Joni Mitchell :: The Jungle Line

Joni-Mitchell_Hiss

‘This record is a total work conceived graphically, musically, lyrically and accidentally — as a whole. The whole unfolded like a mystery. It is not my intention to unravel that mystery for anyone, but rather to offer some additional clues.”   Joni Mitchell, 1976 (via)

The Hissing of Summer Lawns – also known as the record I play for people who pretend they don’t like Joni Mitchell. Next to Blue, it sits as my most played album in her discography, and one whose lasting influence is more widely felt with each passing year. Self-produced and released in 1975, Hissing proved to be Mitchell’s most experimental work to date. Expanding upon the jazz leanings of her previous studio effort, Court And Spark, the album introduced Moog synthesizers, sampled percussion, multiple overdubs and a further indication Mitchell was playing by no ones rules but her own. A high watermark artistically / critically, contemporary commercial success be damned.

Using African field recordings of the Drummers of Burundi, Mitchell sings on “The Jungle Line”, ‘… it slithers away on brass like mouthpiece spit” — and much could be said of the funky, percussive track itself. Equally evocative lyrically / instrumentally – both primitive and extraterrestrial. A masterwork.

Joni Mitchell :: The Jungle Line

4 thoughts on “Joni Mitchell :: The Jungle Line

  1. This was the first JM album I bought in the 80s when I was in high school. It is a great and underrated album. Thanks for bringing it back up for people to hear.

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