Taming the Tiger

Taming the Tiger
Studio album by
Joni Mitchell
ReleasedSeptember 29, 1998
Genre
Length43:17
LabelReprise
ProducerJoni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell chronology
Misses
(1996) 		Taming the Tiger
(1998) 		Both Sides Now
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[4]
Q[5]
Robert Christgau(choice cut)[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[7]

Taming the Tiger is the sixteenth studio album by the Canadian musician Joni Mitchell. Released on September 29, 1998, through Reprise Records, it is the follow-up to the successful Turbulent Indigo (1994). The album was, at the time, widely believed to be her last of completely original material; this would be disproved with the release of Shine in 2007.

Contributors to Taming the Tiger include Larry Klein on bass and Wayne Shorter on saxophone. The album combines the jazz stylings of much of her work with a textured, ambient-esque sound, indebted to her use of the Roland VG-8 virtual guitar system.

Taming the Tiger did not achieve the same level of success as its predecessor, peaking at number 86 in Mitchell's native Canada and number 75 in the US. However, it received positive reviews from critics and was considered a continuation of a return to form which started with Night Ride Home (1991).

Background

Taming the Tiger features prominent use of the Roland VG-8 virtual guitar system. This setup allowed Mitchell to switch between different alternate tunings with the press of a button rather than having to retune the guitar between each song – the frustration of which was a main factor in her decision to give up touring after 1983.[8] While the guitar remained in standard tuning, its sound would be processed to create the sound of the alternative tuning she had chosen. The unique sound of the guitar, described by David Yaffe in Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell as "a computerized approximation of a guitar with a head cold", created a more atmospheric, ambient sound which is prevalent throughout the album.[9]

Notable covers

"Man from Mars" was covered by Kristen Vigard in the 1996 film, Grace of My Heart.[10] "Man from Mars" was also covered by Chaka Khan in 2000 for her live concert DVD The Jazz Channel Presents Chaka Khan.

Track listing

All tracks composed and arranged by Joni Mitchell; except where indicated

  1. "Harlem in Havana" – 4:25
  2. "Man from Mars" – 4:09
  3. "Love Puts on a New Face" – 3:46
  4. "Lead Balloon" – 3:38
  5. "No Apologies" – 4:17
  6. "Taming the Tiger" – 4:18
  7. "The Crazy Cries of Love" (music: Joni Mitchell; lyrics: Don Freed) – 3:54
  8. "Stay in Touch" – 2:59
  9. "Face Lift" – 4:41
  10. "My Best to You" (Gene Willadsen, Isham Jones) – 2:52
  11. "Tiger Bones" – 4:18

Personnel

Musicians

Production

  • Dan Marnien, Tony Phillips, Femi Jiya – engineer
  • Joni Mitchell, Dan Marnien – mixing
  • Joni Mitchell, Robbie Cavolina – art direction

Charts

Chart performance for Taming the Tiger
Chart (1998) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[12] 86
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13] 79
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[14] 25
UK Albums (OCC)[15] 57
US Billboard 200[16] 75
Scottish Albums (OCC)[17] 90

References

  1. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). "Joni Mitchell". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. London: Fireside. p. 547. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Archived from the original on July 31, 2011.
  2. ^ Chrispell, J. (2011). "Taming the Tiger – Joni Mitchell | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Mitchell, Joni". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
  4. ^ Tucker, Ken (2011). "Taming the Tiger Review | Music Reviews and News". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 31, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  5. ^ Maconie, Stuart (2011). "JoniMitchell.com Library: Still Hard: Q, October 1998". jonimitchell.com. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  6. ^ Christgau, R. (2011). "Robert Christgau: CG: joni mitchell". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  7. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide – Joni Mitchell
  8. ^ Lewis, John (May 19, 2017). "Lost cats, rediscovered daughters and the love of a new synth guitar. The end - perhaps..." jonimitchell.com. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  9. ^ Enos, Morgan (September 29, 2018). "Joni Mitchell's 'Taming the Tiger' Turns 20: Why the Spaced-Out Album Deserves More Applause". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  10. ^ Schinder, Scott; Schwartz, Andy (2008). Icons of Rock: An Encyclopedia of the Legends who Changed Music Forever. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 429. ISBN 9780313338472.
  11. ^ "Joni Mitchell - Taming the Tiger - paintings".
  12. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 7035". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  13. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Joni Mitchell – Taming the Tiger" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  14. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Joni Mitchell – Taming the Tiger". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  15. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  16. ^ "Joni Mitchell Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 April 2024.