They Paved Paradise And Signed Her To Starbucks
Score another for the Hear Music's quest for a boomer-friendly roster: Joni Mitchell joins Paul McCartney as the second signing to Starbucks' label, releasing her first LP in nine years, Shine, in an overpriced coffee shop near you. The AP describes the appeal vis a vis Macca's latte-shop success:
McCartney's album "Memory Almost Full" came out last month and was played relentlessly at Starbucks franchises, where listeners could purchase it with their coffee. The disc has sold 447,000 copies, 45 percent of them in Starbucks stores, the company said.Of the names brewing it the rumor mill, we honestly put the odds on sweet baby James. Alas it's Ms. Mitchell, and Hear Music is just getting started, promising one more signing this year and eight more in '08. And then there's the celeb-curated (and new-tune-including) Sonic Youth comp, which Thurston said was aimed toward giving "the casual consumer" access to music "more readily."The new venture has attracted interest from veteran artists both because the music business is collapsing around them, and their fans are much more likely to be spending time in Starbucks these days than in music stores.
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Mitchell wrote nine of the 10 songs on "Shine," the exception being an adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling poem "If."
She described it as "as serious a work as I've ever done" with some dark lyrics.
Look for Joni's Shine on 9/25.
Posted at 9:23 AM
Tags: Joni Mitchell
Actually I'd rather give money to starbucks than to a major.
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True that.
And Joni can do whatever the fuck she wants.
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yeah Joni is a badass......and I must admit if starbucks wanted to put me in their stores....I probably be in there buying cafe no fat room for cream chia latte grande soy mocha things everyday.
Friends call it 4 bucks!
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Can't wait to hear the new album. Joni Mitchell is the best.
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Yeah, my favorite album of Joni's was the one produced by Thomas Dolby featuring all those synthesizers. What was that called? Empire Burlesque? Ghostyhead? I can't fucking remember. Too much acid back in the hippie daze.
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Half the would be "indie" labels are no different then Starbucks these days, or a "Major" for that matter. There's nothing "indie" about having a roster of mediocre bands with publicists and then ending on blogs like this. Joni Mitchell can blow it out her 60's arrogant ass. To think she compares herself to Beethoven. Show me a song this woman has written in the past 15 years that's relevent.
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Jack is an idiot.
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Sarah is currect. Joni is awesome.
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Sarah is correct. Joni is awesome.
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No Sarah,you're the idiot. Again, name one song, any song. What about you Seth? Anything intelligent to add here other then hitting your send button twice?
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Well Jack, Night Ride Home was 16 years ago, or else we could include it, an excellent album that was critically acclaimed and as interesting and engaging if not more than most of her output in the eighties. Sure Taming the Tiger was a bit of a disappointment. Then she 'retired' for awhile, so there haven't been that many new songs she's released in that time. But I would argue, and I feel quite confident that most would agree, that the songs she wrote more than fifteen years ago are all still pretty relevant. Some more so now than they were then, The Hissing of Summer Lawns, for instance. Side note: I'll never understand why people feel the need to be so snarky. Is it not possible to dissent and disagree but do so with some modicum of kindness or respect?
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Hey Seth,
Nothing personal, I actually respect your opinion and comments wholeheartedly, I've actually become more upset at the passing-off of Starbucks as being a good alternative to a "Major". Also, I feel that blogs (yes even this one) should give press to artists that warrant it. I mean...the Paul McCartney blog-publicist-fest is amusing enough. There's millions of more deserving artists these days. I love "Blue", that's a great LP. But damn let's move on already know what I mean? -Jack
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Jack,
I can understand that concern. I do think that Joni Mitchell releasing some new material is something that deserves a bit of attention since she's been such an influence on the course of popular music. I do agree that there are a lot of other deserving bands as well, but it's like a Toni Morrison or Gore Vidal releasing a new book. They're not new, up and coming authors, but they will get a lot of attention, and rightfully so. They've proven they're worth taking seriously. The same can be said with Mitchell. I also understand discussing Starbucks' venture into the recording industry because it's symptomatic of greater changes within the music industry, and that's something that's worth discussing, whether we feel it's a good thing or bad.
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Jack,
Yeah Blue *IS* amazing....
But Hejira is clearly better... Have you heard it? Seriously - blows my mind every time I hear it :)
There's a lot of amazing work that Joni has done since the Blue era.... Turbulent Indigo (94?!) is excellent... 'Not to Blame' 'Borderline' are some cracking tunes.... and 'Harlem in Havana' on Taming the Tiger (98) is a great narrative song, with a kooky arrangement...
A lot of her 80s stuff is only poorly receieved because of the dated synth sounds.... I think if you concentrate on lyric and composition they are great pieces, just flawed by 80s production.
That's my two cents on the matter.....
I think Joni is right to chose the "starbucks" option - it's going to be very difficult trying to pitch music (however wonderful) to a public which is more interested in forgettable pop hooks or half naked celebrities than a poignant lyric or an emotive / experimental chord.
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