The Latest from Folk's First Ladies

MUSIC The Latest From Folk’s First Ladies for many of my friends when Yet, most of this album is Carly Simon has no more we were in tenth grade. For rehashed Sixties sentiment secrets. some reason, I found her with the added jaundiced eye vision hollow then, and subse of the Seventies. If Carole quently it seems ten times as King really expects to provide ****** empty now. With the end of answers for the world’s prob Mingus, Joni Mitchell. Elektra/ this decade looming in a truly lems, she should come down Asylum Records, 1979. frightening way (Three Mile off her mountain and walk for Island, Skylab, Studio 54) it awhile on the street. Two by Cathy Lee doesn’t comfort me to know songs here prove she can touch that Carole King still lives in the ground as well as the sky. The expressions of female the country and writes about sensibility in the poetry/music/ the same things, she dealt with ****** visual art of Joni Mitchell’s al ten years ago. The sleeve of bums over the past decade have Touch the Sky assures us Spy, Carly Simon. Elektra appealed to me as much as the that King still wears her beat Records, 1979. works of admitted feminist art up overalls and continues to ists. With unflinching accuracy, look upward for answers. by Joyce Millman Mitchell has articulated the di Yawn. Most of these songs lemma of a new breed of com will be forgotten once the The title of Carly Simon’s mon woman: career-oriented, needle returns to its cradle. latest album, Spy, refers to better-educated, in control of The album opens with a a quote from Anais Nin: “I her own direction, but living in look at Seventies cynicism, am an international spy in the a society that permits women “Time Gone By.” Here, as on house of love.” only two roles—self-denial in many of the songs, King’s Those words suit Simon to favor of a lifelong mate or love Joan Baez minor toned melody and over perfection. In her seven less solitude. done lyrics are instantly previous albums she has In Mitchell’s earlier albums, recognizable. “I remember peeked through the keyhole at the “confessional” ones, she love in its various incarna done already. “Light A time gone by/ when peace and gave us painful glimpses of her Honest Lullaby, Joan Baez. tions, and has made at least Light,” by Janis Ian, and hope and dreams were high,” attempts and inability to shackle Portrait Records, 1979. two classic observations on the “Before the Deluge” by Jack- mourns Carole. Now, I’m no her free will in order to keep a disco reptile or anything, but subject, “That’s the Way I’ve by Susan Bencuya son Browne, are good exam man. But rather than endure a King’s assessment of past and Always Heard It Should Be” lonely and guilty life sentence, ples. “Light A Light” is from and “You’re So Vain.” that album everyone had in present is simply too vague for Joni Mitchell set her own spirit Joan Baez has been back in The trouble, then, arises not their apartment two years ago. me. Anyone who thinks that free. Her albums since 1972 the news lately, with her Open the Sixties were a fairyland of from Carly’s desire to concen Letter to the Socialist Republic “Between the Lines,” Baez’ show us a woman who scrutin version is pretty, too, but it’s peace, love and long hair trate on content she knows izes her emotional and concep of Vietnam stirring up a small couldn’t have been there. well, but from her unwilling furor in intellectual circles. almost exactly like Ian’s, and tual boundaries and creates a Carole King should know ness or inability to vary the visual/musical map of that Granted, it can be difficult to one gets the feeling that it’s form. Since 1972’s No been said before. Of course, better. The remainder of the multi-dimensional terrain. Leav fuse the North Vietnamese and album contains songs about Secrets, her efforts have Childe Harold, but Baez has we’ve heard “Before the De ing society’s roles for others to luge” too, and even with the self therapy, being good to veered increasingly toward play, Mitchell has refined and mixed politics and music for so yourself (“Move Lightly”), Carly Simon Albums, designer long and with so much success same Jackson Browne/Eagles/ sustained herself. West Coast guitar sound. giving up patterns to Find joie records for fashionable ears. Every one of Mitchell’s re that I was doubly interested in de vivre (“Crazy”), and the Spy sticks to the same the contents of her new album The title cut, “Honest Lul cent albums exhibits the wom laby,” is Janis Ian’s “At glory of country life (“Good format as its predecessors: an’s knack for mixing media: on Portrait Records, Honest Mountain People”). The lyrics some rock, some pop, some Lullaby. Seventeen” revisited, only perfectly matching lyrical poetry are forced and uninspired, ballads, some sexual politics, I was doomed to disappoint more smug. It begins: “Early, with different kinds of modern early in the game/I taught my even trite, and King’s voice some starry-eyed romance. music, using visual and tonal ment. For someone who ac wears thin on the high notes. The result finds Simon touch cepts controversy so easily, self to sing and play/And use colors to evoke various moods a little trickery/on those who Her attitude may be seen as ing all the bases in a predict from playful to doubtful. Joan Baez is more daring po ambitious, but it rings false. able manner. Yet Spy is not litically than musically. The key never favored me....” Not Like jazz—which has increas only do we get to hear how hard For instance, the folksy without its intriguing qualities. ingly influenced her music in word for this album is “safe.” “Passing of the Days” could Simon’s singing, for in Paul Simon, who produced it’s been being Joan Baez, but the past few years—Mitchell’s we also get to help pat her have been embroidered on a stance, is still irresistible. She works appeal to an intelligent Honest Lullaby, has done a sampler in the kitchen of a is one of the very best. And beautiful job, so much so that on the back. Witness: “I took minority of inquisitive souls what I could get/And did the commune. The final song, once again, she is surrounded who remain unaffected by cat the album lacks any spontaneity “Seeing Red,” falls flat as by the cream of studio it might have had: it’s too things that I might do/For egorical dichotomies. those less fortunate....” Take well. The double entendre title musicians. One such inquisitive soul slick. On the other hand, he refers to her anger at the treat “Vengeance” and “Pure didn’t have much to work with, that, Jane Fonda! was Charles Mingus, the gen “Michael,” another Baez- ment given American Indians Sin” are two of the better cuts, erally acknowledged genius of songwise. Simon writes inter in this country, but she doesn’t both infectious rockers esting, unconventional melo penned tune, fares better. It’s jazz composition, arrangement not only beautiful, it’s tongue- come to any conclusion except featuring lowdown vocals and and bass playing. When some dies, and produces them in “we got to make it right.” sardonic lyrics a la “You’re So conventional forms, which in-cheek. (And on this album, one played some of Mitchell’s we could use a little subtlety.) Worth a mention, however, Vain.” Carly’s “I’m no lady” albums for him, Mingus decid works for him. But the songs are two songs that I could even act is honed to perfection here. Baez has chosen for this album The song celebrates a modern- ed he’d like to collaborate with day lover who compares her play again. The C&W flavored Her obvious delight in slum her. His original project was are for the most part very con “Dreamlike I Wander” ming as a street tough carries ventional and very unsurpris self to Barb’ry Allen and other to be a textural collage illu maids of constant sorrow. features a delicate piano these tunes. minating T.S. 'Eliot’s Four ing, melodically speaking. (played by Reese Williams) As for the. other songs, only Where Simon could have “Michael” is Joan Baez re Quartets with several kinds of minding you of where she which renders it quite lovely. the soft-rock “Love You By music and Mitchell’s singing perked them up with an un “You Still Want Her” is no Heart” and a ballad called expected instrument, or an in came from. It’s a private joke, her own translation of the poet’s and I like it. table lyrically, though the “Never Been Gone” really lyrics. Though she found the teresting solo, he has only melody is boringly repetitious. sound fresh, due mainly to made them more predictable. To give credit where credit is idea fascinating, Joni felt she due, Joan Baez’ voice is still Carole sings here of a friend Simon’s talent for creating couldn’t handle such an ambi Baez shines most when she she deeply cares for, though lovely, lush melodies. tries something new. For in quite capable of sending shivers tious project, and respectfully down my spine. However, their lifestyles differ dra Simon closes the album with declined.

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