldn't have bothered....texture, husky, warm voice? It crackles like old parchment with nothing very beautiful written on it. Like Judy Garland in the last years of her life..... Joni is and has been the Queen of my life for 30 years, but this Empress's new clothes are not very pretty on her...cause there's nothing (much) there. Phrasing? Energy? I didn't hear it. I hope it sells well and I'm glad a lot of people like it...but I can't say it's fabulous just because it's Joni....CD-ROM? Booklet with art? Nice, but I don't buy Joni to look at 1" X 2" thumbnails of paintings that I will probably never see or own...... Nobody ever said to VanGogh.....When are you going to paint another Starry Night, man? Who asked her for this mess? Embarrasing and cringe-inducing. Joni, it's probably too late..but for God's sake (and yours) STOP SMOKING.... Yes, I'm blown away by TLOG, too. By how disappointing it is. Love, Russ --- Russell Bowden --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- EarthLink: It's your Internet.
