Customer Reviews

Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, and the Torch Song Tradition

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This book reads like someone's doctoral dissertation, which is to say, dry, boring and overly academic in parts. Luckily, when I read it, I was stuck on an Amtrak train for 12 hours (normally a 5-hour ride), and had nothing else to do... otherwise, I may not have finished it. I bought the book because Elvis and Joni are my two favorite singer-songwriters, and I thought it could shed some light on them and their work. And it did. I am not a musician, and I know nothing of composing music--I think this book may be more compelling for someone who has a solid musical foundation. It is methodically and meticulously laid out, with chapters that discuss life story, creative impulse, songwriting methods, etc., with a section dedicated to each artist. At the end, the author compares these facets for both the artists. In all, I did find the biographical information to be interesting, and the book to be worth reading.