Janis Ian Summary

Critical Essay by Life [Janis Ian] is a national phenomenon, a composer and singer who makes bitter poetry of teen-age dilemmas. Her most successful record, entitled Society's Child, detailed ... Read more

Critical Essay by Bob Sarlin Janis Ian has grown into a charming, mature singer-songwriter. There is surely some of the snotty kid in there somewhere, but what was once called uppityness is now calle... Read more

Critical Essay by Stephen Holden Most of Ian's new material [on Miracle Row] recycles old musical ideas, again evoking the hypocrisies of social rituals and romantic encounters. However, these... Read more

Critical Essay by Michael Tearson With Miracle Row Janis Ian is no longer the "poor, sad dear" her many fans perceived…. Janis' writing has grown…. It is not so ... Read more

Critical Essay by Peter Reilly Janis Ian is for the trendies one of the most exciting, red-hot writer/performers in pop at the moment; for the rest of us she's definitely here to stay. With &#... Read more

Critical Essay by Don Shewey As far as hype goes, it may have been all over for Janis Ian when she quit writing hit songs about being an ugly teenager with a hit song. But as her craft matures, Ian&#... Read more

Critical Essay by Hank Fox Sixteen-year-old Janis Ian has a message. But whether its content is reality or fantasy, one theme is predominant—disintegration of the mind, leading to mental destr... Read more

Critical Essay by Alan Heineman [The Secret Life of J. Eddy Fink is] a real down. It's pretty awful, despite containing some interesting elements. There are only three truly good songs on it: ... Read more

Critical Essay by Noel Coppage [I find Janis Ian interesting because she uses a] powerful cerebrum more to move people than to impress them. Sometimes she overdoes it and works for shock value alone&... Read more