Wire From the Bunker: The Beginning of Survival
- Jon Houlon
- May 8
- 5 min read
In terms of my musical predilections (and literary ones too), I’m as guilty as anyone of marching in the dead or nearly dead white male brigade. Christ, I’m a nearly dead white male myself! But ever since I said “Farewell, USA,” I’ve found myself leaning pretty heavily on the female voice for solace and perhaps direction as well. Please: don’t send me hate mail along the lines of “Wow, Jon, you’re just discovering Joni Mitchell.” It’s not like that at all. In fact, I coulda chosen for this Wire many other female artists that I have long revered: Lucinda Williams, Judee Sill, Karen Dalton, Nanci Griffith, Shirley Collins, Bobbie Gentry, Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, Iris Dement, Bonnie Raitt, Suzanne Vega, Tammy Wynette, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, and own and own.
Joni Mitchell named a collection of her vastly underrated 80s work “The Beginning of Survival” and I hope that some of these voices may be just that >>>
Sex Kills: Yes, Joni is definitely singing about AIDS here. It was the mid-nineties after all. But she’s also singing about gender i.e. men kill. I love the litany of curses she identifies: “The ulcerated ozone // these tumors of the skin // this hostile sun beating down on //the massive mess we're in.” My favorite line: “Lawyers haven’t been this popular since Robespierre slaughtered half of France.” Robespierre was a complex figure and certainly didn’t slaughter half of France. But I get your point, Joni, about the ultimate “male” profession. Equally or even more important than the words is Joni’s strum. Those chords, that rhythm. Joni has justifiably pointed out that Bob cribbed most of his jams from someone else – she failed to note, however, that he’s did and does it with still as yet unmatched panache. But Joni truly has her own musical vocabulary. Check out how she dips her shoulder after singing about the “jack-offs in the office” and goes into that enticing hip shake that only she can do. And watch ‘til the very end: she tells Letterman: “you’re being very sweet toniiiiight.” And the king of irony was. That’s what a real artist will do to you: disarm.
A Case of You: An obvious selection, I know. But Diana Krall’s rendition of this Mitchell classic is definitive. Not even Joni can touch her. Of course, Joni’s iconic version on Blue is played on dulcimer which has about as much appeal as a banjo. But it being Joni and it being Blue, it somehow works. However, to hear this masterwork played on piano – an instrument of actual harmonic range -- by a first order musician like DK makes the ultimate case. Canada … O … Canadaaaaaa. I’m so sorry, our northern friends.
Anyway, check out Diana’s solo: she shows off her jazz chops with an almost atonal octave run up the keys but then brings it all back home with a blues line. To pull that off in a non-cloying manner with a folk song takes a level of talent and sensitivity that very few possess. And you gotta see the steely look on Krall’s face when she sings “be prepared to bleed,” advice Leonard Cohen’s mother allegedly gave Joni. Elvis Costello – who should arguably be known as “Diana Krall’s husband” – was once told by David Letterman that he was a “very lucky man.” To which EC replied: “Yes, a very lucky man, indeed.” Lawd have mercy!
Tony: Overcoming a dulcimer is one thing, overcoming the 90s indie rock goons that accompany Patty Griffin on her song Tony is another. But that’s how good PG is: her songs can withstand even a guy in a cowboy hat trying to make his guitar sound like the Edge. Why anyone would do that is a mystery to me! Among so many other folks taking a beating from 47, our LGBTQ+ friends are surely suffering quite a bit in our newly minted dictatorship. At times during this performance, it seems as if Patty may flap her arms and fly to some far-off place on the “map of the world” that she references in the first verse. But, in the end, she is grounded by the immense empathy she demonstrates in this song. Listen to her bare down on the words: “I guess you finally stopped believing // that any hope would ever find you // well I know that story // I was sitting right behind you.” Hey, Tony!
Be Careful: And here we have Australian cabaret and performance artist Meow Meow trying her hand at another Patty Griffin ace. The caked-on makeup and bustier (or whatever that get up is called) only serve to magnify the intense vulnerability of PG’s lyric. Listen to how Meow elides the chorus each time she sings it until it’s reduced, by song’s end, to a whispered “be careful.” I don’t know what to make of the guy at 2:21. What the? I had tickets to see a rare U.S. appearance of Meow Meow at the Barns of Wolftrap but it got cancelled during COVID. I hope I get another chance. Meow!
The Only Lie Worth Telling: I’ve been on-board the Kathleen Edwards train since her debut, Failer and remember catching perhaps her first (or second) Philadelphia show at the TLA. Talk about ace songwriters! I recently had a chance to see her at Elkton Music Hall, a wonderful new music venue just over the Deleware/Maryland border. KE had a crackerjack band – she always does – but what really blew me away this time is when she dismissed the boys and played by herself this Paul Westerberg gem from his oft-overlooked solo career. Kathleen made a remark about acknowledging the greats before they’re gone. In this regard, she mentioned Richard Buckner and possibly doing a whole album of his songs. Please do, Ms. Edwards!
Sisters: In addition to being an incredible steel player, Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner is a great record producer as well. He recently produced Susan Werner’s Halfway to Houston lp which ended up winning the Folk Alliance International Album of the Year award. A very big deal in our circles! You know there’s a good reason that of all the folks playing music around Philly in the 90s,
Susan Werner is pretty much the only one left, still out the road, playing gigs across the country, a hardcore troubadour. It’s cuz she’s a better songwriter than you, a better singer than you, and better musician than you. And by “you,” I mean “me” … and, yea, U2. Anyway, Sisters is my favorite song on Halfway. An utterly enchanting melody draws you in and the lyrics keep you there. Susan sings of the “cross and lasso” and that’s about the size of it, folks: the church and cowboy ethos has put us where we are today. We all did this.
Slo-Mo and I are delighted to support Susan at the Newton Theater this Friday, May 9th. https://www.thenewtowntheatre.com/events/2025/05/09/susan-werner?fbclid=IwY2xjawJb1aRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRuer1qWcJst14G1B2UTjKdCTJ-oYX2yXYe7KtbaLzxZARFnPIlpxOP4Bw_aem_3VsWo48UgO8Ij7dQzwjhEg
Doors at 7PM.
Mike and I hit at 8
