I came across this CD at a listening station at Virgin Megastore in Chicago. I LOVE this CD. To me the worst crime of a tribute CD is to impersonate the artist being featured. All of the artists on this CD bring their own strange beauty to these songs. My favorites -- Prince's A Case of You (I'm surprised some object his to take on this song. His falsetto combined with his multi-tracked lower notes is lovely). Bjork's Boho Dance (Makes the lyrics totally come alive; the clarity of Bjork's voice matched by the lyrics makes me appreciate Bjork's voice in a whole new way, this is a warmer more accessible Bjork). Emmylou Harris' Magadalene Laundries (Much has been said about this version; and I agree it is sad and heartfelt). Elvis Costello's Kingpin (I really like the smooth sound of Costello with the vibraphone -- very film noir). And all throughout Robert Hurwitz' musical production choices are stunning, surprising and fresh. Musical settings that are both modern and evocative at the same time. Joni should be smiling. This will hopefully bring her music to a younger generation, and lead them back to her originals. Also it's cool to have an instrumental cover in here (piano by Bard Mehldau).

[...]Putting all that aside, it's important to recall that (as many of my friends told me at the time) many of Mitchell's songs are "downers." Moreover, her output made a remarkable transition from early folky crooners to the jazz-inspired work of her middle albums, and the more straight-forward pop of later discs. She was also one of the first pop stars to make a free-verse lyric actually work in a song. Nowadays, when we take unrhymed, self-referential lyrics for granted, it's easy to forget how genuinely different these songs seemed 30 years ago. The artists included here are apt by virtue of being quirks (and sometimes downers) in their own rights. Sufan Stevens, who owes Mitchell a huge debt, daringly turns one of her most popular songs into his own. Bjork's adorably twisted take on "Bojo Dance" finally made that song tolerable for me (I never liked Mitchell's version). Brad Mehldau often includes Mitchell songs in his sets, and Casandra Wilson's understated cover of "For the Roses" is haunting. Prince turns a folk song into electric gospel, and Annie Lennox finds the psychedelia lurking in "Ladies of the Canyon." Emmylou Harris could have written "The Magdelene Laundries," and Elvis Costello's take on "Edith and the Kingpin" makes it seem like it was written for him. k.d. lang's note-perfect cover of "Help Me" must ride home on some deep, Canadian connection. And somehow Sarah McLachlan and James Taylor almost don't need comment, do they? Taylor sang backups on the original "Blue" album, and McLachlan seems to have absorbed it into her DNA. And who else but Caetano Veloso could pull off the bizarre "Dreamland," from what is arguably Mitchell's most weird-ass album. This is a CD that I am finding it easy to live with, reminding me of how rich and varied Ms. Mitchell's "downers" really are (and always have been).

This disc is not very interesting. The performances are mostly lackluster. The only stand out tracks are Annie Lennox's brilliant reading of Ladies of the Canyon. Lennox has a wonderfully distinctive voice and the synthesizers and Indian instrumentation reminded me plesantly of the Beatles. k. d. lang does a wonderful job on Help Me and James Taylor does a good job on River but I already had that on his holiday release. It was sort of interesting to hear Prince but the rest of the disc is just plain boring.

(Three and One-half Stars) While I must admit to a bit of what I call The Peggy Lee Syndrome ("Is that all there is?") concerning this collection, the fact is, when it's good it's very good; and when it's bad - well, it's never actually bad. At it's worst, it's merely baffling, and that comes right off the bat with Sufjan Stevens' complete re-write of "Free Man In Paris". Stevens doesn't just play around the melody, as a jazz singer might; he ignores the original melody entirely, substituting one of his own. It's not a bad song - it just isn't Joni's song. Notwithstanding some fussy studio tricks, Bjork's take on "The Boho Dance" is a note-perfect faithful cover; although her odd phrasing (she'll take a breath in the middle of a word) makes me wonder if she actually understood the lyrics. Brazilian singer/songwriter Caetano Veloso turns "Dreamland" into the 'Carnival in Rio' ride at Disney World, which is not a bad thing. Pianist Brad Mahldau's "Don't Interrupt the Sorrow" reveals that without Joni's lyrics, "Sorrow" is not one of her most engaging melodies: Mahldau punches atonal clusters with his right hand, as if to make up for it. Jazz diva Cassandra Wilson sings "For the Roses" as written, in a key so low her voice sounds considerably more masculine than Sufjan Stevens'.

Prince does "A Case of You" as a late-70s slow jam (like some forgotten B-side by the Stylistics), using only verse 2 ("I am a lonely painter") and the chorus, and singing the entire piece in a flute-like falsetto -- take THAT, Robin Thicke! It's easily the high point of this compilation, and should be released as a single - Prince could use a hit. With the fluttery, fragile beauty of the annual choir concert at a high-end girls school, Sarah McLachlan's "Blue" has been around since at least 1995, but is no less pretty for that. Similarly, Annie Lennox's "Ladies of the Canyon" was the "B-side" of the CD single of "No More I Love Yous" back in '96; but it's lovely, and frankly, I can't seem to find fault with Annie, try as I might. But both those cuts pale compared to Emmylou Harris' gorgeous reading of "Magdalene Laundries". One of Joni's better late-career songs, "Laundries" is showing a surprising versatility: Joni has recorded it with the Chieftains, while in Emmylou's capable hands and incomparable voice, one would swear it was written as a country ballad.

Elvis Costello turns "Edith and the Kingpin" into late-night small-band jazz - one can imagine him in a sharkskin suit, microphone and cigarette in the same hand. He seems to be channeling Mark Murphy: his "Edith" is reminiscent of Murphy's version of "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" - which is a good thing. k.d. lang's "Help Me" is pretty (I don't think she's capable of less), but oddly detached: there's no longing here, only beautiful notes. Finally, James Taylor delivers what may be the best cover of "River" (one of Joni's most covered tunes) ever. Instead of "Jingle Bells", he interpolates the melody of "Good King Wenceslas" (like Nina Simone's "Little Girl Blue" - coincidence?); and whatever time may have robbed of JT's voice, has been more than matched by an enveloping warmth. He has sounded younger, but never better.

Prince is good on his cover of Case of You (although my 3 yr old made the comment that he sounded more like a Princess, he is singing so high!, still, it was interesting, and the more I listen to his version the more I like it.

Sarah McLaughlin's version of Blue is good, but it's old. I've heard her do it before. Same with James Taylor and River.

Emmy Lou Harris's version of Magdalene Laundry is good.

The rest is unbearable. REALLY. Unbearable.

I am a die hard Joni fan, and I was very disappointed with this purchase.