February 13,2003 STRIPTEASE page Travelogue: Mitchell's final album

Haunting, flawless and timeless some notable musicians like two, "Amelia" ("It scrambles time and it is composed of classic are three words that easily Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and seasons if it gets through to songs and old standards. describe Joni Mitchell's newest and Billy Preston. ou then your life is like a trave- Mitchell's album cannot be com- album Travelogue- Travelogue, a Mitchell revitalizes her classic Iogue full of picture-post-card- pared, however, to anything else two-disc set takes the listener on a songs with a voice that has charms"), which was originally out on the music store shelves journey by revisiting 22 songs matured with age and with an recorded in 1977. Travelogue today. Her sound is completely previously recorded by Mitchell orchestra that expands the mean- acts as Joni Mitchell's "picture- original. during her more than 30-year ing and effect of the songs. post-card" because it exhibits dif- Mitchell revealed in the career. Mitchell's voice has changed ferent points in her career. The December 2002 issue of W mag- The set includes the classics over the years. album is put together like a mini- azine that Travelogue would be "Woodstock," "For the Roses" It no longer has an airy flow book with images of Mitchell's her final album, which makes it and "The Circle Game, and the that reaches the higher octaves, paintings along with phrases even more special. She is getting jazzy "Be Cool," "Just Like This which is due, no doubt, to her taken from songs on the album. out of the music business because Train" and "Sex Kills." The high- age and habitual cigarette smok- The complete lyrics of the songs she is tired of how corrupt the lights of the collection are the ing. Her deep, raspy voice gives inhabitants of this nation could are included in a separate insert. industry has become over the hauntingly beautiful "Chinese the songs a new life with an benefit from that message. The Travelogue produced by Larry past few years. Cafe/Unchained Melody," added depth and an identity of lyrics, "That night I dreamed I Klein ana Joni Mitchell was Sadly, this album is not going "Judgment of the Moon and Stars her own. saw bombers up there riding released in November 2002 on to receive the commercial (Ludwig's Tune)" and "The Sire of One of my favorite songs, shotgun in the sky, and they were Nonesuch Records, an "artsy" response it deserves. Sorrow (Job's Sad Song)." "Woodstock," is reintroduced to turning butterflies up above our label owned by Warner Music. It is not pop or the new punk Mitchell re-recorded her songs the 21st century, and it perhaps nation," have special relevance The album can be compared to so it will not appeal to the mass- with arrangements by Vince provides some introspection from now because of the Sept. 1 ! her 2000 release Both Sides es. Travelogue is an eclectic mix Mendoza with the 70-piece the hippie generation to the tragedy, the possible war with Now where notable jazz musi- of music all its own. If you like London Symphony Orchestra and events that are occurring today. Iraq and the Columbia tragedy. cians Hancock, Shorter and Joni Mitchell or just like music that with a 1 3-member backing choir. The song is about self-discovery The title of the double album Preston also back her. Both Sides can touch your soul then you can- Her backing band also features and the celebration of life. The comes from the lyrics of track Now has an overall jazzy flavor, not go wrong with Travelogue.* review by Erin Edgemon 'Heaven' can wait Perhaps the success of "Al: have become well-known for their This is the main problem A final error is regarding the Artificial Intelligence" prompted films and their personal themes of with the film. Though the open- issue of casting. the good folks at Miramax to try fate, coincidence and spirituality, ing premise is interesting, most of The two leads are played by something similar. so the project certainly looked the first two-thirds of the film play Cate Blanchett and Giovanni With Al, Stephen Spielberg good on paper. ,like a bad American action film. Ribisi, both accomplished per- took over the project the great Once put onto celluloid, the Based on what he sees of her formers. But the main problem Stanley Kubrick had been work- film is generally a mess but not personality, I couldn't accept the lies in the fact that they are ing on when he died, and made worth ignoring entirely. If any- fact that the Italian officer would English-speaking actors in a film it into a wonderful film. thing, it is worth looking into for feel strongly enough about the written by a Pole, directed by a It played to the strengths of fans of these two interesting film- woman to risk his job and possi- German and starring an entire both directors, and both of their makers bly his life to help free her. cast of Italians. influences are seen in it. The The plot of the film centers All of a sudden, he is express- Both Blanchett and Ribisi are result is an imperfect yet fascinat- around a British woman whose ing his love for her without any horribly out of place and their tal- ing film that gets better with each husband recently died of a drug sort of emotion or chemistry ents aren't enough to make up for viewing. overdose. In addition, many of between them. it. A similar situation arose the young children she teaches at It is this lack of feelings Heaven, with all the impor- recently. The famed Polish direc- school are hooked on the same between the characters that ulti- tant names attached, had the tor Krzysztof Kieslowski passed stuff. So, she enters the drug mately make it a very difficult film potential to be an interesting, away in 1996 and left behind a dealer's office with a bomb, to enjoy. The man and woman thoughtful film. Unfortunately, script for a film called Heaven, intending to kill him in revenge. profess their love for each other Miramax got a little too ambi- which was to be the first in a tril- The plan goes wrong and four and go through all sorts of obsta- tious, threw too many different ogy, eventually to be concluded innocent people die. cles., but are unconvincing in elements into the mix and spoiled by Purgatory and Hell. She is caught by the police their actions. what could have been a perfectly Giovanni Ribisi and Cate The script fell into the hands of and interrogated by them. But And this makes it very hard to fine, artistic film. Blanchett star in Krzysztof Miramax and was passed on to since they are Italian, she needs care for them. They don't come For a real experience, skip German filmmaker Tom Tykwer, a translator The translator sym- across as realistic, caring people, Heaven and take a look at The Kieslowski's film Heaven best known for Run Lola Run and pathizes with her so he helps her and this prevents the audience Princess and the Warrior or The "The Princess and the Warrior. .escape in a series of highly from entering their world and Decalogue to see Tykwer and Both Kieslowski and Tykwer unlikely events. being captivated by it. Kieslowski at their peaks. *

review by Zachary Hansen