Taming the Tiger
Following the Grammy triumph ofTurbulent Indigoby four years, Joni Mitchell rewards our wait with an album that's even better.Taming the Tigerfinds Mitchell playing her guitar through a Roland VG8, adding fresh texture to her continuing musical association with Wayne Shorter's sax and the rhythm section of Larry Klein and Brian Blade. "Happiness is the best facelift" is the line you'll hear quoted, but it isn't truly representative. Song painter Joni knows that light creates infinite gradations of shadow, and this is as varied a collection as she's given us. "Love has many faces," she sings in "Love Puts on a New Face"; and her portraits of longing ("Man from Mars"), abandon ("Crazy Cries of Love"), and quiet fury ("No Apologies") are exquisite.--Ben Edmonds