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Blue
Joni Mitchell
1971
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!Very beautiful and heartfelt. She has a very distinct voice and guitar playing style that I think I'll be obsessed with for the rest of my life. This Aussie gives an album they've never listened to before five rounds of backyard cricket with your mates out of five.
I feel so voyeuristic listening to this album. I feel like I'm looking at her through a one-way mirror, the lyrics a very personal reflection of her situation and the instrumentation perfectly complementing it. A masterpiece of emotion. And her voice, my god.
Amazing collection of songs. I loved this album. Joni’s lyrics straight from her soul, her remarkable singing voice and unique guitar playing make me very excited to listen to more Joni!
I wish I had words to convey how much I love and admire this artist and her extraordinary creations. Everything: songwriting, her poetry of lyrics, musicality, composition, performance (studio and live), originality, expression, timelessness,...I could go on and on. I hope anyone who loves music gets the chance to explore her catalog. Just incredible. (5 stars seems waaaay to low for this one.)
I try and like this album every few years. It's still a 1 even with the creeping familiarity.
Little green is a beautiful song. I feel like I need to curl up with a hot beverage and the lyrics of this album
Thought one track sounded like Jingle Bells, then realised that it was a track with a Christmas theme! All very Joni Mitchell. What's not to like? Very pleasant and easy listening. Loved it.
Without question one of the all time great albums. Brilliant in 1971 and just as brilliant and timeless now. Joni is a brilliant writer and musician - perhaps my favorite artist, if I had to choose.
Wow. I knew this would be good but it completely exceeded my expectations. One of the most beautiful albums I've ever heard. It honestly moved me to tears
Having never really heard much of Joni Mitchell's work up to this point in my life, I found 'Blue' to be quite a revelation. Sparse and delicate, this is real heart on your sleeve stuff and it's also very beautiful, painfully so.
This was the first Joni I ever heard, introduced to me by an aging hippie whose musical tastes have shaped my own over the years. It has lived at the top of my list ever since. Joni’s singing voice is unique and not necessarily for everyone, but there is no denying the power and influence of her songwriting voice. I don’t think you will find a female recording artist who doesn’t list Joni as an inspiration in some way. One of the original singer/songwriters, her unique folk tunings and feminine perspectives make this album a cornerstone of folk/pop history. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite song from Blue, though some resonate more for me than others: All I Want, A Case of You & Carey hit the hardest for me. The bittersweet, almost anti-holiday River evokes a deep & melancholy longing that haunts me. And the title track is a perfect expression of the sadness of a painful loss. This is a no-brained 5 for me.
There aren’t enough superlatives to give this wonderful album. Joni Mitchell, the original confessional singer songwriter, possesses an exquisite voice and beautiful playing style. This is an album to get lost in and absorbed by. Influential and staggering, Blue is not just one of the greatest albums of the 20th century, it is one of the century’s greatest works of art.
This is like being asked to review the Sistine Chapel. Where to begin. It took me some years to get in the rhythm of Joni Mitchell's music. Thankfully I stuck in there because her music is an indescribable gift. Blue in particular is an album I come back to frequently. Listening to Blue is like reading someone else's diary. It feels very personal, so intimate, so much so that you feel a little like you shouldn't have that kind of access to another person's thoughts. Mitchell’s lyrics are pure poetry. Her turns of phrase are stunning. "I could drink a case of you and still be on my feet" is a line that I think about a lot. It’s simple, but incredibly elegant, evoking all our own feelings and memories of being exuberantly, drunkenly lost in a love, regardless of the cost. The songs are a journey between those exuberant feelings to less pleasant feelings like melancholy, loneliness, disillusionment, loss. She revels in those emotions and displays them for us like jewels. Let's also not sleep on the quality of the music itself. The arrangements are simple, delicately rendered, but incredibly moving. Mitchell's piano and guitar work is a thing of beauty. Her accompanying musicians (James Taylor, Stephen Stills and Pete Kleinow) add great depth and texture to the work. Kleinow’s pedal steel guitar on “California” and especially “This Flight Tonight” is a delight. Mitchell’s vocal is so unique, it’s an instrument in itself. It’s angelically pretty, but she’s not afraid to bend her voice as it suits her, into some unexpected places. A lot of artists get compared to Joni Mitchell, but there’s really no one like her. I could say much more, but it would somehow never be enough. I could drink a case of this and still be on my feet. Fave Songs: A Case of You, River, California, This Flight Tonight, All I Want, Blue
I don't like this genre of music, generally. That being said, I didn't hate this, and I can see why it made the list. There were a few times where she started a melodic progression that sounded like it was really going to resonate with me, but every time she went in a direction that I didn't find so compelling. My personal enjoyment: 1.5/5 Did it belong on this list: 4/5
Going in, not super thrilled as I haven't been a huge fan of Joni Mitchell. I don't recognize any songs on the tracklist so let's see if this one changes my mind. Ok yeah, still not a fan. I did learn a quick formula for Joni Mitchell though. Is she playing a guitar? It's going to be a bit more upbeat and half-decent. Is she playing a piano? Prepare to be bummed out.
Joni Mitchel doesn't try to rhyme or form song structure. Her music is like shitty skat poetry
this album filled my heart with joy and such rustic vibes of counterculture. also this album is called blue and has a song named carey so my opinion is unbiased and carey is not holding a gun to my head as i type this
Lyrically perfect. Fantastic musicianship. Unbelievable delivery. One of the best of all time. Blue me away
I can't think of better words to describe this album than 'calm' and 'comfy'. Joni's voice and instrumentals and lyrics all combine to make this album a joy to listen to. The time flew by, and I can see myself listening to this again when I need something smooth to relax to.
I've listened to this album a few times finding this on the list. I liked it then, and I like it now for sure. God the vocals, instrumentation and writing are fantastic. Super glad I got to listen to this one again.
Excellent pop-folk album that talks about things that are going on at the time through personal experiences.
Amazing album. Great songs, emotional, passionate. Giving it a 5 though really a high 4.5. After River the last 2 songs are a little weak.
This album is an absolute classic. I enjoy absolutely everything about it. My personal favourite song is River, but I love all of the songs. 5/5 stars. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.
Really beautiful album. Such an array of sounds from folk, country, rock and blues of course. Amazing so writing and vocal inflection
Joni's vocal talent is way out in front, highlighted by sparse instrumentation. California basically ripped out my heart. This album should be required listening in schools. A Case Of You is another absolute thunderously emotional track. The Last Time I Saw Richard hits harder when i thought this album was out of punches. "Only a phase these dark cafe days"
Brilliant, that's about all you can say about this album. Visceral and heart rending lyrics that get to show where our Joni was at this stage in her life. I love it! Favourite Tracks gotta be "River" and "A Case Of You" Again one for the vinyl collection.
The album is a close personal acoustic album which showcases the best of Joni's writing and singing. The album doesn't have any weak tracks which could be considered filler, and it stays intriguing throughout
"Beautiful" is an easy word to use for this album. I think the music speaks best for itself
As soon as I pressed play on this album, a man materialized in my room. I immediately understood him to be my husband whom I loved very much. He promptly left me and broke my heart. Just the way Joni intended. 10/10
An absolute masterpiece of writing and production. To imagine one person producing this in any amount of time is incredible. Gorgeous songs all the way through, perfectly rendered in a minimal and yet impactful way.
Blue by Joni Mitchell (1971) One must set aside the admittedly fascinating backdrop to this album and assess it on its own merits. Having done that, one must conclude that this is simply one of the greatest albums of all time. Top ten. Easily. Best thing to ever come from a Canadian recording artist. It puts the ‘class’ in ‘classic’. Why did Blue chart better in the UK than in the USA in 1971? Because in 1971 the British still had better taste and sense than we Americans. How things change. Delightfully poetic lyrics, unsurpassed vocal performance, masterful acoustic guitar/piano arrangement and execution, superbly crafted and unexpected melodies all characterize this superlative record. It all comes from the mind and heart of one person—Joni Mitchell. And if one needs to add instrumental color (“Carey”), one might as well get it from James Taylor and Stephen Stills. The poetics harness the rhythms with authority and without awkwardness. And the album is sprinkled with hugely entertaining metaphors and word pictures. The warm chord behind the lyric “warm chord” (second verse of “My Old Man”) exemplifies the perfection of synthesis between poetry and music. Likewise, pay careful attention to the music behind these powerfully poetic lines: “I could drink a case of you and still be on my feet” “I want to get up and jive . . . wreck my stockings in some jukebox dive” “I want to shampoo you” “But when he's gone/Me and them lonesome blues collide/The bed's too big/The frying pan's too wide” “Just a little green/Like the nights when the Northern lights perform” Listen to this record after waking from a bad dream. It will cure you. And Joni Mitchell’s skill on acoustic guitar is so sublime that it discourages amateurs and shames professionals. The delicacy and precision of her finger picking is flawless. And her piano attack and sustain are extraordinarily sensitive. Why don’t people hum these tunes? Because they’re beautifully unhummable. Nobody can do these melodies. Joni Mitchell composes music for precisely her voice alone. She never attempts to exceed her considerable range (even on the exquisitely delicate ending of “California”). She has one of the most recognizable voices in the history of recorded music. Her tone and pitch are endearingly winsome and precise. And she appreciates the importance of the initial consonant for both rhythm and diction. Listening in anticipation during the approach to one of her impossible intervals is like watching Simone Biles sprint toward the vaulting horse. You know what’s coming, yet you’re still dazzled. Why is the song “California” not the official anthem of the Golden State? Because nobody but Joni Mitchell can sing it. Her song “River”, with its regret, longing, introspection, the “Jingle Bells” theme in both the intro and outro, and the deft croak on the final sung note, is simply brilliant. Graham Nash must have shed more than one tear (for reasons we set aside in the first paragraph, but I digress). “River” is a song that should replace Mariah Carey’s nauseatingly ubiquitous “All I Want For Christmas Is You” as the secular pop Xmas carol du jour. But it won’t. We’re so unworthy. What do Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion, Diana Ross, Janis Ian, Roberta Flack, Cyndi Lauper, Loreena McKennitt, and Kenny Rankin all have in common? They all wish they could sing as well as Joni Mitchell. I needed this one. 5/5
Fuck this is good. Here's another one that makes me regret not listening to it years ago. I'm familiar with Joni Mitchell's first couple of albums from the late 1960s, and I like them more than most American folk-singer-songwriter stuff of the era. But "Blue" is another level. It exudes "mature album" vibes from every aspect: nice understated poetic lyrics; dynamic, expressive vocals that feel much less affected than the 1960s warbling; music that sounds clean and simple, but perfectly shaped around each song. It also plays through perfectly as a coherent and concise album. 5*
I ‘discovered’ this when I was 19 and at university and it quickly became my favourite album. Listening to it again (as I do often!), it is layered with memory. I love ‘A Case of You,’ which appeals to my romantic sensibility, the meaning in the lyrics evolving over time. ‘Carey’- wonderful instrumentality, poetic lyrically. ‘Blue’- ‘songs are like tattoos’- aren’t they just?
This is a perfect album. I listen to it a few times each year, so it was a pleasure to get it on such a cold day in Chicago. Two of my favorite songs of all time are "Case Of You" and "River." I feel like everything about this album has been said and will just bask in it's overall perfection.
Beautiful album! Never heard anything from Joni before, and I loved it. Arrangements are simple but delicate, lyrics are very emotional. I can see why it is considered a vital record to music history. Favorite tracks: * River (so good!) * All I Want * Blue
This was a bit hole for me. Fits right in with all the Carly Simon and Carol King records my parents would play. Really liked it.
Didn't get a chance to listen because Joni pulled the album from Spotify due to the Joe Rogan misinformation of Covid scandal. But Joni is wonderful and she gets 5 stars. I know her music.
I listened to this full album for the first time a year ago, anticipating we’d be getting it, and knowing it gets rated among the GOAT on many lists. I liked the album more this time. The way Joni jumps around from guitar to piano keeps things fresh, something hard to do for a folk-singer with minimal production and accompaniment. As a producer she does some nifty things, like The Goodbye Baby Goodbye part of This Flight Tonight, which almost sounds like a sample, and the way she toys with jingle bells in The River. The lyrics are very personal, her habit of referring to her boyfriend as her old man is funny, especially since most of the time the guy was in his early twenties. Her vocal range is amazing and compared to her folk singer/song-writing peers from the era she is certainly at the top.
This is Mitchell's greatest album, and that's saying a lot, since she has a lot of great records in her catalog. A folk masterpiece comprised of 10 beautifully composed songs, with iconic lyrics about relationships, tackling topics like falling in love, feeling insecure, clashes of egos and everything you can think about when you are in love. The side two of the album has an almost perfect sequence of songs, starting with "California", then "This Flight Tonight", "River" and the amazing "A Case of You". One of the greatest albums of all time, indeed.
What a songwriter. I should have reserved the 5 score for albums like this that are the best of the best. Best track: A Case of You
It’s a masterpiece! Engaging, emotive, charming… Joni is one of the best folk artists ever and Blue is a compelling example of it. I am hypnotized by her voice, guitar, storytelling, and sweet but unusual harmonies. Definitely, it deserves a 5
I don’t always focus on lyrics but you have to with Joni Mitchell. They’re literary but still emotionally direct. And the music on this album is spare enough to highlight them, adding playful flourishes to accent her stories. I’ve listened to this album a bunch over the years but the little moments always surprise me. I love the seemingly improvised nature of her phrasing - when she chooses to sing high, when she lingers on a syllable, when she jams a long phrase into a short space. A beautifully constructed album all around. (“Carey” is a personal favorite of mine and Dreena’s. I’ll never get tired of imitating the way she sings “buy you a bottle of wine.”)
Joni's voice is perfection, always, but it is truly magnificent when she's singing this deeply personal and emotional material. This album is her magnum opus, a tour de force, the high watermark of her illustrious career. And she wrote and produced it all herself! Immaculate.
Blue me away. I'll keep this one brief (for me) as there's not much to be said that hasn't been covered a thousand times, but what a gem of an album and what a songwriting talent. These are delicate and searingly personal songs, "like tattoos" as Mitchell so eloquently puts it in the title track. Over its forty minute running time, "Blue" is wryly comic, frankly confessional and mostly achingly beautiful. Music rarely moves me to tears unless I selfishly relate it to my personal life, but three of the songs here have done that all on their own. Try not to be moved by "Little Green", about Mitchell giving up her adopted daughter, or the heartbreak and desolation filling up "River". Elsewhere, "My Old Man" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard" showcase her storytelling at the height of its powers, and "Blue" and "A Case of You" paint such dazzling imagery with a deft soprano vocal. Amongst all her other talents, Mitchell is a deft guitarist, and her frequent use of open tunings serves the album's distinctive sound really well. Alongside all the other moods on display here, she weaves in perfectly accessible slices of pop-folk. "Carey" and "California" retain the same elegant sense of lyricism and gorgeous, soaring vocal lines, but set them to carefree (even jaunty) guitar accompaniments. "This Flight Tonight" was even enough to attract the attention of hard rock band Nazareth who reworked it a couple of years later. All of this album is stellar, but the second half especially is just a perfect run of songs. If you're thinking of giving it between 2-3 stars (or even 4) listen to it again, read the lyrics and reconsider. If 1, then you're a lost cause, mate.
Blue and Court and Spark are my two favorite Joni Mitchell albums. To me they're 2 sides of the same coin that is JM. Blue is of course the quieter, more sparse album, often just Jon's voice and a guitar or a piano. And what a vocal performance it is. Expressive, emotive and with a range few can match. So mature for such a young lady at the time. I also love when she does up the tempo, specifically on Carey and This Flight Tonight. Every song is an artistic expression. I really never tire of Blue. It should be a staple of every record collection 5 🌟
I’ve heard a lot about this album, so was glad it appeared. It is lovely. Joni Mitchell’s distinctive delivery just calmed me down and made the day feel very good. What could be more perfect than that?
A few observations: What happened to autoharps? They were all over when I was a kid, especially for elementary school music teachers. I like them. An entire bonus point has been granted for the lyric, "Acid, booze, and ass." (Also, "I want to shampoo you" and "There'll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow") I wasn't immediately in love with this album, but each listen reveals something marvelous.
My initial reaction to this album is "Wow". I know this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the way Joni sang every word had me convinced. Plus, the musical arrangements were just absolutely lovely. I could sink into this album for hours on end.
Good stuff. Her voice is different, that's not a bad thing. Definitely need to revisit this one several times more.
I didn't expect to like this one but I did. Great lyrics, good production, and Joni's voice grew on me. Not much more to be said there, to be honest. Solid 4 stars.
What a great put together album. Joni has her individual style yet one never feels like one song sounds like the other or that they blend together.
Beautiful voice and soft guitar. Favorite songs This Flight Tonight and A Case of You. California is one of the greatest songs ever, and the project was nice. At a point though, the album started to melt together, 6/8 overall.
Took me a while to understand her appeal. What a songwriter! These songs, are slow, melancholy and haunting. Perfect for a specific mood. Even if you're not in that perfect mood, listening to this will induce it.
She has a beautiful voice. Some of the songs felt like the instrumental parts clashed with her voice.
Por un lado, es innegable que qué bonita voz tiene esta mujer y qué melodías tan llegadoras y llenas de sentimiento y nostalgia que además combina perfectamente con su voz. Sin embargo, también siento que no deja de ser música cliché de mujer sufrida por desamores pero igual fuerte e independiente. Como que es lo que oiría la tía ex-hippie que nunca se casó y maneja un vocho. Lo único que sabía de Joni Mitchell hasta ahora es que la caja de uno de sus discos se parece demasiado a una caja de joyería.
Desde la portada te das cuenta de que va el contenido, muy agradable aunque le voy a dar otra vuelta cuando ande en el mood por que lo escuché manejando la moto y pues no lo disfruté como debería (ni el viaje ni el disco) pero puedo decir que tiene una increible voz y te transmite el sentimiento de cada canción.
Realmente no conocía nada de Joni Mitchell, el álbum está medio paradójico, por un lado puedo decir que se me hizo excelente y por otro que no me encanta ninguna de sus canciones de manera individual (quizá con excepción de A Case of You). El disco se siente como un producto completo en su conjunto y todo se siente en su escritura y música con el carácter exacto que quiere dar de un rompimiento amoroso. El título simple pero exacto, triste y azul, no sabía la calidad de escritora que tiene y, aunque se siente como un disco perfecto para poner de fondo en un día lluvioso el pensar sobe él como solo música de fondo no el haría justicia. Es un disco que merece ser escuchado, con calma para embeberse en la melancolía y lo bello de su tristeza. No tendrá la mejor voz del mundo pero como artista mercería estar al lado de los grandes con esa habilidad de ligar las palabras.
Never heard a song dedicated to me before. Joni has described my life aside from marrying a figure skater and buying a dishwasher. Well done Joni, she gets an extra point.
I find it kind of interesting that this is defined as Pop. Probably just a testament to how much the idea of pop has changed over the years. Or maybe I just have a poor understanding of what pop is. Favorite track so far is Carey. Really raw album and I love it. It somehow manages to be both sad and happy at the same time? It feels very intimate and like I'm just hanging out in someones living room with them while I listen.
Actually very good to listen through. Had already “liked” some of the songs on this album. Always a good sign.
Not sure what's happened here, last time I listened to this it bored me. Today though it clicked, don't know why. Just did.
Вполне ламповый альбом. Я бы назвал музыкой, под которую стоит гладить кота. Даже осознаю, что кто-то может именовать дохуя культовой классикой. Однако прям охуенности не выкупил, никуды не залип. Тем не мене, пару раз прогнал по кайфу вполне.
You know what 6+2+2 equals? Exactly. Blue has always been one of my favorite albums, both as a kid and an (almost) adult. I think it had a huge influence on my songwriting style, not that I’ll ever measure up to Joni Mitchell. Here’s my LONG and detailed opinion (?) on the songs: 1) All I Want This is the perfect reminder that yes, even people on the verge of turning 30 don’t got everything figured out. My favorite part of the song is her realizing that ‘comfortable’ could mean something so high and complex as bringing out the best out of what the history agreed was evil, and as simple as shampooing the love of your life. 2) My Old Man Melodically, it’s not one of my favorites, but I love the metaphor; which goes like “yes, he’s many things to many different people, and that’s how humans are perceived by each other, but it’s not about how many things he could be, it’s how about MUCH he is to me.” I love it, I think it taught me so much about love at a young age. 3) Little Green My favorite part of my childhood, satirically obviously, is crying over the iconic “there’ll be icicles, and birthday clothes, and sometimes there’ll be sorrow” lyric Cause my 9 year old self definitely didn’t witness any of the first two parts of that line. It made me realize as a child, that I’m not cut to be a child. 4) Carey Nothing has ever struck me deep as “you know it sure is hard to leave here, but it’s really not my home” Sure the song was lighthearted, but this line has weighed the heaviest on my heart ever since I was nine, and it still does, ten years later. 5) Blue It’s the closure lost in All I Want, and the rightfully placed disdain lost in Little Green. 6) California Cali was a place of sadness in Little Green, but here it’s the sunshine needed. Maybe it’s a metaphor for how heartache is as cruel as the stormy weather, but it is as easily torn apart. Or maybe it’s a metaphor for how heartache in a familiar place is much lighter on one’s soul than heartache in a foreign spot. 7) This Flight Tonight No 8) River No one ever told a tale of anguish in a euphoric setting the way Joni did. That’s all I could say about River. 9) A Case of You This is a hindsight look into a lost cause, but paid no regrets. I love the instrumental, and always admired the descriptive and vivid imagery the lyrics always delivered. 10) The Last Time I Saw Richard The irony of this song is that, it crushed my faith in love as a child, and here I am, listening to it with the boy that renewed the hope this song destroyed. Could it be laughing at my naivety? Could I be hit with the regret in hindsight in a few years? Perhaps, but for now I’d like to think that the last laugh is mine.
listening to this album on a road trip was an out-of-body experience, a great album a bit too short though, but a great album nonetheless.
This was a new album for me. I am familiar with several songs from Mitchell, but "River" might be the only track on this album that I've heard before. This album felt like it had an overall theme, without being monotonous. Mitchell's voice is great. I'd listen to this album again. (4.5 stars)
all I want - crystal clear vocals, pick a note though. got a like. "I want to shampoo you"... 7/10 my old man - flighty notes really fit. 8/10 little green - evocative, open 7/10 carey - energy & vibes but no real hook? - 7/10 blue - title song, this gotta be good. that piano, wow. 8.5/10 california - some jazzy chords. 'he gave me back my smile but kept my camera to sell'! 6/10 this flight tonight - love the rich guitars, funny headphone effect. 7/10 river - ... I prefer the ellie goulding version. piano harshly recorded 6/10 a case of you - prefer the kd lang version. where's the depth? 5/10 the last time I saw richard - strong lyrics, emotive. ## overall no clear songalong bits, stumbly & emotive pacing. evasive rythms. not quite enough to be best album ever. 8/10
Señora se desnuda emocionalmente detrás de un micro y nos cuenta sus inseguridades al relacionarse con otros
Track 1: Really catchy vibe. Song I could listen to easily. Track 2: Soft. Piano and high vocals. Lyrics Worth listening too. End of Song had a great vocal riff. Track 3: Even softer than 2. Incredibly sad. But brilliant. Track 4: up beat Track 5: softer Track 6: California Track 8: River. The one Sarah McLachlan covered that mom always listened to.
Really good album Fav songs from album: A Case in Blue My Old Man All I Want Little Green 4.0/5
Loved the piano and guitar on this, and Joni can really hit those high notes effortlessly. Probably won't come back to this one as it's not my thing, but it's pretty good.
It's a classic for sure. A very historically important and influential album. But I'm not sure how much I actually like it. It's great but I feel like my opinion is a little scewed by the reverence of it.
So intimate it almost makes me uncomfortable at times. Such rich details throughout. Singing style and lyrics and even structures are so unique. Not following any formulas. Even though it's considered her masterpiece, it's not my personal favorite album of hers. Somehow this is too pure and clean for me.
I thought this was a great album with lots of good songs and lots of descriptive lyrics. One I would come back to.
I enjoyed this greatly. Simple arrangements and an evocative voice. Subject matter was a bit mehhhh but I can see why this was ground breaking in the early 70s. Still sounds fresh today
Joni has excellent vocal tone, range, and control. Strong band called accompaniment. Sounds fitting from the generation. Wouldn’t be soon sought out again, but a strong album in its own right.
A nice and easy album to listen to. No one song stood out, but she has a great voice! Will want to check out other stuff by her
Not really my preferred style of music but I can't deny it's a great record. Really beautiful. Should be 5 stars in all honesty but for me personally I wouldn't count it among my all time favorites so I'm going to only give it 4 to adjust for personal tastes.
I like her lyrics and melodies, but sometimes the lack of structure leaves me a little unsatisfied. It's not necessarily a bad thing. I might like some of her other songs better.
Good chill music. Lyrics are excellent. Not my normal listening music but she's an absolute master songwriter.
I love Joni Mitchell. This is supposed to be her best record and one of the best pop records of all time. I can't dispute that. And for that reason I'm giving it 4 stars. Why not 5? Because I think she made better records that are also deserving of "best record of all time" consideration. Those include "Court and Spark" which is the follow-up to this record, and "Hissing of Summer Lawns" which is right in the middle of her very interesting 70s jazz/folk output.
Not listened to this album for 15 years but it still had me engrossed, or at least it would have if I didn't have to listen to it on YouTube after Joni took her stuff off Spotify in the Joe rogan row.
Good album, I like the songs a lot. A little surprised that my parents didn't play Joni for me much before now!
One of the rare albums where I really paid attention to the lyrics on the first listen. Granted, the musical accompaniment is sparse and kind of forces you to. Occasionally, Joni's falsetto got a little grating, but never enough to where I wanted to shut the record off. The lyrics are great, and some even really hit home for me. Favorite tracks: "River", "Blue", "California"
My favourite Joni Mitchell album. Carrey is the hilight but there's lots of great songs. A mostly accoustic album allows Joni's voice to shine. 4.5 🌟
Our first album that was pulled from Spotify for Rogan reasons! It was easy to find a version that didn't result in her getting royalties from Spotify. I doubt she will need to hit the Food Bank anytime soon. Ahh, to be a jacuzzi socialist. There are some good songs on this album. Carey is a classic. Funny thing is I know This Flight Tonight because some dinosaur band whose name I can't remember did a cover that was massively overplayed decades ago. I appreciate that she can sing very well and hits some notes that few others can. Truth be told, I don't like the sound of anyone singing at that atmosphere. I'm not sure how many albums she has in the 1001 but I feel I should give one of her albums a rating above 3. Blue seems to be the logical choice given that Rolling Stone gave this 3rd best album of all time,
Pros: - very creative melodies. I can see why the taylor swifts / olivia rodrigos of the world exist when someone like her paved the way - very creative random parts too, like second track "my old man" at 1:33 the piano starts playing a scale that is in a different key; almost like something you would hear out of classical music's subgenre "new music". - instrumentation is superb. I'm a sucker for folk instrumentation in pop / singer songwriter contexts - title track is fantastic. - Really enjoying the album Cons: Misc: - I've never actively listened to her which sounds shameful but is also the purpose of this album project.
Wow what a highly influential album! I can’t help but hear Esperanza Spaulding and other awesome female artists taking a note from Joni with her complex jazzy melodies and insightful lyrics.
This is worth all the praise that it gets. Joni Mitchell is an actual songbird. I don't know how she does it.
a very Joni Mitchell album. honestly dont know how to rate this — really liked some songs, thought others were boring. it didnt feel that cohesive, i guess, though that doesnt make much sense.
Big points for raw, stripped-back production and Joni's undeniable voice. Putting her so up in the mix with no production to conceal her flaws leaves her so vulnerable, but there are almost no flaws to find. Her poetry is pure, if coffee house by today's standards. All around it is a really beautiful album, but it all happens at the same tempo, and I cannot dance to it.
Joni Mitchell usually doesn't work for me. I think that she is good, but I don't generally enjoy her albums that much. Blue is a notable exception. It's so beautiful and painful all the way through. Both her songwriting and her voice are on full display on this album. It's a very accessible entry point for her music 4/5
The last three tracks are amazing. Never listened to blue and was quietly impressed. A strong 4 this.
I like some of her songs. But her voice sometimes gets a bit annoying. Maybe the recordings of that time do her voice not justice ;).
Pretty good album. Joni Mitchell can sing, and the simple instrumentation and interesting lyrics make this album work really well. It's not my exact jam, but I enjoyed it well enough to listen to it again at some point. 3 stars.
A Case Of You,” James Taylor on acoustic guitar, Russ Kunkel on drums, and Joni Mitchell on Appalachian dulcimer...
Yah it was okay. I don't get the hype, it's not for me I guess. I gave it a 3 over a 2 on account of it being pleasant sounding music, even though it's not my style.
Es soll eines der besten Alben sein (generell und von einer Frau). Ich hab jetzt das besondere daran nicht erkannt
One of the most interesting vocal stylings I've ever heard. Like a folksy Mariah Carey. Good songs, but not really for me.
I think I like this more than the other Joni Mitchell album, but it's the same sort of thing: she's clearly got tons of talent, but I just don't like the music.
Never heard it before Had some preconceptions of it being too folksy, but 3 tracks in and i've dropped that The melodies are strong and unexpected Joni's voice is a little bit much at its highest register. Lyrically sharper and more cutting than I was expecting Overall really enjoyed it. Deserves the hype.
Not really my thing with all those warbling vocals even if Joni has an amazing voice.. but I can see why this features in a lot of top 10 albums of all time.
Interessante, mas com pouca potência. Lembra muito os vocais da cantoras de MPB dos anos 80 e 90. Provavelmente foi uma influência para o trabalho de voz e violão
Very vibey. Felt like a great bacground music for a chill evening in the bar. Some songs were very good, some where more or less meh. 3/5.
Quite pleasant to listen to, I enjoyed it playing in the background while working. But the songs don't really feel like they're going anywhere and blended together. Wouldn't actively listen to it again, but nice for one time.
This album would be at home in s a small coffee house as it settles into the background with its subtle arrangements and lyrics. Despite its tone, the lyrics ache with the sadness of the singer.
Definitely a good record, and it gets A LOT of well-deserved praise. I think if I read a little more into the lyrics it'd resonate with me more, but for my general enjoyment through a couple of listens it gets a 3
Why are so many of these "must" hear albums so boring. It's all slow and mellow music. I can appreciate the talent, but its just not something I want to listen to often, or at all.
This isn't for me. I didn't find it obnoxious or anything, like all the lame people influenced by Joni Mitchell, but it left no impression.
Joni’s voice is a 5/5 for sure, 10/5? It’s incredible really. Unfortunately the song writing is not getting it done for me. In a weird way, several of the songs rely on Joni’s voice too much. Songs where she’s riffing and there’s really no sense of structure or melody. Again her voice is phenomenal, so I can understand why this approach was taken. I want to rate this album higher for her voice alone, but I need more structure. The two best songs on the album for me were Carey and California.
I really liked A Mighty Wind but never listened to JM. Much to my disappointment there wasn't a single strong character she reminded me of. Perhaps Mitch and Micky, the duo played by Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara. Anyhow, this album was fine, and the dulcimer skills are strong, but this album isn't very silly or even funny. :(
79. Há muito que não te escrevo mas não te peço perdão. Não o posso fazer, não aqui. Os dias na trincheira estão mais longos, ontem pensei que aqui ficava para sempre. Passei a amaldiçoar de forma visceral o nascer do sol. Com ele vem o fim das tréguas e o despertar das baratas. Tantas vezes o vimos no Terreiro. Sol vibrante. Luto para me recordar do teu calor. Sol cinzento. As mãos já me tremem a jogar às cartas. Quando voltar, compro-te uma máquina para a roupa. os novatos dizem que vem das américas. Então, os dias serão só nossos. MotA: A Case of You "I am on a lonely road and I am traveling, traveling, traveling, traveling"
I was excited to see this generated for me, as I know it's considered to be Joni Mitchell's masterpiece, and I really liked the Hissing of Summer Lawns. However, it failed to grab me, and even after a second listen has left me a little underwhelmed. Compared to 'Hissing' it is less interesting, varied or striking both musically and lyrically. It is a nice and pleasant album, and the vocal is great, but it all seemed a bit samey and not overly interesting, so didn't live up to my high expectations.
I can appreciate it but not really my thing. Probably shouldn't have listened while sitting in traffic.
I really want to love this album, especially since court and spark is amazing, but I just dont. The music on this one dosent feel as creative as some of her other albums, and something about her singing style on this one just rubs me the wrong way. Its still good though. Im giving it a 3 for now, but I suspect that my opinion of it will improve over time.
Fantastic musicianship & writing, but the lyrics are about a lifestyle I can’t relate to & I’m afraid Joni isn’t for me, I’ve just never been a fan.
Fine. Pleasant. It's not great background music because she is warbly. Listening to it intently... she does stories, has better lyrics, but the music isn't particularly catchy. Casey is good. And River is super strong, but seems to have the thinnest lyrics (maybe I just don't get it). Was hoping to be blown away.
I know she's a super talented musical genius and all that, but I find her voice to be shrill and annoying at times. Some songs more so than others. Having said that, there are some beautiful songs on this album, in particular River. 3 stars.
Alguien que sabía que existía pero que me está descubriendo esta lista de 1001 álbumes. Desde la primera canción este disco suena bien: All I want, Little Green, California y A case of you.
Hat mir deutlich besser gefallen als befürchtet. Grenzwertig angenehme Stimme, tolle Texte. So wird man gern geweckt!
There's definitely some nice songwriting and guitar work on this, and I did enjoy some of the tracks. Just parts of the album as a whole felt a bit bland to me
Storytelling alone - great. Voice - not so great. The vibrato was just a little much sometimes and made it hard to follow the melody. The storytelling is something else though. River is the standout.
The voice always grates on me a bit! Tunes are pleasant but a bit boring! Three stars for the songwriting
Helaas niet kunnen luisteren, maar ken het album goed genoeg om er een oordeel over te geven.
Don't love it, but don't hate it. It's some pleasant, simple single-songwriter tunes, and Joni's vocals really do add a lot. 5/10
I respect Joni, and don't mind that I had to hunt this album down since it isn't on spotify. There was a recent song exploder that referenced Blue and I've been meaning to check it out. So I really want to love this album. But I don't. I know people love her voice but I just don't. I can appreciate the artistry and boldness and poetry and intimacy of these songs. They aren't formulaic, that's for sure. But maybe a little formula would have helped. There are moments of sublime beauty, both lyrically and sonically, but in the end the songs are like wisps of a cloud, pretty but I can't quite get a grasp on them.
I can appreciated there's a lot of talent here, but I find all the little vocal flourishes she puts in a touch grating. Possibly it just caught me in an unreceptive mood... Fave track - "California", let's say...
i only listened to it once while walking around in the woods, it's alright. it's a bit to stripped back and simple for my taste, but i appreciate her voice and lyrics. Probably won't come back to it though.
Cet album supposément parmi les meilleurs de tous les temps était absolument banal. J'ai passé un meilleur moment sur les 3h de Ella Fitzgerald. Le Rolling Stones Magazine devrait songer à fermer boutique c'est en tout cas le conseil que je leur donne.
Joni Mitchell is no doubt great, I'm not a huge fan of how soft this is but it's one of those records that definitely deserves to be on the list!
I mean, it's tolerable, but honestly if you've ever heard a Joni Mitchell song then you know they are all literally the same bloody thing.
El disco me recordó al estilo de Carole King, pero las canciones se me hicieron bastante repetitivas. En general, me pareció un disco aburrido.
Just a monumental: why? I'm sure the lyrics are fascinating and complex, the style wonderful and meandering - but man, that voice just grates on you after a while :/
There was nothing about this album that was intriguing. First one where I have kinda questioned why it was put on this list in the first place
Enjoyed from Blue onwards and she's a good singer but by the that time my mood was flat from the songs previous. As an album on the whole it's meh
I don't think I'm a fan of Joni Mitchell. I really hate River in particular because of that episode of New Girl.
Precursora de todas y canta genial pero, de nuevo, mi inglés escaso hace que me pierda y acabé aburriéndome. Agradable de fondo.
She has a great voice but all the falsetto vocal breaks evey other line is pretty jarring.
I... just don’t get the whole Joni Mitchell thing. Some of her songs are great (River, A Case of You), but her voice on songs like My Old Man makes me want to scream.
пиздец у меня башка с этого воя заболела. В целом-то я против такой музыки ничего не имею, миленько, но конкретно Митчел как будто поёт на какой-то инстинктивно неприятной для человеческого уха частоте. Из-за этого слушать ну практически невозможно. Не знаю, может в неподходящее время попалось, но это просто ужас какой-то, 4/10
I must not have been in the mood for sad, breakup music when I listened to this, because none of the songs on this album stood out to me. Joni Mitchell's singing & compositions are good, but I don't see how this album has been rated so high by music publishers. Maybe this just isn't the genre of music for me. Anyway congrats to Joni for securing the 24th spot in the Top 1000 Albums list, I guess...
Probably a voice you either love or hate, unfortunately I think I’m in the latter camp
Though Joni Mitchell's Blue launched an entire generation of female singer-songwriters and has been extremely influential, I clearly prefer artists such as Beth Orton. Honestly, I find Joni's mezzo-soprano vocal style unbearingly annoying, and there is not a single track on here I would consider listening to again. I'm sorry, it's a 2/5 for me.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Nothing good ever came out of Fort Macleod. California is the only tolerable song on here.
I feel like I’m supposed to like Joni Mitchell. I know a lot of people really do like her. Not me. She can definitely sing, but her voice irritates me. And I was already irritated when I started listening to this.
Very good album if you like Folk or were already alive in the 1970s, sadly i dont fit either of these. 2/5
I understand why many people like Jodi Mitchell, but that doesn’t mean I have yo be one of them. This album is just to folksy for me, the melodies jumping all over the shop, and I couldn’t help but mistake the opening passage of River for Jingle Bells. I want to like it, but I’d be forcing it.
A few days before I got this one Joni Mitchell boycotted Spotify in protest over their anti-vax content, so I was intrigued. I really liked her voice, but none of the songs have stuck with me apart from the Christmas song.
Konnte es nicht zu Ende hören. Die hohe Stimme zerfetzt einem irgendwann das Hirn. Die Akustikgitarre ist ok, aber zu wenig.
I swear that I tried to like it because I know about her importance for the music, but I can't, unfortunately. Besides 1 or 2 songs that are nice, the album is nothing my cup of tea at all!
Sorry Joni, je zat wat schril hoog met vlagen. Niet in de stemming, ik had wel goede hoop..
I respect her for standing alongside Neil Young in protesting against Rogan, and since she’s a Canadian legend, I tried, I really tried. But I really can’t get past her voice and her annoying vibrato yodelling skatting singing style. Her voice just overshadows her reportedly wonderful lyrics and song writing. Sorry.
Boy am I going to look foolish here but I'm sorry, this album gets on my nerves. Most others love this however I find it pretentious. No doubt she can sing but it just grates on me. I swear on the song Blue towards the end she sounds like Yoko. Prince loved this album and I've given it many tries but sorry Blue just leaves me cold
Ugh. The album is only 35 minutes long, but towards the end it just needed to stop. I was not familiar with any of songs or the artist. It was folk music. I will not be listening to the album again.
No thanks. Not into the voice, bored by the songs and the overall sound struck me as kind of flat and lifeless.
I think because of the spotify drama I had to listen to this on YouTube.. so far I like it! I wish I could play it on Spotify. Her voice is a little weird and I need to get used to it. I actually can't get through this album, nevermind.
The beauty of this album is layered in music and lyrics, however, the lyrics are damaged by Mitchell's vocal reach and the music at times does not seem to support the lyrics, and is simply a light exercise in composing. I don't think the music supported or enhanced the music and was simply a backdrop. Not bad though for someone who wrote the music and lyrics to the entire album herself.
I instantly hated her voice. Its an octave too high. Like someone scraping nails down a blackboard. Songwriting seems decent for the time though. Although there are almost too many lyrics. Everything is overly described and I'm struggling to give a shit. Sorry Joni. Asked my Mum about this and apparently its an all time classic!? Hmm...For Fucking Dogs maybe?
In einem schäbigen 1970er-Kaffeehaus gefangen. Deepe Lyrics treffen gespenstischen Folk. Alles real.
Disappointing. I thought this album was incredibly boring. Her voice, while normally nice, went very screechy a lot, and her decision to exclude drums for the sake of bongos(?) was not a good one, in my opinion.
I've just never understood the hype surrounding Joni's playing, or her singing. To me, she just comes off as a coffee house singer who is just trying too hard.
Puh, manchmal zuckte mein Gesicht wie beim Zahnarzt. Diese Gesangskunst ertrage ich schwer und es war wohltuend von Spotify Radio als Gegengift Nick Drakes „Northern Sky“ eingeflößt zu bekommen. Wie gesagt: puh. 1.4
This album reminds me of my mom when I was a little boy, like five or six. Pure love.
Not a huge fan. Very dulcimer-heavy... and the xmas song was not very well received by me. eh.