Various Artists - 'A Tribute To Joni Mitchell' (Nonesuch) Released 23/04/07

Every inch the songwriter's songwriter, Joni has the appeal of an aged-Burgundy that has been maturing quietly in the cellar developing nuance and depth, and the artists delivering their versions of Joni songs reach out in just the same way. Joni comes across as the hippie who was tending the garden of the Woodstock generation rather than getting wigged, more the boho observer than lysergic freebird. A woman who has crafted some of the finest songs in any woman's songbook and the tracks to be found here maintain that reverential air whilst remaining true to individual artistic style and vision on a lovingly articulated album.

Moving at different tempos, Sufjan Stevens 'Free Man Of Paris' moves apace by mining a rich brass seam and Sufjan capturing the featherweight vocals, Caetano Veloso shuffling with the sunny pina colada flavoured 'Dreamland' and batucada drumming, and the percussive world-music feel of Annie Lennox's take on the stalwart feminine portrait 'Ladies Of The Canyon'. Different female perspectives are articulated with the powerful songwriting of 'The Magdalene Laundries' sung with emotion by Emmylou Harris of a woman cast a Jezabel - "...most girls come here pregnant/ some by their own fathers/ Bridget got that belly/ by her parish priest..." giving delicate expression for the unheard.  

Sarah McLachan shores up the outstanding 'Blue' with strong sexy vocals from deep and sonorous depths "...underneath the skin/ an empty space to fill in..." and Bjork's 'Boho Dance' has the familiar music-box sonics with Bjork turning pirouettes, while Cassandra Wilson plays it cool with 'For the Roses' with coffee and cigarettes husky voice, standing bass and muted harmonica, and k.d. Lang addresses the libertine in 'Help Me' - "...help me/ I think I'm falling in love/ too fast..." with a feel-good feminine singalong. Male counterparts come from Elvis Costello with a big Tom Cat take on 'Edith and the Kingpin' with full brass backing and a nocturnal slow-jazz number "...the band sounds like typewriters...", far from, James Taylor with the acoustic ballad 'River' full of dreamy delivery and song, and Prince (sans the name) pitched high on 'A Case Of You'.

Seek 'Big Yellow Taxi' or 'Woodstock' and ye will not find, the cache comes across as more personal songs that have touched the artists rather than the the broad appeal of the two mentioned. 'A Tribute To Joni Mitchell' has collected some of the finest artists of our age onto one album a la homage to while an hour of timeless beauty.