Rating: NNNN
So cutting an exclusive deal with Starbucks might not be as crazy as it seems. And neither is her decision to return to the more pared-down sound of her earlier classics.
Shine is built around her voice and guitar (or piano) and will appeal to fans who’d rather hear yet another rendition of a familiar fave than anything experimental, which is probably why we get Big Yellow Taxi (2007). It also happens to fit perfectly with the album’s eco-conscious message.
Yet in spite of the overt references to holy war, genocide, beached whales and wanton destruction of the environment for profit, Mitchell makes everything sound so darn pleasant, the dire urgency of her warning is easy to miss. It should all go down nicely with a latte.