What a beautiful experience it was to listen to Song To A Seagull at full volume on this bright spring day!
I had, previously, not really given that album too much attention but something about the swirly, colourful drawings on the cover lured me in for a closer look. I was stilled by it. I was absolutely moved by its purity. Joni's voice is in its prime here - that unetched, sterling silver quality that she became famous for. Granted, the production of the album is a bit hissy (and I know that Joni and Mr. Crosby know that) but it still shines and radiates with beauty. I think David Crosby described listening to the album as a "poetic experience" in the "Life & Times" bio and he was so right. It's poetic lyrically but also musically: The simple but elegant arrangements of Cactus Tree, I Had a King and The Dawntreader, the playful piano on Night in the City and the meandering guitar work on Sisotowbell Lane. Wow! It's a gorgeous album. I have been submerged in Joni's post '74 work for so long that I had forgotten about her first forays into recording and I was so pleased this afternoon to hear the youthful wisdom of the early Joni shining on this album. -Andrew PS: What does Sisotowbell stand for? I know it's in O'Brien's bio, but I don't feel like looking it up. Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com
