Blue

Not bad

My last Joni Mitchell album on this list. Listenable, with California the obvious standout. The rest was okay-ish. My Old Man was a bit strange; sometimes the melody was somehow "off".

My fave. But I mean this is like rating Sgt Pepper or Astral Weeks.

Outside of California, I wasn't really feeling this one. It's fine I guess? I think she's a good singer/songwriter. But it just wasn't doing it for me.

Buen album, tranquilo, como para relajarte

This is an extraordinary album, musically sparse and painfully honest. It was written when Joni Mitchell had just come out of her relationship with Graham Nash and was about to embark on a new one with troubled musician James Taylor. In between she spent time travelling through Europe ending up living in Greece with sand in her hair and tar on her feet. The songs on this album range from hope to regret to melancholy, with a simple backing of Appalachian dulcimer, guitar and piano, with Mitchell's vocals wavering with emotion in places. In the title track she sings that songs are like tattoos - permanent reminders of the past, of joy and pain. This is most evident on the song Little Green that she wrote shortly after poverty forced her to give up her baby daughter for adoption. Mother and daughter were reunited in 1997, giving closure to that chapter of her life.

Simply just an immaculate album, top to bottom. Solid 5 Stars.

Buen album, creo que mi favorita fue Carey o My Old Man.

An unexpectedly perfect album, I didn’t think that it would be this good

Alright, ya, nice enough

Not in my preferences but i enjoy it, it was something else in a good way.

Альбом для меня воняет, возможно надо переслушать с открытым текстом

Another easy 5 star records. I listened fairly closely this time and it held up wonderfully. All strong songs.

one of those albums you remember forever. can’t adore my old man, little green, blue, and river enough. legendary and nothing like any singer-songwriter album ever. it’s simply life-changing.

I haven’t heard this before. Joni Mitchell is one of those artists who I like but haven’t dug into very much. There are some songs of hers I don’t like but they’re not on this album. I remember not liking A Case Of You but what I was listening to was a cover by Tori Amos or Sarah McLaughlin or some other 90s singer that was maudlin and slowed to the point of feeling like a funeral dirge, whereas the original here is a lot more lively. When I saw that song listed at the end of the album I was waiting for it to get bad and it didn’t get bad at all so that was a relief. There’s a lot of range to the album tracks and the backing instruments are played really well and keeps it from just being a stripped down singer-songwriter experience just strumming acoustic guitar chords, although it would work that way. Except Joni can play the guitar pretty well and doesn’t keep it simple for the most part. And it is a pretty stripped down album instrumentally, I guess it just doesn’t feel that way because it’s so rich and full. And her voice is just gorgeous. This was an especially nice album to listen to on a cold autumn day that it was but it would work year round as well.

Not for me

10/10

In my collection on vinyl. Love "California." Joni was definitely an acquired taste for me, but I've come around.

Review - certified classic. Her voice and guitar style are still so unique. Brilliant songwriting. I will say, having had to listen to Tapestry fairly recently, I prefer that if I'm completely honest. But Blue is still great. Score - 8.5/10 Need to listen? YES

Joni has never been my cup of tea, but I praise exceptional good music with a talented artist. This album is lovely to listen to. Her voice is immaculate.

І знову вона) Знаю цей альбом)

Årh damn, hun er satme dejlig. Som at være hjemme, men sådan et hjem hvor tingene glitcher lidt i hjørnerne af og til Når DEN guitar er på numrene er jeg så solgt, jeg tror det er en af mine YNDLINGS guitar-lyde overhovedet overhovedet. og, A case of you er et af mine yndlingsnumre nogensinde Der er et par, hvor det bliver lidt for langt ude, så hun får kun 4, men ligger lunt i svinget

Jeg er aldrig rigtig kommet i gang med Joni, men A Case of You er er så vidunderligt nummer og det samme er River. Sidstnævnte er en klassiker på min "alternativ julemusik"-playliste. Netop Blue har jeg haft en svær indgang til. Jeg ved ikke, om det er intonationen, lyrikken eller noget tredje. Den her gang, kl. 3.45 om natten, rammer det dog lidt anderledes. Smukt album. 3.9

I am moved by the reviews that talk about how important the record is to them and what an incredible musician Joni is. I am not moved by the record - I recognize the talent but the music does not speak to me.

Transcendent

Zadie Smith wrote an essay about how she never got the appeal of Joni Mitchell (hard to admit in her circles and mine) but finally came around. I am not fully there yet--perhaps I need the Zadie Smith 10-Day Joni Mitchell Appreciation Program--but this one (unlike that summer lawns thing) has songs you can hum, and hey, Prince was all in, so I will get on board.

3.5. What dad said.

It's really good

I don't think I understand this album. Guess it's relaxing enough?

10/10 classic. One of the best albums ever. Go listen to it now!

Gave it a 2 beacuse its not my cup of tea but it's not unlistenable. This was released in my birth year 1971, when everyone was singing about California (apparently). Thought it was in the same vein as James Taylor....and after a quick google I found out this album was realeased after her relationship with Graham Nash (CSN) ended and she entered a realtionship with James Taylor!!

Had to skip through this, her voice is not for me

Relistening to this and Court and Spark I can definitively say I prefer the latter. Blue is perhaps the better album, but its never really clicked with me the same way other classic records have. Still great though. Favorite track: A Case Of You

Really great! Only slightly disappointing, since this is considered by many to be THE Joni Mitchell album, and I didn’t like it as much as some of her other albums.

It’s good. I listened to it at work. Overrated? Maybe.

I respect it, but I'm not totally in love with it

An amazing voice and writer. Never tire of hearing her music. A must album for this list and I hope there are others in her collection to come. If Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds get 2 albums then Joni deserves at least 4 :)

I'd forgotten how good this album is. Absolutely seminal.

It's good

You can't mess with this. It sounds cliché to call it "beautiful", but that's what it is. So much more than your typical singer-songwriter album.

Second Joni Mitchell album in a row. God knows why. Definitely preferred…Summer Lawns. This one didn’t do much for me really. A lot less vibrant.

Taitavaa lauleskelua, tunteikasta tulkintaa, maukkaita melodioita. Hyvä levy.

Taustalla tosi miellyttävää nais ja kitara (ja piano ja jotain) musiikkia. Jonilla nätti ääni joka istui omaan korvaan kivasti. Tarkemmin kun kuunteli, niin oli jotenki hätäsen ja vähän huonosti istuvan kuulosta rytmiä ja riimittelyä, mikä vähän irrotti tunnelmasta. Miellyttävän puolelle jäi kokemus kuitenkin, siitä neljä tähteä.

I think "pretty" is the best word to describe this album. Lovely lyrics and a beautiful voice makes for lovely listening. Simply put a really nice album. California was my fav song and first listen of the album

God I LOVE this album

😶‍🌫️

this is where humanity peaked fr

I like the weirder ‘70s Joni albums more because I’m a weirdo, but you can’t go wrong with Blue.

Good song writing but her voice just doesn’t do it for me. Two good tracks and that’s all I could give this album

First time listening to this entire album. Love the lyrics and music.

So sad and yet so musical, the guitar and piano tracks on this album are all amazing and pairing them with the vocals ON TOP of well written lyrics makes it what it is

i didnt quite get it... a few pretty good songs tho

Really really good. Joni Mitchell is such a great vocalist and song writer. It's a quick album with amazing lyricism and it's very beautiful sounding

This sounds like the inside of a World Market but I like it. The self titled is moving and very pretty.

One of my all time favorites ever, a perfect singer songwriter album

When music was really unplugged

Beautiful album. I think I can be a huge fan of Joni's contribution to music without being the biggest fan of her voice and particular style.

Oh man. Another album that always reaches top ten's of every list ever, and I haven't heard it! 01. All I Want Really sick opener! Those vocals are beautiful! 02. My Old Man Is superbly pretty, with some gorgeous lyrics. 03. Little Green Actual beauty. I don't know what to say, as I feel like a broken record here. 04. Carey Didn't care for this one as much. Just not as cozy or sweet. Still great, just not AS great. 05. Blue So badass. Beautiful piano performance. 06. California Song made me laugh and happy! 07. This Flight Tonight Is just kind of fine compared to the rest of the tracks, but is still awesome. 08. River That chorus is tear-shed worthy. Purely beautiful. 09. A Case Of You Actually made me cry. God damn it... 10. The Last Time I Saw Richard One of the weaker ones... and it's still incredible. Well, it's Blue. Everyone loves this album. And now I know why.

8.5/10

Too slow-paced for me.

i like the song writing but her voice on this album just doesn’t do it for me

Great songwriting but I can only do so much of her voice

I am of the opinion that Joni Mitchell is a stronger lyricist than she is a musician. That's not to say she is a bad musician, her guitar shines through on a lot of the album, but her sung lyrics look a lot better on paper than through headphones. I don't tend to like wailing outside of classical or operatic music, and Mitchell spends a lot of this album in frustratingly high tones, tones that often make it a lot harder to hear the lyrics that I think are the main star of this album. I find a lot of the songs here a lot more of a pain because of the fact they are songs rather than, say, poems, because a lot of the fascinatingly creative lyrics are stuffed into a runtime they are not suited to, leading to dragged out words or sentences rushed through and crammed together to fit vaguely in line with the music. The two halves sound discordant with each other; if this was a collection of poems or an album of ambient guitar tracks I would like either outcome much more, as is Blue just isn't the sum of its part. Give Mitchell a guitar in a band and a spot behind the desk writing the lyrics for their songs and I would probably love her. As is I can understand why her fame is what it is, but with the asterisk of me not particularly enjoying my time with her.

I've had a lot of Joni of late. Another lovely album.

Auch mit ihrem dritten Album in dieser Liste werde ich kein Fan von Joni Mitchell.

Habe es schon mehrfach mit Alben von ihr versucht, teils mehrmals. Gibt mir nichts, wobei ich ihre Musik für richtig gut gemacht halte.

I do not care.

übel, und ich dachte, das müsste mir eigentlich gefallen!

Blue is considered one of the best albums ever released, and by many, the best folk album ever released. Not without reason. Joni Mitchell is really special. Folk is all about two things : the voice and the texts. And she nails both on a level that few would dream to. I've heard that she's rarely covered because of how hard it would be to imitate her singing; I don't know if that's true, but I wouldn't be surprised. You listen to her songs, and you think you know where it's going, and then her voice carries you elsewhere entirely. "My Old Man" encapsulates this the best I reckon, on the "We don't need no piece of paper / From the city hall / Keeping us tied and true" lines. It's eerie but she makes it work. As for the texts, Joni is a great storyteller first and foremost, but also an incredible poet. Just listen to the titular "Blue". "Songs are like tattoos" she says. Because the great ones are carved into your skin and into your soul with a permanent ink, just like this whole sublime, soothing album is in mine.

9.07

Blue is another Sunday morning album which is easy to listen too but the song its self is rather sad as she wants both love and freedom without losing something along the way.

Another chilled album like Nick Drake, but didnt find the songs as memerable and Joni's voice is quite shrill

Really great and personal folk album from one of the best to ever do it.

A really difficult album to rate. It's got everything I should like, but it just doesn't do it for me. 3.5

This was a chore.

Oh my god

Love it!

Love it.

It finally happened--I don't absolutely hate "River" anymore. If I listen to this record 1000 more times, maybe the rest will click as well. 2 keepers in 10 (20%). 20

Teied to like her music but despite the great voice and songwriting there is sonething that just doesnt click with me

Yeah, obviously a beautiful and moving album. Lovely bit of Appalachian dulcimer too. In my head it was a 5 star, but maybe some of it's hippy-ness has faded a bit.

And now I am ready to wish you all a good night! (and it's 11am...) Seriously, are all four Joni Mitchell's albums on this list really necessary? And this one is apparently the most celebrated, the breakthrough one etc. I really don't get her music...

- Almost made me cry about three separate times, which is not a reaction I typically have. Mitchell's beautifully fragile voice combined with her emotionally insightful lyrics do a number on me. - Adore many of these tracks. "Blue" and "River" knock me off-balance the most. But about five others make me think and nothing is boring or flat. - Bit of a crime that she is not mentioned as often as her male contemporaries, particularly with her qualities as a wordsmith.

It's not unpleasant, but it IS pretty thoroughly boring for the majority of the runtime. The same criticism applies to this as her other albums, in that her lyrics and vocal delivery is off-putting. She's just chucking way too much at it, and most songs are too dense with lyrics. I get the appeal, but this project has made it pretty clear that Joni Mitchell isn't for me. 2.5 rounded down.

perfection! women are wow <3

What a fantastic voice and such technical skill to maintain the tone and emotion she wants. I still can’t get completely on board with all of the leaps in notes without a clear melodic line. It has a dizzying effect. But still very glad to hear this all the way through. Favorites were Carey and The Last Time I Saw Richard.

Standouts All I Want

Great storytelling but I just cant get to like Joni Mitchells voice

How can one be so popular with such dull music and sound is truly incomprehensible.

aburrido, me gustaron 2 canciones

Joni is genius.

I know an objectively beautiful and moving album but alas I have no emotions

Beautiful beautiful the origin of beautiful beautiful songwriting. She’s lovely

Good album, not stuff I’d normally listen to. Not quite for me though

3.3/5 - Not big on the vocals. Come to think of it, I'm not big on much about this album...

perfection, lyrics and songs of this quality are very far and between

Much better than I was expecting.

I think it's fair to call this a folk masterpiece. There's so many choices that set it apart from other folk. Like the weird little out of key notes, which might be from jazz scales idk man. And then there's also that chromatic ascent when she sings "paper from the city hall" in My Old Man. Also the part where the tone switches and the electric guitar comes in on This Flight Tonight is fun as heck. Her voice is awesome and never sounds weak and airy like some other artists who sing high like that. I knew a couple of these songs before but didn't realize how strong the album was as a whole. Never got bored of the lyrics and I've listened to it 5 times. Sad jingle bells is my favorite.

really narrow sound, but it's performed to a T. consistent, clearly something special, maybe a mindblower for 1971. lovely voice. favorite song was My Old Man. very strong 3

Rating: 10/10 Exquisite, a lovely collection of folk tunes. Just a classic. Soft and so poetic. Some of the most beautiful acoustic guitar ever recorded and its production is top notch, and I love Joni's voice that cuts right through it. It's pretty much perfect all the way through, from the big classics like California, A Case of You, and River (the anti-social anti-Christmas song) to deeper cuts like the beautiful back to back of Little Green and Carey, and a couple of the stranger songs like the title track and This Flight Tonight. Every track is unique and interesting in its own way. My favorite song though is still the opener All I Want. Could be one of the best songs ever made in my eyes. Incredible guitar plucking, and the lyrics really bring out the combination of the bittersweet, both the love and hurt, that's present in all of Blue.