Album of the Day

Coming between BLUE and COURT AND SPARK, FOR THE ROSES is Joni Mitchell at the top of her game. Needless to say, these dozen originals are perceptive, poetic and frequently personal; there's likely a touch of Joni's romantic travails in “Woman Of Heart And Mind,” and her experiences in the music industry surface in the title track and “You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio,” the singer-songwriter's first Top 40 hit. The Asylum album is just as adventurous musically, with several arrangements reflecting Mitchell's growing interest in jazz and stellar instrumental support from the likes of Graham Nash, Tom Scott and guitarist James Burton. Selected by the Library of Congress for its National Recording Registry, FOR THE ROSES was issued 45 years ago this month, and still sounds sweet.