Reviews (page 3 of 13)
I have not heard this before, but I have heard all of these songs before. Joni Mitchell is great and these are all good songs. The accompaniment has a keyboard with a very mid-seventies sound playing very mid-seventies chords that I’m not a fan of for whatever reason, I really can’t explain the issue other than it’s always bothered me since I was a kid. Putting that aside it’s a good album.
Nu har æ hørt på det her minst fire ganger, og æ elske det. Æ har hørt påfallanes lite på Joni Mitchell i løpet av livet så langt, men ho har jo bestandig eksistert i bakgrunnen på alt av musikk, så æ tror æ e fan likevel. I så måte gjorde det her ingenting for å motbevise det, for æ likte det skikkelig skikkelig godt.
I really like Joni Mitchell, particularly her voice and lyricism, and this was almost a four for me. I have a feeling I'll like some of her other music even more.
Enjoyed the voice. What a dame...
Als ik dit vind op de rommelmarkt, waar orange juice in de achtgrond speelt, koop ik dit album zeker.
Joni Mitchell continues to be a fascinating artist. This album is consistent with what I expect of her: lyrically and structurally complex songs, sparse arrangements, and clean production. Her poetry continues to be beautiful, although I don't think that the compositions on this album are her strongest. It is interesting how she explores a more jazz-like sound here, the last track especially exhibits swing influences. Favorite track: "Free Man in Paris"
Poetiskt och allmänt härligt att lyssna på
Verkligen en egen röst och texter som jag faktiskt kom på mig själv med att fastna och lyssna på redan under den första lyssningen.
Rätt igenom mysigt! Definitivt något jag vill komma tillbaka till i framtiden
Jodå, svänger hyfsat.
meh, another songwritting album that I can't really get into. I thought maybe the jazziness that GPT mentioned this album would have would be enough to get this to a 3 but nope.
love me some didioncore
- Apologies, Ms. Mitchell, but I pretty much know you from Love Actually. - Strong, incredibly poetic lyrics. Personally resonated with "People's Parties" the most. - Sounds could use some diversity, but this is clearly a female artist who was confident enough to make a splash when that would have been hard to do. The jazz twist at the end was fun.
Love the jazz influence on this one (quite the departure from For the Roses), the guitar tunings/chord voicings and lyrics/subject matter are both so beautiful
Awesome jazz exploration on this album, I'll have to give her album with Charles Mingus a shot soon.
I really liked her voice
The album was decent, enjoyed some parts of it, nothing I'd come back to but it was fun. Solid 3.5
Mostly pretty good. It's not what I'd be putting on myself, but I like it nevertheless.
Хорошо поет прикольно как птичка
I think I list this album better than Blue. It was a more jazzy record, with the same strong singing and songwriting my Joni.
so whimsical love her voice too I love it! some very movie/theatre vibes in the instrumentation that i adore, mostly in 'down to you' very pretty
Boring
Sorry Joni, I wasn't really familiar with your game
Joni Mitchell mist gewoon niet.
Jaren 70 Joni allemaal mooi. Court And Spark is wat extravaganter dan voorgaande platen, met uitgebreide instrumentatie en echt briljante opname's, dat wat mij betreft het iets minder boeiend maakt dan een plaat als Blue. Sterke 4 sterren.
Loved the vibe of the whole album, and the writing is beautiful! Twisted was a highlight for me with the jazz woven into the more folk-driven album.
It's been about a year since my first Joni Mitchell album in this project. At the time I wrote how surprised I was that I enjoyed it, given how long I'd avoided her music assuming it wasn't for me. A year later I got her next album on the list, and this was one I'd heard of at least. I had a much better initial attitude going into it today, more excited than apprehensive. While this wasn't as interesting musically as the previous one (The Hissing of Summer Lawns), I found her lyrics and singing playful along with the introspection I'd expected. I'd heard the song Help Me many times before and totally ignored it, but having the lyrics in front of me made me appreciate it much more. And ending with Twisted was brilliant, and you could feel the smirk on her face knowing how confused her fans would be. Standouts were Help Me (never would have imagined I'd be saving this to a playlist), Free Man in Paris, Car on a Hill, and Raised on Robbery.
I acknowledge the talent here but this music isn’t for me. I’ve always hated this stream of consciousness type of songwriting.
Beautiful album to shower to.
pretty good
I’m glad we got two Joni albums back to back. Blue is lovely, but this album really sounds like home. It sounds like my parents cooking dinner with the windows open, and I’m outside playing with my sister at sunset. It’s a lovely sense memory. It’s a lovely album.
I'm sure the lyrics were good but music/voice too boring to pay attention to
Very enjoyable vibes
Love me some Joni
I don't mind Joni Mitchell, I just find the songs aren't very singable? This was good though, more jazz less folk
Of Joni's acclaimed albums, I think there's an argument that this is the simplest. It doesn't have the weight of Blue nor the difficult, pop-averse writing of the albums that followed it. Instead, it's simply a collection of lovely folk-tinged pop songs. But I think it also has a hidden complexity, one that's easy to miss because the album is so breezy and easy to listen to. The songs flow freely from verse to chorus, and sometimes from song to song. "Free Man in Paris" has a lovely swell in the chorus that flows right in from the verses. The vocals are effortless but still striking, and the lyrics are full of yearning; I love "he makes friends easy he's not like me, I wait for judgement anxiously." The hooks sneak up on you, but hit hard like on the excellent "Car on a Hill." Overall, an album that shows what a great writer Mitchell is even if she's mostly staying in her comfort zone here.
Couldn't really vibe to this one. 2/5 Top track: Help Me, Car on a Hill
Mooi folk album. Ik vind het mooi, maar iets te ingewikkeld ofzo. Ik kan niet zo veel met de songteksten. Ik denk dat ik het instrumenten spel te jazzy vind en dat past dan net niet lekker bij het folky gevoel
This was very pleasant
Lovely album. Again, forgot to take any notes while listening.
Slitsomt
Beh
A bit more variety than I expected from Joni Mitchell
This was a fine listen. I will not lie and say Jodi's voice isn't entrancing, but I don't feel like it's enough to carry the whole album. 3/5
Lighter with a jazzy touch.
Didn't really click for me tbh!
A perfect crystalline voice and nice songs, though they're not as emotive and essential as some of her older work that I prefer. The last track is a horrible direct hit to the heart of my jazz aversion and almost retroactively taints the whole thing.
Wouldn’t ever think of listening to any of her stuff as it is too much “easy listening” which for me = “why bother?”. I quite liked this album though. However, I felt that most of the songs ended before they came to a satisfactory conclusion and I kept hoping they would build into a bigger ending. Best track was the more up-tempo “Raised on Robbery”.
I feel like I’m being a real grump here so going to focus on the positives. Mitchell’s voice really is beautiful and I enjoyed having the record playing in the background whilst I worked. However, as much as I appreciate that this is a good record… it just isn’t for me. It just merged too much into the background and there was nothing to make it stand out to me. Apart from that god awful last track which stood out for all the wrong reasons!
Wikipedia says it's her best selling record, which is mad cos you'd assume that was Blue? I’d never even heard of this. It’s a pleasant listen, the first one of these I’ve felt compelled to play twice, and maybe eventually this is a 4. 'Down to You' is my clear fave, absolutely loved this song. 'Twisted' by far the worst and really has no business being on this record!
It's OK, but not for me. Every now and then, there's a hint of country, and that's upsetting. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (5/10) Total reviewed : 346 Already owned : 77 Purchased : 16 To buy : 3 Nope : 250
2026.06.08.
I got into this one more than other Mitchell albums. I would add this to the rotation! Rating: 8/10 Favorite Song: Help Me
This album doesn't have anything that stands out to me
I didn't expect another Joni Mitchell album so soon, but this one is pretty chill.
I prefer blue but this is still fantastic
I've heard of this album but never really listened until today. The songs are so familiar and she has one of the most distinctive voices. A great album.
Liked the songwriting more than the actual music
Revisit this one, it was great
A good introduction to Joni if you didn’t know her before. Some really good ones and some that are strangely reminiscent of On The Road for me for some reason. I like it when she gets weird even if I don’t want to listen to it again per se
great joni album, my 3rd favourite of hers. 9/10. first listen tracklist ranking: 1. Help Me 2. Free Man In Paris 3. Court and Spark 4. Raised on Robbery 5. Car on a Hill 6. Down to You 7. Trouble Child 8. People’s Parties 9. Just Like This Train 10. The Same Situation
Good album. Nice to hear something by a female artist that isn't all love songs.
It's Joni, it's a four at least.
Pleasant but ultimately not for me.
Stylistically not my cup of tea, but I think the lyrics are the stand out here. I don’t pick up on them or do a full read along. I’d give it a 3.5 if I could, but I don’t like it as much as some of the 4’s I’ve been giving.
Joni Mitchell can do something very few women can do in that she can proclaim her love using words the words you're supposed to say in a sarcastic tone, but still make it seem sincere. Unfortunately for me I'm attracted to this kind of intonation. Couple that with a few great rock bangers near the end of the album and yeah, I found myself enjoying this more than I didn't.
Better than expected, picked up a few new songs.
I came in with decently high expectation but was honestly mostly bored. This felt like the final boss of coffee shop music. I liked "Raised on Robbery" mostly because it actually had some energy. 4/10
Love Joni Mitchell! Incredible voice. Great songwriter. Fantastic guitar player. This album is nearly perfect. 4.5
Es bastante romántico tranquilo, pero no me atrapó
I tried to like this. She has got a lovely voice and the production is spot on. Unfortunately it just doesn't click with me. Yes she has talent. Maybe I'm the issue
I really like Joni Mitchell’s voice, but her music still feels distant to me. Listening to Court and Spark, I often felt as if I was reading a beautiful piece of literature from another place, one that feels out of reach.
Not as good as Blue, but some of the songs are more fun. It does feel a bit like "Mom Music" but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Comfy soft music has a place too. Also, Raised on Robbery is the best Joni Mitchell song I've ever heard.
More pop than folk and this might be her best album
muy buen álbum de lo mejor cito que escuche
This album felt pretty much the same as Blue to me. While listening I was mostly bored and disconnected again. It’s a bit more polished and has some jazz influences, but it still feels like a bunch of vague, airy words and wandering melodies that never really land or give me anything solid to hold onto. I honestly can’t get the whole Joni Mitchell phenomenon. People treat her like she’s untouchable, but her music just doesn’t click with me at all. It feels pretentious and empty, like it’s trying to be deep without actually saying much. Nice voice and decent production, sure, but overall it left me cold again. Another miss.
Joni Mitchell is a fantastic poet. The songs were enjoyable if unstructured. I can see why her, Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan get lumped together. Although her songs posses less depth but more joy than the other two.
One of the absolute best...
Wasn’t really feeling it
Not very tood
Aleays a pleasure to listen to Joni. Such a unique and beautiful voice. Not as good as Yellow Taxi though
Oddly enough, this is the first time that I have heard this album. It feels a bit like a transition point between the earlier work and the more jazz influenced work to follow. On one hand most of the songs feel like they wouldn't be entirely out of place with the earlier records, but the arrangements and vocal approach is different. The songs almost all have larger arrangements, including horns and strings. The vocals are often multi tracked to create choral effects. It creates a distinctively different feeling than before. I'm not sure about it. There is certainly an effort to move forward and create a new sound, but I think I prefer the earlier records. Still, its an interesting document and one that I might warm up to if I return to it later on.
More mid-70s Joni Mitchell, with "extreme storytelling" in the lyrics. This one was more forgettable than others, which I also have trouble remembering.
Vocals were nice, but overall the album was pretty middle of the road. Not sure why she has 4 albums on this list. So far none of them have been mind-blasting.
Short, sweet, and incredibly rich. Really fun album, loved a lot of the instrumental arrangements on this, especially on Raised On Robbery and Car On A Hill.
Joni Mitchell could perform her poetry with the accompaniment of bagpipes filled with sand and I would still be enraptured, so I can't say the 'poppy' production here bothers me. Maybe you could argue that by six albums in, Joni was treading the same water over and over again, what with the artsy musical boyfriends (the courting) and the breaking up n' boozing (the spark.) But Christ, let her be self-indulgent: if you had her previous five albums under your belt, you'd let yourself write about Paris a little longer. Oh, and about that last song. I'm sure the reaction to 'joni-jazz' is going to be split on this site, but I thought it was cool enough. Is it conceited to call yourself a genius? Probably, but if you had to deal with those Rock 'n' Roll magazine fucks speculating about your virginity while you were writing the best albums of the 60s, you'd rub it in their faces too. (Hey, it's a good thing this book doesn't include the rest of the 'Joni-jazz' records... right?)
Joni venía de otro clásico como For the Roses, y aquí presentó su trabajo más accesible. Temas como Help me o Free Man in Paris (con José Feliciano, Crsby, Nash o Robbie Robertson). La banda que la acompaña no es cualquier cosa: vientos de Tom Scott, el piano eléctrico de Joe Sample, la guitarra eléctrica de Larry Carlton, el bajo de Max Bennett y la batería de John Guerin. Todos ellos músicos muy respetados entonces. No es la voz que más me gusta, ni el estilo tampoco. Pero Joni, sus afinaciones, su influencia y su legado bien merecen estar en el listado con discos como este.
Sort of an average Joni Mitchell album with a standout oddity in the track twisted. It was an easy listen in the morning while I had an hour to clean around the house and work on a project. I don't think I'd ever choose to listen to her but I'm never upset when she is playing.
I like Joni Mitchell, but nothing jumped out at me from this album.
classic old rock. Love.
Nice mellow
9/10
Yeh, meh ye it’s aight. Had some good jams here and there but overall it was quite boring. You might find yourself appreciating what she’s doing without feeling particularly moved by it. 2/5
Beautiful. Her other records always paled in comparison to blue for me until recently, but I'm really learning to appreciate them more. The fuller instrumentation is probably one of the things that took time for me but I'm really enjoying now. Raised on robbery is so good. It's a real shame about the last track - feels like a bad bolt on skit and kind of ruins the album flow for me.
I used to think Joni's music was downbeat but this album is completely different. Enjoyable stuff.
I really like this album, I have friends that really like Joni Mitchell and I've never really sat down to listen to her. It's very light and fun sounding: even with some sad lyrics, the instrumentals make it hard to feel down. Her voice is like a warm hug from a mom.
Intetsigende
This one hit me in the right mood today. Joni Mitchell is pretty consistent in what she does, and I know I like her. Nothing stood out that I will probably go back to, but it was a pleasant way to spend 40 minutes.
Very nice to listen to. Loved the variety in sound throughout the album and from what I've heard from JM before. Production not outstanding but the musicianship is there.
enjoyed this for the most part, prefer the folkier stuff
We'll just slip back to the mid-70s to hang out with Joni Mitchell for a little bit with *Court and Spark*. This thing reached number two in the U.S. charts and number one in Canada and ended up with a double platinum. I'm not going to lie, that kind of accolade generally fills me with a bit of dread at this point. But let's get in and find out what's going on. Joni Mitchell goes ahead and gets the title drop out of the way with the first track *Court and Spark*, in which a busker is overcome with a wave of the Holy Spirit or perhaps just a radical epiphany and realizes that what he wants to do is get rid of the money and go find a random woman to hit on. He rolls up on Joni Mitchell. She obviously doesn't trust him, but isn't just kicking him in the face like a reasonable person would because she's an anxiety-ridden white woman. Decades before that became the in thing. He confesses that he has made himself better. He got rid of his blues. He promises that he can complete her and somehow with eyes with whites the color of sand and irises the color of the sea, she's kind of into it until she realizes that LA has sunk its cruel, twisted, demonic hooks into her. This may be the one time that Los Angeles has caused someone to make a good decision. The album is off to quite the start. What the hell, Joni? This is your every 35-second reminder not to take life advice, particularly romantic advice, from musicians. Nothing good comes of hanging out with ramblers and gamblers in *Help Me*, and falling in love with them is the worst kind of choice that you can make, especially when you are perfectly aware that this is a bad decision, it's not going to end well. You are going to suffer. The other party is not really feeling it in the same way that you are, and yet you just keep trundling forward with stupid decisions. "We love our lovin', but not like we love our freedom." Of course you do. That would require you to be a person capable of making trade-offs and decisions which are based on reasonable expectation and not just letting your hormones run away with you. Dammit, musicians, learn for once. Learn! Ah, the hard life of the music industry agent. I never thought I'd hear a song that portrayed them in a marginally positive light (*Chainsaw Charlie* is far more in line with my expectations), but "Free Man in Paris" does its level best to pull it off. Do I believe it? Not for a second. It's the kind of thing that someone who's lived a favored life their entire existence dreams about doing when they are successful just to show off how successful they are. "Man, if I wasn't too busy greasing the rails of making people into superstars, I'd cut out for a minute and just go back to Paris, where I didn't have the responsibility of making and breaking people every day." Yeah, dude. Sure. It's the kind of pained humblebrag that just makes me want to stab people in the throat. Actually, come to think of it, maybe this song has more in common with *Chainsaw Charlie* than I thought. Dear hell below, maybe I found patient zero! The source of neurotic upper middle class/lower upper class women. It was Joni Mitchell in 1974. It was her the whole time! Listening to *People's Parties* struck me like a bolt from the blue. Ostensibly, it's a song about going to LA parties and how pretty much everyone there is performative, with a focus on the hot chick who is clearly working it for attention and even pulling the crying Jenny. Then we get this hot little number: "I'm just living on nerves and feelings with a weak and lazy mind." Well, there it is. "I wish I had more sense of humor keeping the sadness at bay." Yes, we all wish you had a better sense of humor and could see the irony and humor in the absurdity of life. I'm starting to think that if Joni had dyed her hair purple and got a side shave cut, she would have fit right in. I'm starting to think that if Joanie had dyed her hair purple and got a side shave cut, she would have fit right in. I think I need to go get some brain bleach. I'm not sure who needs to hear it, but you need to carefully phrase your prayers to any heavenly choir. You should use the same cautious, overly litigious attention that you would use when contracting with the devil below. Quote, "Send me somebody who's strong and somewhat sincere" may actually end up with you getting someone who is both, which is not really what you want. Now you've got one: a man who has had other beautiful women and who is capable of telling you the truth and making judgments for himself, like a church, like a cop, like a mother. But no, don't actually give me your sincere truth because that's considered turning it on you like a weapon when you need approval. Gentlemen, if you find a woman like this one in the song, *The Same Situation*, consider it a vast pile of red flags and go the other way. This has been a public service message. Tip your waiter. Hold up a minute. Is this a Taylor Swift album? I swear three quarters of the tracks have been about how the singer-protagonist has absolutely no taste in good men, but instead finds herself drawn to absolute assholes and then continues to make bad decisions. *Car on a Hill* is no exception here. She's been sitting on the hill for three hours waiting for the guy who she thinks is a friend and she's been banging. He said he'd show up. She's been waiting, has no idea where he is. Look, sweetheart, if he's half an hour late, you don't hang around. If he's an hour late, you better have some important news to tell him. If he's three hours late and you're still waiting up on the hill, that view better be amazing in and of itself. This album is like a shrine to poor judgment. In *Down to You* the projected subject of the song is an emotionally distant man who has prioritized position and easy acquaintance over actual connection. But we are told upfront he's a kind person and a cold person too. He picks up someone in a bar. They bang. She's gone by the morning. He really doesn't have any close acquaintances or even friends, but frankly, he doesn't seem to care that much. He's doing all right. In fact, he thinks he's got it made, but trouble comes knocking at the garden gate. I can't help but think that this troubling news is that he has fathered a child out of wedlock and now has the opportunity to step up or step away, thus bringing it full circle back to the title of the album and solidifies the idea that the singer is in fact the woman in question. Hey, we have a coherent narrative. It actually presents a man in a light that's not wholly unpleasant. I'm going to consider this a win. This is also quite possibly the most jazz-influenced track on the album so far, making some pretty significant use of uneven beats. It's okay. Perhaps not surprisingly, *Just Like This Train* is about a woman who has terrible self-control issues and makes unwise sexual choices. Any jokes about pulling a train at this point are purely in your head and certainly not by implication, even though it does open up by saying that she used to count lovers like railroad cars. She counted them on her side. Look, I'm not responsible for that imagery. It's in the song. So she goes and decides to get on a train to get away from some implicit cause and sees a number of people waiting for the train. She boards it, she settles in, and then thinks about the guy that she lost her heart to, and thus her goodness. But who clearly doesn't want to be with her because she's on this train going somewhere else and she is with her sour grapes talking about how happy she will be to see his hairline receding because he's so vain. He probably even thinks this song is about him. What is it with women celebrating their terrible decisions? It's a media motif. Next up, the most upbeat song on this list, *Raised on Robbery*. It also has one of the most straightforward setups: a guy drinking in a hotel bar, watching the hockey game he has a few bucks on. A prostitute comes up to him and attempts to solicit his company. There's a really nice metaphor there in the middle regarding cooking as a symbolic replacement for sex. Then the whore in question has the bad decision-making of talking about how she and what is theoretically her husband had some money, and he's even worse with handling it than she is with picking men, having wasted it on a car which he wrecked, and then drank the rest of it. Wisely, our heroic gentleman decides that his time is more valuable than the possible ambush situation he would be walking into and goes his own way. Frankly, it's about time we had another good ending, and I'm here for that as well. I'm of two minds about *Trouble Child*, and that is always an awkward place to be. On the one hand, it is a song that acknowledges that the singer-protagonist is actually the problem, that they need to get their fucking head together and their ducks in a row, and that there's nobody coming to save them, whether it be going to rehab or expecting your friends and family to do it. This is generally a message I encourage people to come to, that they are on their own and that nobody is more intimate with their problems than they are. It's their responsibility because it's their suffering. But on the other hand, the song never actually comes to the conclusion that they need to actually do something. That it is their responsibility. That they are the active agent in their own life. It's just whining. It may be accurately observing the world, but it's lamenting the world, not being driven by an understanding. No, I think I've settled on the fact I don't care for it that much, but I don't hate it. It's halfway there. Okay, I was wrong. *Twisted* is the most jazzy track on this album, by far, bar none. It's better for it. It comes across as a bit of a bebop jazz hop about a woman who is actually certifiably insane. At least she's just rambling about crazy things and not crying in a corner, so better company than some of the protagonists of earlier songs on this album. I don't really have much of any feeling about this track at all, honestly, aside from the fact that it was a little bit fun, but taken as a whole with the rest of the album, it's yet another singer-protagonist declaring that their bad decisions are absolutely correct. In isolation, it's great. It's fun. A little bit of a novelty. In context, not so much. Overall, I guess *Court and Spark* is a decent album. Musically, it's incredibly accomplished, shifting between folk rock and jazz with a fluidity and grace that you don't see very often. Joni Mitchell's voice is extremely accomplished, which should come as a surprise to no one. It's the content of the songs, man, that I just can't get on board with. Is it a bad album? No. Is it a good album? That's always the question.
Maybe not on the same level as Blue but still brilliant. This is Joni going into slightly jazzier material and it just feels so right. Once again her voice is like nothing else I've ever heard, especially in terms of her dynamics, and I really found myself getting lost in the storytelling of these songs. My first repeated artist in the challenge, and I could not have asked for anybody better. Favourite song: Help Me Least favourite song: Trouble Child
A nice sounds to this record, whenever it starts to get a bit samey there is a change up. Might be a bit too smooth for me, but seems to be the best of that type of sound. 4 Heard before? No Owned: Yes 76/304 (25%) Will I get: Maybe
good for her!
Gentle, breathless, and exquisite vocals paired with remarkably fluid melodies. This is the definitive album where jazz textures seamlessly weave into Mitchell's song-writing. The first side is structurally flawless, sustaining an elegant, sun-dappled mood from start to finish. On side two, a couple of spirited, whimsical tracks offer a wonderful contrast, preventing the heavier themes from becoming overly dense. "Court and Spark" remains my favourite Joni Mitchell album. Listening to it on a lovely summer's Sunday morning - after an early walk with the dog, now settled with a cup of tea and buttered toast - is pure perfection. Five stars. Side one 1. "Court and Spark" (5/5) 2. "Help Me" (5/5) 3. "Free Man in Paris" (5/5) 4. "People's Parties" (5/5) 5. "The Same Situation" (5/5) Side two 1. "Car on a Hill" (4/5) 2. "Down to You" (5/5) 3. "Just Like This Train" (4/5) 4. "Raised on Robbery" (5/5) 5. "Trouble Child" (4/5) 6. "Twisted" (4/5) Total - 51 Average - 4.64 333/1001 182/333 albums reviewed were new to me.
It was fun to listen to. Absolutily not boring. But it just isnt my style.
Fun album enjoyed specially twisted and free man in paris I dont even now what genre this is maybe fun or humorous but overall great album a pushed 6.2/10
Cozy, every other song was alright but got boring easily.
bem calmo, perfeito pra escutar enquanto viaja, mas não gostei tanto das letras
I haven't heard much of her but Joni Mitchell has a very unique sound. It's not really for me but it is impressive and captivating.
Such beautiful songwriting
You know, I should have expected sublime perfection from Joni Mitchell and yet she still surprised me with how incredible this record is. It deserves 7 stars but I guess I'll give it a 5. It's that fucking impeccable.
Bien à certains endroits mais manque de structure ou de quoi que ce soit qui le rende unique.
This is a pretty album, it’s folky and a little bit jazzy. There’s some really excellent instrumentation throughout, the piano specifically is quite beautiful. I can recognize that Joni Mitchell is both incredibly talented and very successful, but there’s some quality to her voice that makes it hard for me to fully immerse myself and enjoy this album. It’s all very good music, but I don’t think it’s for me. 3*
Uhhhh this shit rules? What the hell? It’s so jazzy and extremely well produced. I was NOT familiar with Joni’s game.
I’ve never heard of Joni Mitchell, and it seems I’ll have to listen to some more of her stuff to get a good basis of what she was about.
Joni is an awesome storyteller. Love the chill vibes of the album, but it didn’t pull at me in any strong way.
the Joni Mitchell’s Blue of trying to follow up Joni Mitchell’s Blue
For me personally, I'd give this 4 stars, but I then would bump it up half a star for how well it does mix folk and jazz and how influential it was in that scene and just well crafted and easy to listen to. I would definitely go back to it, not because it is going to be one of my favorite albums, personally, but because it is just so smooth and beautiful yet just challenging enough to the listener (not just predictable songwriting).
4,5 ✱✱✱✱ Favoritas - Court and Spark - Help Me - Car on a Hill - Raised on Robbery - Troubled Child - Twisted
Court and Spark succeeds on its own terms: a meticulously crafted, lyrically nuanced, musically elegant album that marked a turning point in Mitchell’s career and resonated strongly with critics and mainstream audiences. But its restraint, polish, and emotional ambivalence mean it won’t land for everyone, especially if you prefer more visceral, raw, or sonically adventurous music. Like a nice bowl of oatmeal or tapioca pudding. Meh.
Another boring Joni Mitchell album but slightly better than Hejira. Raised by Robbery actually gave me some hope that she has good songs. No more though apart from Blue
Nice enough, but not a repeat listen
Listened to on my Apple AirPods Max. This is a confounding album, to me at least. I've listened to it twice for this album generator project, the first being a more background kinda listen while doing yard work, and then a more focused listen later in the day. And honestly, I still can't quite make heads or tails of this. There is a truly undeniable talent laden throughout, whether it be Joni Mitchell's angelic voice, her poetic storytelling, or the composition of this thing, with complex passages that squeeze into any little cracks left open. Even with all this considered however, I feel actual brain confusion when I listen to this album. It's like all these elements should come together for a delightful listen, but I'm mostly feeling totally disjointed and disconnected from this thing. This is found in the stories that spin out uncohesively at times, Joni's delivery in where she modulates her voice and tone at random or ties strings of lines together without an expected rhythmic guide, interjects vocal overlays with a reckless abandon, and the band itself given free reign to just futz about doing whatever, as long as they revisit the melody a handful of times throughout. Something that I have found to be quite important to my listening experience doing this project is being able to connect with the album, whether that be with the intention, the lyricism, the instrumentation, what have you. If I find an album overly-produced, written unconvincingly, or is composed in an uninteresting way, I have a hard time getting connected and wanting to stay engaged and listening. What makes this album so bizarre to me is that it doesn't necessarily have those problems yet I cannot connect regardless. I like a lot of jazzy ideas throughout, and there are some tracks that I like alright enough, like the title track for it's atmosphere and storytelling, 'Raised on Robbery' for it's astounding ability to create a homely, folksy, upbeat country song that doesn't quite fall into kitsch, or the ender track 'Twisted', a smooth, jazzy cover of an oldie track with some silly, fun lyricism. But even in these tracks I like, I don't love them. I just don't really dig a lot of this album. The structure continually frustrates me, and it almost makes me want to call it pretentious, but I really doesn't feel it. All of it's constant switch-ups and left turns derive from a place of actual enticement and expression, but it feels like it's ready to blow apart at any moment, bursting with too many creative ideas that don't flow into each other smoothly, and too often fleeting, never getting the chance to truly ground itself within each song. It's certainly a very interesting listen, and it's one that makes me think, but in terms of actual enjoyment I just don't get too much out of it.
Love Joni!
niet slecht maar af en toe een beetje afdwalend
It's a good album overall, "Raised on Robbery" was my favorite.
C’est pas Johnny, c’est pas Eddy non plus, c’est Joni Mitchell ! La première chanson est plutôt ravissante Oh je crois que je me fous de ce dont elle parle On a des ruptures qui font que l’album n’est pas monotone : car on a Hill, moderne et multi genre Il y a quelques riffs qui semblent familiers, je pense que les sons sont influents (just like this train) L’album gagne par son originalité et la variété des sons pour un album de folk, hyper en avance
Easy listen but nothing memorable
Very light
This is a more annoying era of Joni Mitchell
Notable Textzeile: I feel like I'm sleeping, can you wake me? You seem to have a broader sensibility I'm just living on nerves and feelings with a weak and a lazy mind And coming to people's parties, fumblin', deaf, dumb and blind Ein weiteres Album dass ich öfter gehört und dann vergessen habe, was dazu zu schreiben. Ich bin einigermaßen fasziniert von der leicht schrägen Energie gepaart mit den leicht schrägen Texten. Die Musik ist noch das Normalste daran. Gefällt mir insgesamt gut. Besser als 3, aber noch nicht 3,5.
Joa, einiges ziemlich meisterlich, einiges ziemlich egal. Texte teilweise auch.
Hatte ich schon einmal in der Liste und ist nochmal aufgepoppt. Hatte damals 3 gegeben. Ohne Begründung. Bleibe dabei.
uwu ta bonito
Dobre sa mi to počúvalo.
I liked it more than the blue album
Court and Spark es una absoluta genialidad del pop/folk sofisticado que, a más de cinco décadas de su lanzamiento, demuestra que ha envejecido bien gracias a una producción de una claridad impecable. El álbum ofrece una variedad muy rica de ritmos y estilos, transitando con naturalidad desde cortes sumamente enérgicos hasta pasajes de una íntima introspección. Toda la escucha está envuelta en una constante sensación de paz y fluidez, convirtiendo el disco en una experiencia sumamente disfrutable. La instrumentación, con sutiles tintes de jazz fusión, se percibe como una conversación elegante y orgánica entre los músicos, creando una mezcla maestra de texturas acústicas y eléctricas. Sin embargo, es el excelente dominio de la voz de Joni Mitchell, junto a su versatilidad y tono, lo que verdaderamente le da la calidad al álbum; su capacidad para proyectar fuerza y calidez con una autoridad superior transforma estas canciones en crónicas conmovedoras, crudas y reales sobre la naturaleza humana. Una obra cumbre indispensable.
First Joni Mitchell album on the list for me! I admit I never really listened to here, but for some reason very excited and high expectations because of her legendary status and one song I do love from her catalogue after recent discovery when watching Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz is "Coyote". SO at the first glance and throughout the day it mostly seemed good, inventive music but maybe nothing super amazing and an easy 3-star rating. However, now, as I am writing this after work I am appreciating this more and more. I know it will be at least 3.5 on RYM, but it is getting harder to decide, maybe will be super greedy and give 3 stars but one for sure to REVISIT!
My second Joni Mitchell and this one has a lot more optimistic sounds than my other album by her (Blue.) It's very warm-sounding, has luscious instrumentation, and there's just sweet melodies galore on this album. It was a nice change of pace. Highlight Song/s: "Help Me"
Great voice, uninspiring music
Decent
8/10 Best songs: Court and Spark, Help Me, Raised on Robbery, Twisted It really shouldn't be a surprise that I like this album, considering how fond I am of women singer-songwriters, and Joni Mitchell is one of the greatest of all time. It's at once folky, jazzy, and bluesy, which is a great mix. It's fascinating to listen to this and think of the massive influence it had on later musicians - everyone at Lilith Fair, for example. In general I find this to be a fairly timeless album with some great vocals and lovely lyrics. I think the only thing that prevents me from rating this higher is the lack of major standout tracks.
Found this absolutely entrancing. Beautiful sounds, evocative lyrics. On first listen I found a couple tracks odd, but they fit better on a second listen, so, no issues! Five stars!
Soothing voice Fave track: Help Me
Floored by the first half of this album. Thought I’d found a 5/5 on an album I’d never listened to before. Unfortunately the last three tracks are a bit weak, and weirdly veer into other genres for reasons I don’t fully understand. 4/5
Inoffensive background music. 2.75
For some reason I thought Joni Mitchell was more folksy than this
I guess this fine. I can see what people are drawn to it but it didn't really do much for me.
2.5 - Fine, but not really my thing.
This is one of those things that I can see the quality in but recognise is not for me. Raised on Robbery is a highlight. I see the vision but it isn't for me, so I don't have too much to say.
A perfectly pleasant album, just not really my thing. The album sounds how the cheesecake factory looks. It's at least a merciful 40 minutes. Perhaps the point of folk post '71 was to show you that simon and garfunkel were really something else. Raised on Robbery adds some much needed liveliness but it's too little too late. Didn't like Trouble Child. Twisted was pretty cute.
A nice variety of songs. I personally waffle in my opinion of the rambling nature of her songwriting, but it can be really pleasant if I’m in the right mood.
Sublime
I've never heard of joni mitchell or this album before but i'm glad i listened to it! Loved the at times jazzy chord progressions and the orchestral bit in "Down to You". Normally I don't like folkier songs, but this album proved my stance towards them to be different. Probably cause of the jazz influences
Stand-out tracks: Court and Spark, Help Me, Car n a Hill, Down to You, Raised on Robbery, Trouble Child A much more enjoyable listen than Hejira. The songs feel more structured and they don't overstay their welcome. I feel like some tracks have the potential to grow on me further if I were to listen to this album again.
Highlights: Help Me, Free Man in Paris, The Same Situation, Car on a Hill, Down to You, Raised on Robbery, Twisted Having only listened to Hejira prior to this one, I found this record to be much more approachable soundwise, yet thematically on the same level of storytelling. Tracks are noticeably shorter and more amusing thanks to their jazzier and poppier approach. A pleasant listen.
Great album
That last song cost the album another star...
Very good! Lots of different musical styles
Tää oli taas tämmönen että joutu useampaan kertaan kuunella, yllätäen hyvin variaatiota tässä albumissa. Sopivasti vähä Jazziä, Rokkia ja Poppia. "Raised on Robbery" oli aika iso yllätys. Oli useampi hyvä kappale mutta kokonaisuus oli aika meh. Top 3 Honorable Mention: The Same Situation 1: Raised on Robbery 2: Help Me 3: Twisted 3/5
Her voice is good and it was pleasant enough, but her songs don’t have melodies
I should love Joni. I love Brandi Carlisle and I love how she’s re-invigorated Joni’s career and story. But I just don’t love this album- even though I understand her voice is amazing.
Not really my style of music, but I can still appreciate the talent here. Low 4.
Ну нежно. Уже как будто устаревший, но довольно слушабельно. Я не фанат такой музыки
Overall a wonderful album. Right up my ally, I love it. There were like two songs that I didn't vibe with, but the rest were absolute bangers. Joni really popped off with this one. The layering, the instrumentals. Brilliant.
Faves: Help Free Man in Paris
Ugh, ne potegne mi tok Joni, pa filing mam, da to ne bo tazadn album od nje kle. Ok. So far ("Help Me", drugi komad), mi je ta album velik bolj všeč k pa Hejira. Ta je prou a pleasant listen. "Free Man in Paris" isto hud. Prelivanja komadov sm itak fan ("People's Parties" v "The Same Situation"). "Down to You" je prou lep. Glih nalovnico guglam in očitno je Joni sama narisala, naslov je 'The Mountain Loves the Sea'. "Raised on Robbery" izstopa na albumu, ker ma tak old school rock'n'roll vibe. Zaključek albuma s "Twisted" je pa še najbl očitno jazzy. Njeni vokali kle so prou impressive. Fak, po dolgem cajtu se loh posipam s pepelom? Odličen album. Mogoč mi sam specifično Hejira ni bil všeč.
Ниочемно, отсутствие рифм режет уши, только инструментал пойдет
Joni Mitchell is a genius, constantly hopping from witty and silly to deeply solemn and introspective. Instrumentals and vocals are both done with such skill and class. The kind of album that makes you want to raise the score of the other albums because your value of musical enjoyment has gone up.
Very cool album!
First listened on 17th September 2026. Favourite songs are Help Me.
Joni goes electric.
idk, it was all right? nothing jumped out as a banger, but the whole thing was inoffensive (except maybe the last track Twisted, which was a bit much)
good
It's not my favourite Joni Mitchell album, I definitely prefer her earlier folkier songs. I think these songs just have a bit too much going on in them, I prefer it when her voice and lyrics really shine. That being said, I did enjoy this album. I love her voice so much, I love the storytelling and I enjoyed how varied this album was. Fav song: People's Parties - I also liked Court and Spark and Raised on Robbery Least fav: Twisted
Listened to Free Man In Paris and saw that Joni Mitchell had written it about a friend of hers who's a music promoter. I thought "damn imagine having to promote a song about how nice it would be to not have all the ties and stresses of the working world" and then I read David Geffen's wikipedia page and I lost that sympathy- now it's more like "damn imagine having $9 billion and Joni Mitchell wrote a song about you!". I love her storytelling and her voice, it doesn't have any of my favourite songs of hers but overall I really enjoyed the album. Favourite song: Free Man In Paris (or Raised on Robbery) Least: Twisted
#117/1001 🇨🇦 I've got through Joni's albums on this list pretty quickly. This is another that i've never heard before. Of all of them this feels the most polished and accessible but not necesarily my favourite. Best Tracks: Free Man In Paris, Peoples Parties, Down To You.
Blue is appropriately one color, but it’s the multicolored mid-70s Joni of Court and Spark, Summer Lawns, and Hejira that is my favorite. The Fleetwood Mac-esque pop production can be over the top at times, but mostly it elevates Joni from a singular voice to a sonic worldbuilder. “Car on a Hill” is an all-timer.
Good Album, not every Song hits, but overall I felt entertained. Fav: Court and Spark
Really enjoyed this album. I have a soft spot for 1960’s folk
Minä pidin tästä. En tiedä miksi, mutta kuulosti hyvältä. Kuuntelin ennen nukkumaanmenoa. Ajattelin että olenko vain väsynyt, ei tämmönen yleensä ole mulle toiminut. Mutta kuuntelin aamulla uudestaan ja se toimi vieläkin.
Todella miellyttävä levy. Jonilla hieno lauluääni ja musiikki mitä rennointa folk-jazz-pop-rock mitä ikinä. Laitoin levyn talteen jos joskus on fiilis tähän palailla.
Min favoritt av Joni Mitchell.
Sliter fortsatt med å få helt taket på Joni. Grei bakgrunnsmusikk.
Helt greit. Fun fact: På 80- og 90-tallet spilte faren min i et band oppkalt etter låten Free Man In Paris. På NRK ligg det faktisk en halvtimes konsert fra Kulturhuset på 90-tallet. Mer om dette får du i boka «1001 lokale band du aldri har hørt om», som æ skal gi ut med Robert Dyrnes.
Hyggelige greier, men mangler høydepunkter.
Not the worst 30 or so minutes of music.
어우 듣기좋아
It is just boring. I literally forgot it was even playing.
Absolutely gorgeous exploration of the intersection between folk, rock, and jazz. The arrangements here, for the most part, are stunning, subtly complex in a way that takes a truly close listen to fully appreciate. It feels like wandering along a peaceful river, not always knowing where it leads but still knowing that there's a clear path. There's a gentle playfulness that's present on a lot of Joni Mitchell albums, but is rarely as pronounced as it is here. Of course, Joni is an excellent lyricist, and while her writing doesn't explore the same depths as something like Blue, there's still plenty of insightful observations about life and love to be found here. Like the production, her songwriting style often feels unpredictable, sometime adhering to traditional pop structures only to veer unexpectedly in a new direction. This album is a bit frontloaded, with some of the jazzier tracks like Down to You or Twisted feeling a little clunky, but this is still an overall great experience.
Une voix incroyable et des chansons printanières condensées dans un album avec une magnifique pochette. Chansons favorites (pas dans l'ordre): Help Me Car on a Hill Just Like This Train Raised on Robbery
В целом интересно
I got really into this album a couple of year ago on my mind widening search for female artist my father forgot to tell me about. It's an eye opening experience, I feel like I would have really resonated with the vulnerability she displays on songs like People's Parties, like a dude singing that song would focus on getting laid and trolling for tang, but her observations are empathetic and profound. Young love and falling in love are timeless emotions that this album touches upon. It feels like it can seamlessly relate to her time, my youth, and today.... Also, pretty sure this will be the only album on the list to mention the Leafs (Raised on Robbery).
Folk-nya menyejukkan. Jazz-nya membawa manis. Album ini terasa seperti road trip bersama seorang yang melankolis namun keren, not too hippie. Sayangnya tidak ada lagu yang nyangkut. Very enjoyable, tapi gak nempel lagunya
entendo
Now THIS - is music. Perfection which today’s generation of “singers” can not even achieve with auto tuning.
Had never listened to Joni Mitchell before but am well aware of her significance. Wanted to like it but after one listen felt no connection and it was a sure 1 for me. Then I listened again. And again. Gave it several listens throughout the day and something has clicked and now I find myself really liking it. Glad I gave it another chance after that first listen.
Had some really interesting naturisticifical moments. But also lots of eh. Still neither of my two favorite songs of hers.
I can see how someone would like this. dont hate it but wouldnt listen again. not my goto voice style of choice
Court and Spark Free Man in Paris Raised on Robbery
Free Man in Paris Raised on Robbery
A truly beautiful album. It's not my favourite Joni album, but it's not far off.
Canadian icon????? Lfg, Joni, what a voice 4 stars
Much more pleasant and evocative than Hejira. I do follow some of the comments on here that claim that Mitchell would be a better poet than a singer. Her lyrics are rich in meaning and deeply storylike. It makes you wonder what went through her head when she composed the songs. Her pleasant vocals are still a-okay, though. No complaints from me.
Joni compares herself to Cohen and Dylan in a quote that's included in the book. And if we do so, Joni is equally poetic but not as political or sombre. Essentially a ray of california sunshine in the genre.
Female folk. I think this is the lady from the movie with Bob Dylan.
First time I'd heard it and loved it. Great final track!
Nice to have on in the background but not really my taste
Ok not my thing
Great songwriting. Her voice is a little unusual. This reminds me of Carole King.
Pleasant, they even a little too old for me to feel Nostalgia for.
Very balanced songs. Good harmony and lyrics.
The majority of this album is vintage classic Joni. However, my favorites are rocking Joni and Jazzy Joni (Raised on Robbery, Twisted)
a favorite album!
One of her best.
😵💫
good instrumentation i just don’t fw joni’s flow really
Joni her voice is something that sticks with you. I found myself enjoying a very big chunk of this album. I listened to this while working but she made me actively listen to her songs. Her choice of words and storytelling is something that stays with you. Happy I got this album for the day!
Nice to listen to, but disjointed album as the songs do not have consistent structure.
Wow this was great! I never listened to Joni Mitchell before and my impression of her before this was adult contemporary sappy romance but this was really interesting and fun! I'll go for 5!
There's an underlying complexity to this that outshines the occasional 70s pop-orchestra cheese. Her voice is clear with great tone and great tuning. Her melodies go well beyond the usual singer/songwriter quasi-recitative thing. Not necessarily my thing, but I completely understand why she's so well-respected. 4 stars.
very chill album and she has a beautiful voice but not a huge fan of the melodies in her songs
When to listen: at a renfaire. When this album is good, it's really good. When it's not... some of the songs just don't hit I'm sorry. "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris" are absolutely brilliant. Knocked a star off for the songs that I found to be... rougher.
A beautiful voice with great songs.
6.7/10
From song to song, feelings varied from "meh" to "oh I like it" to "I'm going to sleep now"
My first proper listen to a Joni album. Some great songwriting but not sure it’s for me. If this landed today, not sure it or Joni would have been such a big deal. 2.4/5.
Honestly pretty good and sounds ahead of its time. I would have thought this was recorded in the 90s.
I think my Joni Mitchell limit was reached an album ago. Doesn't seem as immediate as Blue and i can't be bothered to put the time in for this one
Really enjoyed Hejira, Blue not so much. Looks like this comes right in the middle of those two, chronologically, musically and how much I enjoyed it. Really liked the electric piano on a couple of the songs, the opener and I think Down To You. Album has so much charm running throughout it. Starting to think how much I like a Joni album comes down to how close to Hejira it is in her discography - gave that a 4, should have been a 5, this is probably a 3 generous 4 so rounding up here to attone for my earlier error..
If Joni Mitchell were a packet of crisps, she’d be ready salted flavour. I have been kind to her so far in this listening journey, maybe even guilty of trying to like her, but how much Joni Mitchell is too much Joni Mitchell? This much Joni Mitchell. My biggest gripe here is that the songs go nowhere and vocal gymnastics too often mask a lack of melodic choruses. A fine voice? Sure. Ok, the production is broadly excellent too, but do I want to listen to any more Joni Mitchell doing what Joni Mitchell does? No. It’s a wandering poem of an album steeped in self indulgence and I cannot think of a reason why i would choose to play this again.
It’s fine. Idk if Joni is for me
not my fav of hers #sorry
3/5
7/10
Lo escuché mientras hacia diseño
Hey it’s alright
I was never a Joni Mitchell fan and spending 37 minutes listening to this album only reinforced my thinking. I know she is loved by many but I just can’t get there
Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.
Not for me. Folk garbage from the 70s
Una gran fusión del folk con un poco de jazz, este es el primer álbum que escucho de Joni Mitchell y me gustó mucho, tiene unas melodías y armonías súper interesantes que generan pasajes y canciones bellísimas, y Joni con su voz rompe todo, es impresionante cómo canta.
Really liked it. Not what I was expecting
This was a great listen. Felt fitting hearing this shortly after Carole King’s Tapestry.
This was great. Good mix of jazz, folk and pop with some obviously brilliant songwriting. I did think this was a bit all over the place when it came to the sound and I definitely preferred the poppier songs to the more stripped back ones but I still think this is s great album for the most part and I could definitely see it growing on me with more listens. Fav Songs: Car on a Hill, Help Me, Raised on Robbery, Free Man in Paris Least Fav: The Same Situation 8.3/10
It was ok. It didn't make me want to turn it off, but nothing about it made me want to keep listening either.
Court and Spark is an easy, polished listen, but one that largely drifts by without leaving much of a mark. The jazz‑leaning arrangements are tasteful and Joni Mitchell’s songwriting is, as ever, assured, yet few moments really demand attention. “Raised on Robbery” is the clear exception, injecting a swagger and bite that took me by surprise and briefly shook the album to life. As with other Joni Mitchell entries I’ve encountered on the list, I’m glad to have heard it for context, but it’s not one I feel any real pull to revisit.
um ótimo album pra vc se sentir bem leve e feliz, verdadeiramente um fell good album aprovado 👍🏼
like this better than some other Joni albums. her song writing seems more relaxed and voice is less shrill, which i like.
Lento
It's good! It's a little happier than some of her other albums too which is nice
another easy 5-star album. i really like the final 3 tracks that get jazzy and a little silly. "trouble child" has some great minor key horns and electric piano going on. just a great listening experience overall
Every once in awhile there was a small spark, but pretty boring overall.
Court and Spark — gorgeous instrumentation with a beautiful piano supporting Mitchell's controlled vocals throughout. Help Me — the guitar riff paired with the brass is smooth as. There's so much happening in the instrumentation here and all of it works. The instrumentation feels like butterflies in the stomach, bliss ignorant of a future or a pass, pure enjoyment in the present. Free Man in Paris — the power in Mitchell's voice here and in the previous track is empowering. The song tells a story of finding freedom abroad and feels like a love letter to Paris. The song is very happy, but the lyrics hold some resentment for their current life. While the previous song was happiness in the present, this song is happiness in the past. People's Parties — the narrator feels like a social outcast, unable to engage how they feel like they should be able to in the social events they attend. It's a short song leading to the next, but I think the tight instrumental and focused lyrics hold their own. The Same Situation — the lyrics are raw and honest. The tone in the album is now a feeling of being lost and out of place. The narrator feels disconnected in their relationship with their partner and with God, unable to find out why their relationship can't work how they prayed for it to. Car on a Hill — Mitchell and the backing vocals harmonise beautifully on the chorus. The gospel instrumental break in the middle with the wailing guitar segues seemlessly to the jazzier second half of the track. I don't know what instrument that is closing with the jazz piano, but I love it. Down to You — begins more bare than the others, with Mitchell and a piano duetting, creating a longing and sorrowful mood. As Mitchell's voice grows more resentful, strings and guitar join in, fading and swelling with Mitchell's anger, before fading back out to a duet when Mitchell's anger subsides to sorrow again. Then, as Mitchell's sorrow of lost love transforms to freedom, the backing vocals harmonise with her, lifting the song into a more triumphant mood. The strings now feel gleeful and heroic. The paino that has played throughout perfectly accompanies all these shifts in mood. The instrumental break feels cinematic with its whistling woodwinds. The paino enters a call and response with the woodwinds, a great final build up to Mitchell's final farewell to her ex-lover.. Mitchell's vocals return with a send off message for the lost lover, not with resentment, but acceptance and a commitment to move on. Just Like This Train — the album has returned to happier moods. The narrator learns to appreciate all the separate lives from her rather than feel jealous of them. The guitar riff between verses feels questioning, as if asking whether the narrator has let go of their jealousy. The narrator admits at the end that they are still jealous, having lost their heart to an ex-love, making the questioning quitar riff to close the track even more sorrowful. Raised on Robbery — starts with a lot of country and a lot of energy. The sax solos add a lot of charm and uniqueness to the track. Trouble Child — now lots of jazz. The bass has so much oomph in this track. Mitchell's elongated vocals glide along the groovy bass line. Despite the raw groove, the song easily glides to and fro to light symbals and piano and synths. This track has a lot of range. Twisted — the lyrics refuse to follow a rhythm for long. The narrator is definitely loose minded. Not my favourite execution. Favourite song: Help Me Least favourite song: Twisted Overall: wow. This album was amazing. Apart from the final track (which wasn't bad, just not my taste) the album was beautiful, the range of emotion was vast, Mitchell's vocals were superb throughout, and the almost all of the tracks had their own identity. So many tracks here I will listen to on repeat. Rating: 4.8
Love this album, and listened to it on my mom’s old vinyl record. Great melodies, fun vocal performance, strong lyrics, and Joni mixes in jazz in a cool way. The album isn’t 100% consistent but worth listening to the end. Favorite songs: Help Me, Court and Spark, Free Man In Paris, Twisted
Not a lot of experience with Joni Mitchell. Liked it, especially lyrically but nothing that I’d want to revisit over and over.
I feel like all the Joni Mitchell I hear is a great time, and this is no exception but it's just not my all-time fave and that's okay.
It's a banger! not like, peak peak Joni brilliance, but there's a real groove to this one that's super engaging
4 1/2 Stars: What a nice little discovery. I'd never in a million years think about throwing on a Joni Mitchell album, and 'Court and Spark' is a perfect example of what I love about this project. Forcing me to listen to things I normally wouldn't and finding a lifelong album for my regular rotation. Smart, playful lyrics. Exceptional production. Yeah, her music forgoes a lot of catchy chorus work for more sing-songy poetry readings, but so what? It's still excellent.
Nothing like Joni has ever happened in music. She channels just about every love poem ever written and still sounds as original as ever. For her, love is a mythic act, and that's what she's after on this album. Court and Spark is a brighter album than Blue, yet no less a classic. Her melodies meander along like a roller coaster through bliss. "Help me" is a sweet ride, lilting and sweet. She's in good company here, with a consummately tight outfit who really get her. And her voice soars so high with crystal clarity, almost angelic. But she's not after heaven. She's after the grit and grace of love. Her evocation of the disenchanted man in "Free Man in Paris" captures his feelings so well, but it also sounds like a gentle mockery. She also has her jollies making like the Andrew Sisters with the boogie boogie number "Raised on Robbery". (I remember when saxophone solos like the one here was a staple on most 70s songs.) She has just as much fun on her cover of "Twisted" which features Cheech and Chong. (For you kids, they were a comic duo who released a slew of hilarious albums in the 70s.) I thought she'd penned this one for a long time, she performs it with such authority. And what a comical way to end the album, clearly indicating that she means business but she's got a sense of humor too. Nevertheless, it is her beautiful personal ballads which bathe us in her folk soul. I belong to "People's Parties", "The Same Situation", "Down to You", and "Just Like This Train", which are resonantly Joni. Just let me light one up and sway along. I still have my original vinyl and I've played it often, but not so often that the record gets worn down. This is a treasure I intend to... well... treasure.
not my cup of tea, but was browsing book store at the same time, was chill. loved the "Still, I sent up my prayer Wondering who was there to hear I said, "Send me somebody who's strong and somewhat sincere" With the millions of the lost and lonely ones I called out to be released Caught in my struggle for higher achievements And my search for love that don't seem to cease" in her song same situations.
Highlights: Court and Spark, Help Me, Free Man in Paris, The Same Situation, Car on a Hill, Down to You, Just like This Train, Raised on Robbery, Twisted
Just kind of got lost in the background, but was pleasant. 3/5
Low key solid, really enjoyed the calm jazzy arrangements which complement Joni's coffee shop with a guitar singing vibe. Would listen again 3/5
No standouts
Incredible spring album — “like a church like a cop like my mother you wanted me to be truthful” wow Playlist add: The Same Situation
nice and smooth folky, I think I'll try listening to more of her stuff
Once again, I: Recognize the talent Respect the talent Think the music is beautiful Have nothing against the artist or album But I just can't get into this artist or her album.
Some very fun songs. Joni Mitchell is very talented, but I just don't see myself coming back Favorite Song: Car on A Hill
Unremarkable.
I don't dislike Joni Mitchell, but why, may I ask are there so many on this list. They all sound the same.
Surprised how much I liked this album. In Blue, she sounded much too shrill. This album was much more clear, upbeat and had more instrumental variety.
Beautiful songs by a true songbird, loved it as I don't tend to listen to JM albums as such more songs within playlists etc.
didn't really pique my interest at any point unfortunately
3 stars for being iconic. But I’ve just never gotten into Joni. I like a couple of songs from her, just not a whole album.
Joni had some bops on here, I can’t even lie.
Another great album by Joni Mitchell. She keeps a lot of the sounds that made me love some of her previous albums, and even interjects some new grooves. Nothing not to like for a fan, which I may now consider myself one.
Not my fave. Was hoping to recognize some songs. Liked Raised on Robbery the best bc it was most fun and upbeat.
4/5 O álbum é excelente até Just Like This Train, com faixas lindas e bem produzidas. O quarto final, no entanto, parece um outro disco, tanto em atmosfera quanto em produção, e diminui o peso que o álbum poderia ter.
No mucho que decir. Buenas melodías, canciones mas distintivas. Es un buen álbum.
Very pleasant
Very nice singer-songwriter album. Joni Mitchell's voice is simultaneously bright yet wistful. The instrumentals are generally low key and compliment the vocals well. My favorite tracks are "Court and Spark" and "Down to You". I think "Court and Spark" in particular is one of Mitchell's best songs. The rest of the tracks are decent to good except for "Twisted" which has bad vocals. 3.5 stars.
I'm shocked at how good this is. I thought that Joni Mitchell only had one good album and that album was Blue, but this is amazing and maybe even better than Blue.
Favorite Track: Raised on Robbery
pure poetry! Fav: Raised on Robbery Least Fav: Just Like This Train
Pretty consistent but still felt less interesting to me in the second half.
Too 70s folk by half. I never really connected with her voice, it sounds... searching to me. Like an artificial range insertion and a little overly dramatic. Moments of greatness and no denying the talent but just doesn't blow my hair back.
I thought it was really fire and chill. She has a good voice and the album sounds really good and has a lot of really good moments.
I’ve never really listened to Joni Mitchell but her lyricism is awesome. This is a dope album. I wish she didn’t do blackface though. It would be four stars if she didnt
A pleasant listen - there's something about Joni's prosody when she speak sings that I don't really like, but I really like the mood tht this album brings about. It's light and airy and calming.
Great record top to bottom. Help me is fantastic as a vibe and song structure. It’s not my fav Joni album by any means, but it’s a good jam. Twisted is kinda hilarious.
Solid album and I'm glad I listened to it. It's no Blue, and I could do without the pseudo-scatting jazz team to end the album, but I'll be returning to this one for sure.
Caras nao consegui prestar atenção direito e ja ouvi 3 vezes. Adorei Help Me. Vou revisitar em outros momentos!
Already much-loved. The opening three songs, I love in particular. I enjoy this Joni stage, where she's moving (to my ears) from folk towards jazz but also sounds unmistakably "70s". Some wonderful melodies - I don't think anyone else writes melodies like she does, to my knowledge - and arrangements, and her usual wry, observant, self-aware lyrics. Fabulous (I'm not very keen on Raised on Robbery or Twisted, but let's not split hairs; she's genius.)
I mean it’s JONI MITCHELL. Not my favorite record of hers but stellar nonetheless. “Help Me” is one of my favorite songs of hers. And I had never heard the closer “Twisted” before but loved the jazz elements, the humor, and her performance. A solid showing from one of the best to ever do it.
See-sawing between folk-rock and jazz experimentation, with a pop sensibility that soars, there is a driving power and momentum to Mitchell’s double platinum offering that sets it apart from her previous work. It is a confident and celebratory break-out.
Perfekt en vårig söndagsmorgon
Joni, so always great
3.5 Stars. It's certainly more upbeat than Blue, which is my only other reference point for her, but it's still not likely to be something I visit much. She often suffers from what I call bubble throat and that gets grating after awhile. It's fine.
Je ne suis pas le bon public.