Search - Joan Baez :: Play Me Backwards

Outstanding rhythms & music

Nanci | Tri-Cities, WA USA | 02/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, Joan still has it. In fact I enjoyed this album more than any she has made save Diamonds and Rust. While the songs still have substance, and still can fit the folk genre (if genres you must have), the rhythms & music are more complex than previous works. And on this album Joan sings, not showcases her voice, just sings. I enjoyed it greatly for this. My main attraction in picking up the CD was the song "Amsterdam" penned by Janis Ian. Other songs hold up, and I wouldn't not recommend any. Let's hear it for a singer with substance and integrity."

Joan Baez Take a Giant Leap Forward with "PLAY ME BACKWARDS"

William S. Rothstein | St. Petersburg, FL USA | 03/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A good CD will entertain and perhaps, even entice. A great CD will also make you think. And then there are those handful of artists who create an enchanting, magical work that takes the listener to a place they've never before been. Joan Baez has created such a piece with her CD "PLAY ME BACKWARDS". Filled with ethereal sounds and exotic beats, Ms. Baez is lightyears away from the acoustic simplicity of her early work, yet the purity and crystal clarity of her voice still eminates directly from her soul and commands center stage. Never one to shy away from controversy, this experimental piece is filled with risks, and they all pay off in the end. For instance, the title track "PLAY ME BACKWARDS" deals with religious ritual and child abuse-hardly the stuff that top 40 music is made of-and in the hands of a less skilled writer and singer, this song could have been a disaster. Instead, it is a brilliantly understated and magnificently presented work that sends shivers up the listener's spine. Juxtapose this with a gospel-inspired "I'm With You" and the CD begins to take you on an up-and-down journey of monumental proportions. Hidden in between the "big" music are tiny little gems which, upon second and third (and more) listening begin to coax you further along the journey. On "Amsterdam", a delicate love song by Janis Ian, Ms. Baez achieves exactly the right tone to bring this paper-thin song to life, and Mary-Chapin Carpenter's "Stones In The Road" is given a breath of fresh air in this wonderful rendition. While other "showier" songs on this flawless CD tend to reach out and instantly grab the listener (such as the Dali-esque "The Dream Song" with its soaring violins and haunting viola, and the triumphant "Edge Of Glory", for this reviewer, it is John Stewart's "Strange Rivers" that is most enchanting. When I interviewd Ms. Baez in the early 90's, she explained that "Strange Rivers" was recorded after a half hour of rehearsal, and then recorded live in the studio, while she jammed with the two other guitar players on this song. "We actually were able to look at each other's faces as we played" she exclaimed, "imagine that!." Truth be told, I love Joan Baez, but have found some of her work to be a mixed bag. That is absolutely not the case with "Play Me Backwards". This is a genius work from one of the greatest women in American music.



"

Dream and Dream Again!

Myra Schjelderup | Salt Lake City, Utah, USA | 08/18/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've hearn Joan Baez's music before and, while nice, I never really loved anything she did. This CD, however, has some great music. The songs I like best are Strange Rivers, Edge of Glory, and Dream Song. But while Strange Rivers and Edge of Glory are 4-star songs, the Dream Song passes them all at a high 5. It's a sad, haunting song, with violins mostly, and Joan's wonderful voice. The Dream Song is so beautiful, and is also fun to dance to.

You will want to listen to The Dream Song over and over... and possibly backwards."