COURT AND SPARK completed Joni Mitchell's transition from folk-singer to sophisticated rock auteur. In addition to her meticulously crafted melodies and evocative, image-rich lyrics, the songs here are breezy and immediately appealing. This is in part due to Tom Scott's L.A. Express, a sinuous jazz-based combo, but also to Mitchell's knack for pop hooks, which abound on COURT AND SPARK. The album's accessibility made it Mitchell's most commercially successful, yet the personal intensity and insight of her songwriting never wavers. "Help Me" was a hit single, as was "Free Man in Paris," an expansive pop frolic that is reputedly a dig at industry mogul David Geffen. Mitchell returns to the terrain of piano balladry on "The Same Situation" and "Down to You;" yet even on these, as on the excellent social satire "People's Parties," one can hear the influence of jazz on her vocal phrasing and intonations. The rock & roll romp "Raised on Robbery" and the bluesy, comic swing of "Twisted" mix things up a bit, showing the artist's increasing ability to master and manipulate any form. COURT AND SPARK is one of Mitchell's finest albums, confirming her standing--at long last--as one of the most important and subtle talents of the rock era.

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