Bob Muller wrote (in reply to my defense of CMIAR) - :
"I see a lot more commercial compromise on CMIARS than I do ambition. Let's look at the "stars" that were recruited to "play parts" in her songs, and how > obviously contrived and manipulative it was: > > Secret Place - Peter Gabriel (adult contemporary) > Dancin' Clown - Billy Idol/Steve Stevens/Tom Petty (the MTV crowd) > Cool Water - Willie Nelson (country pop) > Snakes & Ladders - Don Henley (adult contemporary)" > If you've forgotten, go look at where these artists were on the charts in 1988, and you can see that there was the hope of drawing from their audiences and assimilating them with Joni." I just do not get your point here, Bob. I could understand it better if you thought that Joni composed the songs cited above in order to fit the performers she eventually recruited. But I doubt that was so. Much more likely, she wrote the songs to her own standards, and then looked for some talents to round out the presentation. I love My Secret Place (and that there are two performers, although I find Gabriel's part a bit androgenous for my taste). You did not mention Lakota and Tea Leaf in this list, although they had (less famous) accompanists. But these works called for counterpoint and harmony, and she went looking for something other than her own overlays. In each case (except the truly dreadful S&L - ironic, those initials, eh ?), the fit was obviously natural and not at all contrived, IMO. As for manipulative, it would not surprise me if appearing on a JM album lent more artistic credibility as a payoff to those "recruits"" than it offered to joni in the form of potential additional sales or exposure. I could see Billy Idol, for example, thinking "well, everyone thinks I'm just a limited talent, whitehaired, S&M MTV pop star lightweight, but look, JM sees something of artistic worth in me, maybe y'all should pay attention too". > > > Then add to it the fact that most of the record has that dated 80's > synth-wash all over it, and I see it as Joni (with a big push from Klein) > trying to camouflage in with the zeitgeist instead of following the beat of > her own drummer (or the beat of black wings as the case may be). In the progression of things, I found CMIAR to be much more natural than DED, in this regard. Yes, there were a lot of tracks, but they were called for by the art. i do not think that a single song was written here with the thought that "here's one that could be a hit, and might help sell the album". That was not true of WTRF, for instance, which had two or three such cuts. Sorry, I think she was just trying to make good art here. Not a total success, to be sure, but not at all like you portayed it, IMO. I mean, Billy Idol and Tom Petty played bit parts, really. And even Willie Nelson and Gabriel were used sparingly - supporting actors, really. It's not like they were just pop duet singles. Bob S. > > Anyway, there are some highlights to be sure - and some outstanding songs > and moments, and hey, even some of the commercial duets work.
