UMC/CRAFT
Originally released in 2007, Mitchell’s 19th album was overlooked for two reasons. Firstly, she had already publicly thrown in the towel in 2002, claiming the music business to be a “corrupt cesspool”, which made her reappearance slightly humbling. Secondly, Shine came out on Hear Music, the short-lived Starbucks-funded label, prompting raised eyebrows from those who smelt corporate hypocrisy. This was a shame because Shine contains some fine Joni Mitchell songs - melodic, distinctive and lyrically prescient - its title track and several others are concerned with climate change. She sings in a husky, noticeably older voice, but it is no less delicate or affecting than her classic 70s recordings. The only misstep is the unnecessary rerecording of Big Yellow Taxi, which reeks of coffee-related commerce.