Blue

Sensational

Excellent album

I loved the mix of intruments! Her voice is beautiful and I'm amazed at how she can go from high to low. My favorites are: Little Green, California, This Flight Tonight, River, and A Case of You.

Melodic and strong singing

Gorgeous

I guess it's fine if you like this sort of thing.

Serene and colorful are the first words that come to mind when describing this album. Joni Mitchell has a fluttery sweetness to her voice that although soft, still brings a lot of energy and personality to her songs. The tracks are folksy and poetic but they still manage to bring a little funk in the arrangements. There's a lot of playfulness in this album. The example that stood out to me most was the sudden vocal effect in This Flight Tonight. What may seem common now, was probably really exciting for 1971. Joni's writing is of course excellent here. You've got an album about some deeply personal relationships, but the audience relates to these feelings due to her masterful prose. She creates analogy after analogy and you get to fill in those blanks to create a narrative fit for you. It's an incredible way to tell your story while inviting your listeners to tell theirs. 4.5 Stars

More sweet singing and beautiful songwriting from Joni. That said, I don't think I like this album as much as the other Joni album I listened to through this project, Court and Spark. There's something missing for me from the earlier parts of the album, I think. The back half of the album is excellent though.

1001 Albums Vol. 0009: Blue ============================================================ Introduction: What the hell even is this lineup of albums that I've gotten. It started with Disintegration and the greats have just kept rolling since. Now, as for this album, I'm not entirely sure what to feel about it. I've heard countless great things about it, yet I'm going to admit that I'm not really that big of a fan of folk. I mean, I appreciate folk songs for their bigger focus on lyrics and telling a story compared to other genres of music, yet I wouldn't consider much of the folk albums Bob Dylan made to be some of the greatest of all time. I did really like Dylan's second release, so who the hell knows. Anyway, like I said, this album's general genre is folk. Now, the instrumentation is minimalistic, yet there is apparently instrument variety across each song. One song may use a piano while another may use an acoustic guitar, that kinda thing. This album was released way back in 1971 by Joni Mitchell. Apparently, many of the songs on hear pertain to relationships in some way. If the album cover and title say anything, I would imagine that this album isn't going to cover the happiness these relationships bring. If this is true, then I will admit that I kinda like the concept due to how much of an effect sadness as an emotion has on me. Anyway, like I said, I've heard many, many great things about this album. I've literally never decided to listen to it before, yet I've heard so many great things about it. I've heard that it was extremely influential, extremely unique, considered one of the best albums of all time, those kinda things. Again, I find it pretty crazy that back-to-back I've been getting albums that critics consider to be some of the greatest releases ever. I mean, it's nice to get greats now, yet that just leaves the trash for later. And yes, I am aware that there is some absolute trash on this site. Anyway, we'll cross that bridge when we come into it. Until then, let's hopefully keep the streak of greatness going with Blue by Joni Mitchell. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 1: All I Want Score: 11/10 Track 2: My Old Man Score: 10/10 Track 3: Little Green Score: 10/10 Track 4: Carey Score: 10/10 Track 5: Blue Score: 9/10 Track 6: California Score: 9/10 Track 7: This Flight Tonight Score: 9/10 Track 8: River Score: 10/10 Track 9: A Case of You Score: 9/10 Track 10: The Last Time I Saw Richard Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conclusion: Wow, just wow. Like I said, I've never been the biggest fan of folk, yet I will admit that there is so much greatness packed into this album. I would go so far as to call every song off of this album great. Why? Well, like I expected, there is so much pain packed into this album. Not just any pain, one of the greatest pains that one can feel: the pain of love. There is a song on here about missing home and one about genuinely one of the saddest things I have heard as well, yet most pertain to the theme of love. While this album does have a very painful and cohesive theme, the specific topics each song covers varies. One song may speak about missing someone, another may speak about being so focused on the positives in a relationship that you don't realize how miserable you are, and one may simply speak about regretting leaving someone. There's a song on here that I'm sure we all can relate to in some capacity. The lyrics used to describe these scenarios are absolutely brilliant as well. The chorus of River is an especially beautiful metaphor for the feeling brought upon with the end of a good relationship. Now, there are two songs on here that pertain to a different topic than love. California simply talks about the feeling of missing home. That being said, Little Green's meaning is absolutely heart-wrenching. The lyrics are based on a true event in Joni Mitchell's life in which she gave up her own daughter to an adoption center because she believed that she would be better off with a family who could actually take care of her. Mitchell was in an extremely poor financial situation when she made this decision back in 1965. The amount of strength needed to write this song, perfect the lyrics, and perform it as well is just tremendous. Like I said, it's genuinely one of the saddest stories I've ever heard a song present to me. As a side note, Mitchell and her daughter would reunite in the 90's, so hooray for that. Anyway, this album isn't necessarily my musical cup of tea. As far as folk goes, some of these arrangements are amazing, yet I really don't find myself thinking all too much about them. Nevertheless, I am still able to appreciate their uniqueness and influential nature. That being said, an aspect of this album that I both genuinely like from a casual perspective and find genuinely interesting from a critical perspective is Mitchell's amazing voice. I can't quite describe it in a way that would do it justice. It simply sounds so loose yet tight and powerful at the same time. Her voice simply sounds like what many modern pop artists should want to sound like. There were a few moments on this album where I could hear a bit of a modern pop voice as well, so I guess you could describe Mitchell's voice as influential on top of being amazing. Though, like I just said, even though there were occasional moments where I head a modern pop voice, Mitchell's overall delivery is seriously on another level. The way Mitchell can so flawlessly flow from a high to low pitch simply sounds angelic. Overall, this album is just amazing. I mean, folk is generally such an uninteresting genre of music for me, and I still found myself deeply effected by some songs. Through genuinely great production, a very talented singer, wonderfully tragic lyrics, and a genuine complexity in many melodies despite the objective simple arrangements, this album manages to be genuinely great. It's weird that I've been getting so many masterpieces back-to-back, yet I'm not going to complain until I get the exact opposite, getting nothing but trash back-to-back since I've already listened to everything great. That will likely happen eventually, but the streak of greats continued today. ============================================================ Blue Score: 10/10 Song Average: 9.6/10

In my top 10 albums of all time. Amazing from start to finish. An incredible voice and musician who is, in my opinion, at the peak of her powers. Plenty has been written about this album and it really is as good as is claimed.

Ubi me ova nepregledna količina bjelačkog folka koju mi izbacuje generator trenutno.

Listenable.

Joni Mitchell’s Blue is a beautifully intimate album whose raw lyricism and emotional nuance still feel strikingly fresh decades later. Though a few tracks may resonate more strongly than others, the overall artistry easily earns it a solid 4 out of 5.

New #1. Literally top 3 album ever for me it gets better every time

Obviously a classic. Every song is a freaking masterpiece. Carey and little green hit in particular on this listen through.

4 stars Discovered this album when researching best break up albums. It’s a good one. Her style is unique and can be a little much for some, but the songwriting is good and the album flows well. It holds up and is more enjoyable than most of the folk by men on this list.

Before overcoming her breakup with Graham Nash, and as she was already romantically involved with James Taylor,Annie Lennox's idol Joni Mitchell wrote and produced entirely by herself Blue. The crystal clear,accurate,beautiful songs have only piano(but what a piano!), her unique sharp guitar playing, Appalachian dulcimer(Cindy Lauper's also favourite instrument) and of course her amazing distinctive high voice along with her fantastic storytelling lyrics. In January 2000, The New York Times chose Blue as one of the 25 albums that represented "turning points and pinnacles in 20th-century popular music".That's why is on this list and in most people's lists.But of course not only for that, but for all the reasons i said above.I remember the first time i heard this.I was gobsmacked by her talent. Favourites-if not the whole album-: All I Want.High notes gives me chills,still.She's travelling and i'm packing along.The rhytmic guitar playing is out-of this world. My Old Man.The way she plays the piano and sings from major to minor with such ease is phenomenal.It's like alternate feelings instantly. Blue.The piano and the delivery creates a magical piece.So many artists influenced by this and Joni in general,a name that poped up in my head from hundreds as i listen is Tori Amos. River.Talks about Xmas as she geniously plays Gingle Bells first notes on the piano,on a different signature. When she sings Fly she holds the note until next Xmas.Absolutely fantastic.She closes again with Gingle Bells played in a different key. The Last Time I Saw Richard.Her piano playing is amazing to say the least,again.Dreamy strorytelling deliver. This voted-among other things-as the best female album of all times.When pure talent creates and produces the perfect album-I say-. 5/5

Super fuckin' cool cover. The album? Eh, the album's fine. I'm not a folk guy, as this exercise is continually reminding me. She has a lovely and at times truly weird voice. Most of the way through I was not terribly engaged. "California" was lovely though.

Listened to this one on a cold, rainy November morning. Dulcimer is killer. Mandolin-esque. California and A Case of You are standouts. Some of the other songs start to run together a bit when listening to the whole album all the way through.

Just did not like the music, lyrics or singing style.

A case of you I could listen to over and over and over and over again.

I can see where the influence for an artist like Tori Amos came from. Vocals were strong, lyrics not so much; very literal/observational, not very deep (IMO).

Poignant lyrics by a beautiful voice

Fav Joni mitchell

Found myself really enjoying this as an album. I had only heard a few tracks off it before but takes as a whole it's very strong. Maybe hard to give a 5 to what is ultimately mostly just guitar and singing but it's very unique.

Never would have found this without this website. This is why I'm here.

Pleasant enough but annoyed me by the end and I’m glad it’s over

Not bad, not great.

Lugubrious

love love love joni mitchell<3

I dont really love her voice but the album was decent 6/10

The mother and heart of the confessional folk song movement. I can't listen to it enough. 4.5/5

You know it’s a 5 at about :25 — that’s when Joni starts singing. It helps that I know the album well. But after hearing so much overproduced, precious music on the list, it’s refreshing to hear on artist who sounds like she’s playing in her living room in Laurel Canyon & is just killing it! Sure, some of it is a bit sappy … but I think it might suffer from its association with earlier generations’ adoration of Joni. The adoration was well earned— but can you really love your mom’s favorite artist the same way as something that’s particular to your own generation? The answer is “yes!” Perfection is perfection. It’s a five.

Joni Mitchell is a poet. She weaves stories over plaintive acoustic guitar and the pictures she paints with her words are so vivid! This is what I'd consider a 'coffee' album: something you listen to in the morning or in the space between waking and truly being awake and ready to do stuff. There really aren't many lyricists like Joni.

Gorgeous cosy tracks, angelic voice over gentle guitar strums.

Another one of those beloved albums/ artists that I just don’t quite get on with. Not that it’s a bad album - I still really enjoyed it, with the famous songs being the highlights. Just not quite for me.

Easily one of the top 10 albums of all time!

8, 9

Beautiful Album by Joni Mitchell. She has such a unique voice and expression. I really wish there was more of this in modern popular music.

So good

Gorgeous album. A classic for a reason, Joni’s voice is unique and her lyrics insightful and heartbreaking.

Best Track - "California"

vocais lindos

Good coffee shop music, it was a good morning to listen to it since it was overcast/snowy and while everything sounded good, nothing was particularly memorable

Umrijet ću od dosade. Strašno. 1/5, 1/10

Loved Carrie, and very happy to get some Joni Mitchell, definitely a unique sound. I think one that will take some time to get in the flow of but that I'll like better with repeated listens

One of my favorite albums of all time. Joni’s pen is LEGENDARY and this is some of her best work. I will not be taking criticism at this time.

This is often touted as Joni's best album, but 'Court and Spark' exists so... Still, any album with one song as good as 'River' would probably be considered an all time classic, and this one has several of that quality. Yes, it's depressing. It's supposed to be.

Very hippie, very acquired taste. I like it but I don't have a field of daisies to chill on.

I like the folksy-er songs for sure, but the rest aren't for me. The way her voice wails up and down on some I found quite grating. Beautiful lyricism regardless.

I like it. She’s got a very bright and beautiful head voice. Very agile and athletic voice as well, yet she doesn’t over use the agility. Music wise, amazing song writing. Some melodies are well structured. I can’t tell whether “my old man” is Lydian or Dorian or just minor in the bridge, but the colour palette changes as the music flows. Very tasteful. Simple production, guitar, piano, but it doesn’t feel boring at all. The last time I saw Richard, I can hear a whole story behind the song. Very impressive. This is my standard for a five!

it was aight... i thought that her voice was a bit whiny on some of the songs, which i think detracted form my overall enjoyment. probably not something i am going to go back to.

I liked what I heard, but it didn’t hold my attention and I ended up only making it about halfway through.

It came and went

A strong four from me. Short, solid songs, and overall very enjoyable. I know this is a highly rated album but I just don’t see it as a five.

I listened to this as background music, so I didn't give it the most fair shot. Joni's voice has a unique beauty to it, but other than that I don't have much positive to say about the album. Mostly just boring.

Ethereal kinda reminded me of yoko ono and bob dylan

Didn't like

She's really good at what she does, it's just not really for me.

I dunno i didnt care much for this one. Nothing really stuck out musically. Dont love her voice either

Now listening again, she sort of has the same vocal style as Van Morrison, but a lot more smooth and pleasant to listen to in my opinion. Obviously the acoustic guitar stuff is legendary, and the parts are really great, emotive stuff, I feel like because she used open tunings, it totally expands the guitar's emotive and sonic reach, in the same way that Nick Drake (and to be pretentious Sonic Youth) did. There's also some incredible piano bits, like in Blue (the song), and the last time I saw Richard. I don't really like the California song, it just feels a lot more dated than some of the others. The songwriting is somewhat like other 'folk' musicians (like Van Morrison and Bob Dylan and Nick Drake) where they're telling some sort of poetic, almost mythical feeling story, that sort of feels as if it is part of another world totally. Yeah I guess the only downsides are some of the songs in the middle are a bit dated maybe vocally, but most of them are incredible. Favourite song: all but: California and this flight tonight. Overall around 8/10

First listen. 4 This seems like an album I'll have to listen to a few more times to really appreciate, but what's hit me on the first two listens is the emotion and intimacy of the album. Very sparse. Favorite Songs: Blue, California

I get it but I need rhythm.

I almost believe this site is watching my every move. This is album #11 of my 1001+ album journey. Of the first 3, Fred Neil's record, and TWO Bob Dylan Albums.... its like they want me to fall in love with folk music. One of those was Blood on the tracks. Ironically, Pitchfork cited that "Blue is like a companion to Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks—a confessional album very much of its time that endures on the strength of fantastic melodies and musical simplicity." It's as if fate wanted me to listen to this. Well jokes on them, I've listened to this numerous times. Just thought this was a funny story to tell. Most obvious 5/5 album of all time

Great intangible quality to it. Has something magical to it that's tough to beat.

Fantastic

Probablement déjà écouté une fois, sans grand sérieux...

I enjoyed it!

of dinlerken çok sıkılıyorum bu albümü maalesef ama çok seven bi arkadaşım var o yüzden iyidir yani muhtemelen de bana göre değil

joni jeans

I liked the flight song wjth the little going out and going in moment

its aight

Better than the other I listened to, the lyrics are still weird but her voice is beautiful.

Favorite songs: Little Green, She sings "off-beat" a lot, a bit disorienting but this is my first foray into the genre so maybe that's the point lol. Beautiful voice

AUTO FIVE not my personal favorite joni album but maybe her best!

Rich with meaning and musical texture while only featuring 2-3 instruments at time. Impeccable songwriting and production. Joni’s voice is so pure and clear and her musical instincts are outstanding. Couldn’t be less than a 5!

I can't argue that it's a great record Joni just doesn't move the needle for me

Completely get why this is a 5 to many. It doesn't excite me at all

sexy album

Not really for me. She has a beautiful voice and is a good song writer but not entirely my cup of tea.

I was so excited to listen to this iconic, highly regarded album for the first time. I feel like a terrible person for saying this, but I just didn't enjoy her high peeping voice.

Not my style. Appreciate the difference but not something I want to listen to

Good song writer, but very weak high voice.

Not saying I dislike this. But, Joni Mitchell has never really been my thing.

Insufferable. 1/5

There is a warmth to this album that grew on me. It’s very stripped back, she has a great voice and the whole album feels very personal. I can understand its inclusion on the list but it’s not the sort of thing I’d choose to listen to so I doubt I’d return.

It’s a decent album, and the music and instrumentation were very enjoyable, but I definitely had to get used to the sound of her voice, which I wasn’t too impressed with.

LOVE

I keep thinking I’m going to go through a Joni Mitchell phase and I can never do it. I get the musicianship is unparalleled. No question the vocals, the structure and the atmosphere are singular as to who the artist is. It’s just a lot of that is fingernails on a chalkboard for me and I can go forever without ever listening to it again.

River ties it all together so beautifully.

Laid back, easy listening. She tells a story in her songs

Ocean of emotions encapsulated in a little over half an hour

A great record

Not for me

Heard this

I've loved this album for a long time, and it was a real treat to get to listen to it again today. Something about hearing those lone dulcimer licks...it's like I can feel my heart wringing. It's just so earnest, and raw, and beautiful. All of it. Even just reading these lyrics makes me want to cry, it's such beautiful poetry. Add to that her flawless vocals, and it's a perfect package. To be honest, I don't much care for "My Old Man" or "The Last Time I Saw Richard"...but I'll give Joni a pass.

Never listened to Joni before. What a voice. Loved this.

There's no one with a voice quite like this one, loved it, very soothing

I struggle with lyric-first songwriting so have never connected with JM, especially since while her voice has a great expressivity I just don't like listening to it and dislike her distinctive style of melodic phrasing. The music is superficially gentle and warm acoustic stuff but actually has more complex dissonance and jazzy harmonics. The songs are more intricately structured than classic verse chorus folk - de emphasizing repetition and refrain and instead unfurling narratively. The arrangements are nice on here, with her voice and guitar at the front but supported by acoustic bass, hand drumming, and backup singers. The piano stuff not so much. I've tried so many times with her and with this album in particular but no matter what it's never for me.

good

Oh it’s great definitely had me feeling… blue

Talented singer and amazing lyricist

A five all day

It’s a classic and first listen made me sad and then secretly nd time I got it.

It feels like Joni is singing to me personally. Beautiful.

115/1001 :: Joni Mitchell - Blue Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 7 Listen before you die: Yes I’ve listened to this album before but not very much and I’m definitely no huge Joni Mitchell fan. In fact I recently learned that she’s talked shit on Dylan in the past and I find that annoying. That said, she’s got a dreamy voice and the song writing and her playing fits that voice so beautifully. Frankly, I need to give this album (and her catalog) more listens.

Appalachian dulcimer players of the world unite!

Great. This is what an album experience should be. Each song is unique, but adds together to build into a whole.

Time to give Joni Mitchell another chance.. Okay turns out I was just in an awful mood when I listened to my last Mitchell album, this didn’t grind my gears half as much! Maybe it’s just better but I wouldn’t know. I gotta give her some point for the lowkey anti marriage song but ykw it’s fine. I just don’t vibe with her music personally but I make peace with her on this one.

already heard this tons of times, love it All I Want - 5/5 My Old Man - 5/5 Little Green - 5/5 Carey - 5/5 Blue - 5/5 California - 5/5 This Flight Tonight - 4/5 River - 5/5 A Case of You - 5/5 The Last Time I Saw Richard - 4/5 Average score: 4.8/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Previously rated: #176 - Court And Spark (3/5) #266 - The Hissing Of Summer Lawns (3/5) *********************************************** Album #938 It's been a while since I last heard Joni Mitchell on this list. This is one I have heard before. I know this is supposedly her best, but I still don't care for it. Slow, high pitched folk music is not my thing. I liked the track Carey OK.

solid

Great sound production on this one. Joni's voice is in perfect form here. Not surprised at all to hear this one listed as one of the all-time greatest albums.

She has a good voice, a whole albums worth gets a bit much though.

I don't understand why this album has such high reviews, I found it boring all the way through.

Meh 1.5/5

Pretty good

Kivaa lauluahan tämä on, biisit keskittyy vokaaleihin ja taustamusa on minimaalista. Ei minulle mutta taidokasta.

not what i’m used to listening to but definitely happy i tried. maybe i haven’t experienced something that would help me relate to the album. but i appreciate the flow of the songs. the songs are stripped pretty bare with mostly country instrumentals and her voice for the entire song; it gives a nice intimate feel to it, as if i was watching her at a 30 person pub gig

so beautiful. one of my favorites

A voz de Joni e sua interpretação trazem uma pitada melancólica que aborda temas complexos e pessoais. Desde a primeira música é uma explosão de sentimentos, é íntimo, quase como se estivéssemos lendo seu diário — vulnerável, honesto e atemporal, um dos melhores álbuns que já ouvi na vida!

Glad for an earlier Joni album to continue my education… LOVE her cadence so much. It’s like another instrument and just keeps it so surprising and varied. And then the lyrics ❤️ There is something so genius and unique that is hard to define. But Joni is Joni and is 🤌🏻 maybe ‘River’ demonstrates all these elements best, especially the fantastic use of the Christmas theme, with an individual touch. Cant wait to listen to the whole thing again, as soon as it’s finished.

Sunday morning chill vibes

Her voice sounds like a flute. I was really impressed with her lyricism- I couldn't help but be drawn into her music as it demanded my full attention.

What a voice! And her melodies are so perfect for her voice. Unconventional, hauntingly beautiful and mesmerizing. Expressive and exposed, her voice soars. Maybe the best singer-songwriter album I’ve heard on this list so far. Standouts: Little Green

Such clear genius here. My problem is that I am not, and thus unable to appreciate the obvious genius on display in Joni's work. It's like thinking you can look into the sun because you're the President of the United States.

Overrated - I’d rather just read her lyrics than have to listen to her Also surprised she didn’t name this album “Black” considering how much she loved blackface

not my cup o tea

Pretty

It's good

Its good with a lot of good songs but I dont love it. Mainly because of the falsetto.

I’m not huge on Joni Mitchell’s voice, but the strength of the songs is undeniable. Absolutely beautiful music and stellar songwriting. California and Blue were highlights.

Liked it but didn’t love it. I like how it floats between folk and country and indie rock and sounds like it could be new. But it also didn’t really grab me

I mean... it's Blue. Nothing to say other than it is an incredible piece of music and art. Such a confessional. If music was color, this is Blue. Everything about it is just so amazing.

Demasiado aguda a veces la voz de la Joni pero hermoso album, viejo 6/10

Joni’s been a huge blind spot for me. I’ve probably heard all of this record but I always knew I needed more time with it and boy have I fallen in love. First 5/5 that is newly appreciated. It’s not that I conflated her with Nico but I think I expected her to be similar and I don’t really like Nico’s music.

I never liked this album when it came out, and still don't.

Boh, nulla di che

I've owned this album for decades and never once listened to it. And I'll probably never listen to it again.

9/10 Favourite: A Case of You Least Favourite: This Flight Tonight

15.10.25 klo 13, hima, varvas, spotify ei tää voi olla mitään muuta ku 5

classic

Lowkey intimate.

4/5

Incredible voice and lyrics

Fifty-plus years on, Blue still hits like an open diary, though its unvarnished production and Joni’s occasionally yodel-tinged vocals can feel a touch raw by today’s slick standards. There’s a deliberate intimacy to the lo-fi sound, like she’s singing a few feet away with nothing but a dulcimer or piano to keep her company. The highlights showcase Mitchell’s gift for melody and mood: the bright strum of “All I Want” and “Carey” gives a restless, sun-dappled energy (even if some lyrics betray their era), while the title track “Blue” drifts on stark, unguarded piano. “River,” meanwhile, slips “Jingle Bells” into a heartbreaker’s lament, a bittersweet sleigh ride through loneliness.

but californiaaaaa california im coming hommeeeeee

What a great album! So hard to choose a favorite, since so many of them are so good in different ways. I ended up going with the opener, since it just sounds like “Blue” (the album) to me. Favorite Track: All I Wanted

I confess I like Joni Mitchell and Blue is one of my favourites.

Not bad

Fine. Nothing bad, nothing great either

And to think Emma Thompson was disappointed to receive an album by such a top draw singer song writer. Simpsons: Yes

Stuck this on while in the bath, perfect.

Skal ikke klage for mye på denne altså. Nydelig album.

I think she's overrated.

Teetering on a 1. It have me a headache.

She's using vocal changes and discordancy to increase the artistic element, but it's not working as well as Alanis or Fiona Apple's Bolt Cutters.

I've never liked her stuff at all.

Always a pleasure to hear this one

não faz muito meu estilo, mas ainda sim consegui gostar de algumas músicas, os vocais me agradaram, foi o suficiente, mas ainda sim não é o tipo de música que escuto no meu dia a dia. a faixa de mesmo nome do álbum foi minha favorita, junto de river

chega de rock

Apparently this is a loved classic but I couldn’t get through it.

She has a great voice and an interesting way of singing. I couldn't go to a gig of hers though it would be excruciating.

7/10

instrumentalmente muy lindo, y no me disgusta tanto la forma en la que canta joni. aunque si empieza a cansar un poco despues de 7 canciones. lo que me parecio suuuuuuper bodrio e insulso fueron las letras, con un par de excepciones nada más.

Great voice iconic lyrics

Folk music at its finest. The melodies sound amazing and Joni’s songwriting perfectly encapsulates the bittersweet and tender feel for the record.

My love affair with Joni Mitchell only lasted only one album - Court and Spark from 1974. I like some of her other songs - River, Both Sides Now, Amelia - but nothing album-wise. Not a bad album, just not in my wheelhouse.

I'll be honest - I don't get Joni Mitchell. This has to be a me thing, since by all accounts she has a beautiful voice and is well-respected by so many professionals and friends, but I couldn't picture myself listening to this again. I like others of similar ilk - Carole King will always deserve my flowers - so what is it about Mitchell that doesn't grok? I don't know. And I won't be listening again to give it another try. fav tracks: Blue

Bad

Joni Mitchell walked so that Taylor Swift could fly.

Joni Mitchell just sounds like the late 60s and early 70s. A time when songs could be slower and folk was truly mainstream. I have a hard time really getting into it but I love it as a time capsule and wish I could have experienced it in the day

Great abstract cool

Chill

3/5

Again and absolute classic. Joni's voice soars and dips as she plays with words. It's poetry, but her singing elevates it to a different level. There are some classic hits. Carey and This Flight Tonight and my favourite California. However the whole album is great. Growing up in Canada I probably got exposed to this music more than most. Still love it.

Not my style, but its not bad.

Not much to say here. Not my personal favourite Joni album, I'd go backwards or forwards from here, but can see why it's her most-loved album and the gold standard for singer-songwriter confessional. 4.5

dépressif

About as close to perfect as music can get for me. Utterly unique and authentic - she could sing the theme tune to ‘Rainbow’ and I would hang on her every word. ‘Little Green’, her first-hand account of placing a child for adoption, had me floored.

Agree about the need for active listening as I listened to it in the background at work and could see that was not the right setting for something such as this. I could appreciate all the aspects of it but will need to listen in a dark room with no distractions to fully appreciate this.

I find I have to tune in to Joni Mitchell as her cadence and delivery is so unique, almost part sung, part spoken word and isn’t something I can necessarily have on in the background as it demands some active listening. Sone wonderful melodies, songs that wax and wane keeping interest throughout the album and some beautiful lyrics.

7.5/10 favourite track - "Little Green" least favourite track - "This Flight Tonight"

Some sitting around the campfire with an instrument and make up stories to sing ass music. Ain't for me.

NICE

Stone cold classic

So blue

Admittedly fine, but doesn't capture me the same way a lot of other singer-songwriters do. I'll take Cohen any day.

Great album but her vocals are a bit much sometimes.

I already knew I would love this album just based off of River being the only song I knew before listening to it. Currently my highest rated album ever, according to AOTY. 91/100

Not an everyday album but when it hits it hits and it's great

*listened before the project* Beautiful as always, lovely and lively

A bit like Dylan, you kinda know what you’re gonna get with Joni. Only real difference is Joni has a good voice, and doesn’t own a harmonica. 

 And unlike Dylan, this doesn’t disappoint

great voice and a solid album. 5/10

I guess I can kind of see the appeal but Joni has never been one for me.

Len Houmous proposed to Joni twice. She didn’t ever give an answer. I’m not sure she wanted to be called Joni Houmous 5.0 8/10 River

Etwas langweilig

not good imo. made it through 3 songs before i stoppped

California is the most famous song on the album. For a reason. A case of you is just gorgeous. Her voice encapsulates the lyrics just wonderfully. Blue, song with the same name as the album and it is one of the better songs.

Very dated

One of my favorite albums of all time.

I think this is Joni Mitchell's best album and that isn't really a controversial take I would guess. It's very mellow, which does not make it bad, but it does limit the different moods I need to be in to listen to it. This is a classic 70's folk album with great songs all over. The real question now remains...Is River a Christmas song? I argue that it is not, as snow and winter are nothing but a background to the theme of the song, which is loneliness. Seminal album, even if veterans of the 90's Lilith Fair tour don't like the substance. Joni did it first and don't hold the Lilith Fair of it all against her.

Really liked Carey, the rest was ok, a bit too high pitched singing

An essential Joni Mitchell album. Some beautiful and poetic songs.

Mitchell is a lot like Dylan, very few have middle ground feelings, live or hate usually. Younger folks - unable to relate to the era - may not appreciate her soulful sound.

No

One of the easiest five stars I'll give.

I know this is a great album but I was in a really good mood and this was not the vibe

A masterpiece.

Such a beautiful album - love Joni's voice. Great album I'll definitely return to. 4/5

It was nice, but not the most attention grabbing - perhaps worth listening to in the car again.

loveeee 4/5

An absolute classic.

God this woman’s voice is just transcendent

Great listen, big fan of the minimalist folk feel. Really liked California, Little Green, This Flight Tonight. Weirdly comforting vocals. After discussion and replay review the call on the field has been overturned. Please place the ball at the 5

Amazing Album. Super chill, perfect for a drive through the trees. She's a great singer and a songwriter that keeps you guessing 24/7. Not being able to expect what's coming, it's easy to get lost in the melody roller coaster of her singing and the constantly changing picture that's being painted.

I wasn’t in love with the instrumentation, a lot of it was very plain. However, I loved her voice, and each song was so well written. I feel like this is the kind of album I’ll love more upon release each listen. My favorites were California, This Flight Tonight, River, and The Last Time I Saw Richard.

What is there even to say about what might be my favourite album of all time? The songwriting on this album is phenomenal and somehow relatable in a way that I cannot believe it is over 50 years old. Joni sings and writes about womanhood in a way that is absolutely timeless. I made a list of my favourite lyrics on this album because I think they speak for themselves: All I Want: "I am on a lonely road and I am traveling Traveling, traveling, traveling Looking for something, what can it be? Oh, I hate you some, I hate you some, I love you some Oh, I love you when I forget about me" "Do you see, do you see, do you see how you hurt me, baby? So I hurt you too Then we both get so blue" My Old Man: "We don't need no piece of paper From the city hall Keeping us tied and true" "But when he's gone Me and them lonesome blues collide The bed's too big The frying pan's too wide" Little Green: "Child with a child pretending Weary of lies you are sending home So you sign all the papers in the family name You're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed Little green have a happy ending" California: "Sitting in a park in Paris, France Reading the news and it sure looks bad They won't give peace a chance That was just a dream some of us had" "Oh will you take me as I am Strung out on another man California I'm coming home" A Case of You: "Oh I am a lonely painter I live in a box of paints I'm frightened by the devil And I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid I remember that time you told me you said "Love is touching souls" Surely you touched mine 'Cause part of you pours out of me In these lines from time to time" The Last Time I Saw Richard: "The last time I saw Richard was Detroit in '68 And he told me all romantics meet the same fate someday" ""Richard, you haven't really changed" I said It's just that now you're romanticizing some pain that's in your head" "Richard got married to a figure skater And he bought her a dishwasher and a coffee percolator"

I think this one really speaks for itself. Favourite track is my old man.

85

Good but not my favorite style

Don't really enjoy this very much. The guitar is nice, but the singing doesn't do much for me. I don't really care for how stripped down it is. The vocals warble up and down in a way that I don't enjoy.

This time, I remembered how utterly brilliant the guitar is - tuned fun, open drone notes, wow yes! :) There's always something with this album :)

Really good, just doesn't quite hit the spot for me. I prefer the slightly faster, chaotic songs like "This Flight Tonight."

I honestly just don't get it. River is fantastic but I just don't see why this is so critically acclaimed.

Helemaal kut, wat een gejank

I cannot understand the features of this album. There are no outstanding music nor catchy lyrics. I've heard tape is filled with personal worries but for example John Lennon's first solo record is fully personal and much more curious.

Beautiful voice

Joni Mitchell has such a beautiful and unique voice but this isn't really for me. Maybe giving this another listen in a different mindset on a different day would help.

I understand she’s a music pioneer and all that but no thank you.

Very good album. Is re-listenable for sure. Has some great storytelling. Joni is great.

Listening to this while driving through the mountains of Colorado feels oddly appropriate. The music is beautiful, but her singing - it feels more like narration mixed with poetry.

Beautiful singing, pretty mediocre songwriting. This flight tonight was my favorite track

Very average

This was my favorite and, in my opinion, the best composed of the three Joni albums I’ve had so far. “River” might be one of the greatest songs of all time. Per usual, I get a little fatigued by the jazzy singing. It lilts in a way that I disengage from, beautiful as it is.

Ta bonito

Blue might be the most personally meaningful album of my life. The first time I listened all the way through I was in a similar place as Joni Mitchell was when she wrote it. Her music was off Spotify so I listened on vinyl. Carey made me feel so hopeful that new love was possible at that time. Through the years and countless listens different songs have become my favorites and then old favorites. Her songwriting is insane and her compositions are unlike any else. Truly one of the best albums of all time. Blue is a masterpiece!

Classic by an icon but a couple of misses along the way

I wanted to like this album more than I did. Just not my sort of thing.

Typical Joni Mitchell. Very easy to listen to.

I found it boring and her voice annoying.

I didn't engage with this as much as I hoped I would, it wasn't bad, but it just didn't pull me in enough

A supreme peak in a career of many.

While doing this list, I've learned that I don't really care much about music that focuses on its lyrical content, and singer-songwriter is the genre that does that the most. This album is fine, but a lot of the songs all sound the same, and I find it a little boring. I know this is my problem not the albums but this is also my rating. High 3.

Stuk voor stuk pareltjes. "Little Green" is zo gevoelig. Als je de betekenis erachter kent, breekt je hart.

Sad music played happy

Was okay. Not a fan tho

Honestly still sounds sorta modern considering its age

Gorgeous. Dulcimer!

I dont get it, lyrics are good by musically its so scattered its hard to track

I tried. I really tried. Over the years of hearing how great Joni is, I had tried a few times to listen with an open and objective mind. And then I was given this one more chance. This will be the last time. How do people like this? Her voice is So Damned Annoying!! She twists words in weird ways and warbles and shrieks. It's so hard to listen to. Usually, when I listen to something I don't like, I can at least kind of understand why people might like it. But this woman is cacophonous. Singing differently than other people do is Not enough to make you a genius. Some people with unique voices or a different sort of training are geniuses. But it's not just that it's different that makes it amazing. Right? I will not be listening to this ever again. I don't recommend that you do either, but Hey! Maybe you're one of the ones with that gene in them that somehow makes this sound good to their ears. (Or maybe it's me that has the Hate Joni gene, like the folks that can't eat cilantro because it tastes like soap to them.) I usually give an extra star for historical significance or influence, even if I don't like the album. In this case, though, I'm so annoyed by the whole thing that she doesn't even get that. 1 star for Joni!

Soft and sweet folk. Very charming and melancholic at times. Joni has a very distinct sound that is both haunting and comforting. A folk legend.

A lot too slow for my taste.

oh boy - the original taylor swift i suppose. very talented and some nice guitar strumming but not for me. awfully horny for her mean old daddy and wants to shampoo him? the more lyrics i heard the more questions i had. kissing sunset pigs? putting the flaps UP before landing, are we ASKING for a runway excursion? and why did she buy that frying pan if it's so fucking big? i feel like someone one time must have told her she had a nice falsetto and i really wish they hadn't. eeeeshk. maybe they were being nice. warbly would be the word i'd have used. i suppose i might play this again if i ever find myself a feeble old widow wasting away, isolated in the woods with my collection of tiny spoons and a handful of malnourished indoor/outdoor cats that stink. with doilies draped over every flat surface, i sit for hours casting wistful looks of passivity out the dirt-stricken window of my shack, sipping an incredibly bland and tepid weak herbal tea as i long for that mean old daddy husband man i lost thirty years ago to the slowest, saddest cancer you've ever heard of.

Awesome album. A woman with a message and something to fight for

I'm not traditionally a singer-songwriter stan, but I can absolutely understand why this album is on the list. The writing across all of these tracks is phenomenal and there are so many catchy hooks and lines. The album starts out great with both All I Want and My Old Man (we don't need a piece of paper from the city... hall). It's a melancholy album and I think it's easy to dismiss the album because it's such a mood but that would be a mistake. The album also end amazingly with my favorite track A Case of You, and the wonderful Last Time... This is definitely the best album on the list so far.

Truly exceptional album. I loved everything about it from the nice movement between piano and guitar between songs to the poetry that is the lyrics of these songs. All of it underpinned with a beautiful voice. I’d give this 6 stars if I could. Favorite tracks: My Old Man, Blue, A Case of You

This is really lovely. River, A Case of You, California are top tracks for me. It's albums like this that make me wish I was better at listening to lyrics. I wasn't familiar with the name Joni Mitchell but this album was great. The sound is classic and could be something make a year ago and I'd hardly question it.

Favorite tracks: River, My Old Man, California I was shocked to see this album is from 1971, I would have guessed it was the outcome of the 90-00 singer songwriter boom. Beautiful voice and lyrics, and well ahead of her time.

Always amazing!

I can see the value in this album. Fantastic writing, fantastic music. Its good but it doesn't resonate with me. I will have to listen to this album again in the future to see if I still think this album is just ok.

Inoffensive elevator music. This sounds like the same song played ten times in a row. I found it quite bland.

Joni Mitchell's "Blue", confessional song-writing at its best. The album begins with "All I Want," where Mitchell's percussive acoustic guitar and her distinctive voice immediately take centre stage. Her vocals are the album's primary focus, and they convey a wide range of emotions with minimal accompaniment. The production is intentionally sparse, creating an intimate listening experience. The songs on "Blue" are a direct and honest exploration of love, loss, and the often-painful search for connection. Standout tracks like the heart breaking "Little Green," a song about the daughter she gave up for adoption, the title track "Blue" and the enduring beauty of "A Case of You" are prime examples of the album's lyrical depth and power. Blue stands as a defining work of the singer-songwriter genre. A five-star classic. Side One 1- "All I Want" – 5/5 2- "My Old Man" – 4/5 3 - "Little Green" – 5/5 4 - "Carey" – 5/5 5 - "Blue" – 5/5 Side Two 6 - "California" – 5/5 7 - "This Flight Tonight" – 3/5 8 - "River" – 5/5 9 - "A Case of You" – 5/5 10 - "The Last Time I Saw Richard" – 4/5 Total - 46 Average - 4.6 91/1001

I have loved and cherished this album since being very small.

2,4/5

I love joni mitchell but I'm on the fence about her music. Feel like I didn't hear it at the right time.

Not a single interesting chord progression. Lacks atmospheric cohesion. Annoyingly uneben flow when syllables are forced into rhythms that feel unnatural. As if the lyrics and melody are at odds with one another, creating a jarring experience instead of something organically emotive. In short it's Folk Rock made in a way I dislike.

I know this album is regarded as a classic and I can definitely appreciate the song writing element of it but my rating is going to have to reflect my personal enjoyment of the album.. Unfortunately Joni’s falsetto sounds like a dying cat having its testicles crushed.

good listen

Singer-songwriter tiesiog ne man

As beautiful and heartfelt as you expect from Joni. What an unmistakable voice. Like a fairy or a siren. Real poetry. I do have to be in the right mood though.

I thought I had heard all the voices, but here is a new voice! What a beautiful singing style. I think I was captivated all the way through to the last song, and then it was slightly too much. But all around superb! I loved it.

Joni Mitchell's greatest strength has always been her wit. Listening to her music feels like having a casual conversation. Whereas Dylan was lauded at the time for being a very very serious auteur, Joni always seemed less focused on making grand, complex statements and more concerned with ruminations on the scene happening below her bedroom window. Blue is Joni's essences boiled down and supersaturated: effortlessly poetic but never overbearing. Unfortunately, only recently has she been receiving a reappraisal; largely by younger audiences, but it makes complete sense -- Blue is timeless. It's an intricate study of love and time: the platonic, romantic, and familial. Her superpower is highlighting these 60s scenes and making them appear right in front of you.

not my cup of tea. Interesting voice and use of it, didn't enjoy choice of music instruments and thus melodies.

Pretty sure Alanis Morrisette references Joni Mitchell on the last song of Jagged Little Pill, then I get this the following day. Listened to this during a nice run on the beach, didn't know what to expect but enjoyed this!

Das zwölfte Album, das ich schon kannte. Für mich ist es eine ganz klare 3 1/2. Musikalisch toll, aber ihre Stimme ist mir manchmal zu viel. Ich runde trotzdem mal auf, weil die Idee von River einfach genial ist.

Some good songs. I hadn’t actively looked at any of Joni Mitchell’s work before.

Feel like I should like this but I just don’t

A really good album that I can see many people giving a 5, for me some songs are a bit flat but overall a good listening experience

Incredible. I feel it’s a couple generations to early for me but man is it good

classic

5 - I finally get Joni Mitchell

There's a lot to love about this album. Joni's voice, though impressive and befitting a rainy summer cottage, isn't something I want to listen to regularly. 4.5 stars for personal vocal preferences.

Sarah Mclaughlin's best.

It's simple, either you recognize the greatness in this album, or you're retarded. A friend called Joni Mitchell a budget Sarah McLaughlan. He's retarded. 50 years later we're still listing to this album for a reason. Sarah McLaughlan, on the other hand, can't be forgotten quick enough.

Good

Classique mais agréabkle

I suspect that many reviews of this album on this site are going to be coloured by whether or not you like Joni Mitchell's voice. Personally I find it rather akin to listening to fingernails scraping down a blackboard.

Embarrassed to say I'd never listened to this before today. It's beautiful and full of weird and interesting notes and chord changes. I've always loved River, but Little Green is a new fave. I also learned This Flight Tonight is a Joni song, not a rockin' Nazareth original - consider my mind blown! Anyway, I get it now; sorry it took me so long, eh. 4.5 rounded down because I don't know how often I'll be in the mood for this.

songs are similar, not a fan

This was the second Joni Mitchell album on the list, and this one was better than the first album. Her singing sometimes is annoying to me, but she is a master of interesting lyrics. This album seems to be about her personal relationships.

Joni! Listen, I know this album is in a lot of people's top of the top, and she also wrote one of my top 5 songs ('Both Sides, Now'). But if I'm being really objective about my subjective ratings here, I don't love pitch variation, especially in the higher registers, and there's a lot of that going on here. And a very slow tempo. It's still very much in the Regina Spektor ~ Jewel ~ Sarah McLachlan space for me, who are all artists I really like at times and find either boring or borderline unpleasant to listen to at other times. Sorry Joni! You're still cool though. Apparently 'A Case of You' is also mentioned in the hit TV show Parenthood. I'm starting to think a Parenthood superfan updated Wiki with every possible article mention, and I respect that. Lowlight: 'River' (and all covers of it)

I wouldn't go out of my way for this but she has a nice voice.

Nothing wrong with it, just very not for me.

she's so goated man

I will never listen to this album again. Not because its bad, but because its so sad I can't handle It. I can't with this shit. Masterpiece

Good stuff

I do love Joni, and there's a lot of good ones here.

Words cannot…. (I’m just surprised in the reviews how many people comment poorly on “River”, maybe my favorite song on this album (for reasons I won’t go into here…)

I cannot say enough about this album. One of the greatest and my favourite Joni album of all time. Every song is beautiful and honest and raw at times. She is right up there with cohen and Dylan. Incredible. Also, I just realized that when she says ‘I’d even kiss a sunset pig’ she’s talking about a cop on sunset blvd.