Court And Spark

Unfortunate that I'm a bit lazy with listening to music that isn't on spotify because Joni Mitchell is one of the best things to ever happen in music and I've loved everything I've heard but I've barely listened. Been in love with anything I've heard from her since listening to her album with Charles Mingus, she's just so creative with the most beautiful voice ever, really don't have much to do but just gush lmao

Great until the last few. Seems like the label was pushing her to a new sound and it didn’t work out. Too bad, but it doesn’t overshadow the immensity of this talent. Top ten songwriter of all time

I was very late to appreciate Joni Mitchell, and now feel like I've been missing out. This one doesn't quite match Blue for me, but it's more fun and also a 5.

It’s very hard not to give Joni 5 stars. So many good songs here.

Brilliant! What a rare combination of gifts!

Love this album

What a lovely Monday morning treat for this arrive on my list! As I’ve written before I’m a late convert to Joni Mitchell and rue the lost years I did not have her in my musical life. Choosing your favourite Joni album is like choosing your favourite child - impossible. But this one right now is at the top of the pile having today listened to it twice. First time in bed with headphones on which was so beautiful and comforting sent me into a lovely snooze. The ability of an album to do this is a mark of a great album to me. Second time on my hifi which reminded made me how great the album is sonically. Wonderful instrument separation across a broad soundscape. Every note is so clear even on my modest system. The signature piano chords running through the title track sound fantastic and been track 1, side 1 herald how great the album is. Like all Joni albums either on or neglected by this list i give it top marks.

I was just listening to this in the car a few days ago and so it was a bit funny to have it come up on the 1001. Amazing artist, really lovely album. I find myself getting emotional when I listen to Joni Mitchell, which makes her a very unique talent indeed.

Sem nenhum defeito, muito bom!!!!

Perfect Joni.

Refreshing and unique. Love it

Joni Mitchell has been on my 'artists I need to listen to' backlog for awhile now. I was glad to see this album on here and she did not disappoint!! Her music is the type that you need to feel. Not something I'd listen to regularly (especially since it's harder to stream cause no Spotify) but I really respect her craft. I love her unique style of singing, Her voice is so fluid and light and strong at the same time. Kinda requires a few listens to really feel it, ngl these are some horse girl tunes. I'm here for it though!!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Received this LP (vinyl) as a gift when first released. My favorite Joni Mitchell work.

I am so grateful for having been born otherwise I would not be able to listen to Joni Mitchell's music.

Simple, yet complex. Elegant, yet raw. This album evoked moods and thoughts from me I didn’t know I felt. Wonderful to listen to, but an honor to hear. The instrumentals were beautiful and Joni’s soft voice complimented them perfectly.

En este tercer álbum de Radiohead casi desaparecen las guitarras y sobresalen las exquisitas y sutiles texturas sonoras que, sin embargo, no dejan de transmitir la sensación de que estamos ante un disco de rock, con trazos y herencias de la era progresiva, pero fundamentalmente experimental. Me gusta bastante "Exit Music (For a Film)" que transmite una cierta angustia calmada. Y por su puesto las más famosas: la brillante y sosegante "Subterranean Homesick Alien", la compleja y existencial "Paranoid Android" y la suplicante "Karma Police".

Yep. Yep yep yep. Lyrics are amazing. Her voice is amazing. I loved all the jazz inflections. I get the Joni Mitchell appeal.

I mean… it’s Joni. Songs added to Spotify: 0 because Spotify is garbage and Joni took her songs off it. This is why we can’t have nice things. But it wouldn’t matter because they’d all already be on my playlist anyway.

I had forgotten how good this album is.

Me encantó. Sólo conocía 2 temas

Awesome album though. Maybe only 1-2 songs that are close to meh and on a second listen those might stand out to me. The second half that becomes more jazz focused, in particular, is good. This is a great example of what I'd hope Adele would try in terms of pushing her own boundaries and experimenting more. It's a couple levels above coffee shop music though. Meant to be listened to in a jazz or blues style club. Deserves all the attention in the room.

This is a tough call for me. It’s between 4 and 5. The compositions are great yet simple (but unfortunately not memorable), and the lyrics are relatable. I’m guessing this is one which I’ll grow to love, not only as I listen to it more in the future, but as I gain more wisdom. This is an album for wise people. Instrumentally, the songs are nothing mind-blowing, but they complement Joni’s vocal. The harmonies are gorgeous and well-placed. Yeah. I’ll have to give it a 5. But it’s a low 5.

My second album by Joni. I loved the first one, but somehow this one is even better. A little bit more pop, a little jazzy, a little more upbeat. An easy 5 stars.

What an amazing album. Great vocals, great tones, great vibes, interesting breakthroughs and bridges and transitions into really cool ideas. Has some lulls, but is a front-to-back listen for me and I'll definitely keep it in my library.

Album: Court and Spark Artist: Joni Mitchell Year: 1974 Genre: Folk, Pop, Soft Rock Number on list: Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love Joni Mitchell, her lyricism and delicate vocals make it an enjoyable listen. She has a way of captivating the audience with her lyrics that we feel like we are living her stories. Favourite Song: Down To You, Raised on Robbery Would I listen again? Without a doubt

One of the first albums I heard where the words, music, and singing all are solidly strong and tied together. This is what making art is truly about--finding your voice, your music, and a way to present it all--not commercially but because this is your work the way you want it. No throw-away songs. No relying on the tricks of music to build an anthem or to repeat a refrain so everyone can ignore the other lyrics. Beautifully built songs that flow like thoughts through a series of moments capturing what you feel. This is not the only way of being, but it is a great one and it captures you in the world it builds while you listen.

Enjoyed this album, but I really enjoy her anyway :-)

Good

This is my favorite Joni Mitchell album. I think it perfectly covers all of the styles she's good at and shows just how much talent she has across the board. Writing, Production, and performances are all top notch. Favorites are Help Me, Car On A Hill, and Raised on Robbery

Incredible. I had no idea Joni could be the greatest lounge singer ever.

Wow. Just wow. Timeless perfection.

Love Joni!

This album is legendary, every track is a hit

2/3 for Joni Mitchell albums on this generator, the first one I got being Blue. I didnt expect to find something I enjoy THIS much this early into my his project, but I’m glad the generator gods have guided me towards Joni. I will absolutely be relistening, because this has 10/10 potential for me. Thoughts: Absolutely Amazing and Extremely Enjoyable Favorite Songs: All Of Them

one of my all time faves

Wow who knew Joni Mitchell was so good? I have definitely been sleeping on these albums and I really enjoyed this

Couldn't find it on Spotify, yay Joni, keep your music off the same platform as jow Rogan and his bullshit. I love this album, always have

Fabulous

Masterpiece - some of Joni's best ballads and upbeat bangers (she has a fucking hoedown on Raised on a Robbery ffs)

The vocals of Joni are beautiful and the instrumentals are great

Doesn't get much better.

What an album! Never listened to anything outside of Joni’s singles, I loved this cover to cover.

Savner Joni på Spoti:( Første gang jeg hører på denne, tror jeg likte den bedre enn blue!

It was a great album for me, was thinking it would be a 4. However, I was won over by the final 3 tracks and rate it 5.

can't resist anything by joni Mitchell, the voice, the complexity of the music, the lyricism. she's got the goods

One of my favorite albums, so easy to give it 5 stars. C&S is the first (chronologically) of my favorite Joni Mitchell albums, and while the title track doesn't really do much for me, Help Me is one of my very favorite songs. Other gems on this album include Free Man in Paris and Raised on Robbery, though every single song (even the aforementioned Court and Spark) are - at the very least - extremely good.

A favorite. Always happy to listen to this!

Awesome. Help Me was a standout track

Pretty much perfect, the last song was kind of cheesy but everything else was prime Joni.

I love Joni Mitchell and have several of her albums (including this one) on vinyl. Although I don’t have the same love for this as I do Blue, this is among her masterpieces.

Loved it!

This was already in my top ten albums of all time.

Joni plays the hits! Joni wins! Joni goes to college! Joni needs a better support system.

Un álbum de folk impresionante, que dibuja hermosos paisajes a través de su voz y arreglos instrumentales suaves. Un indispensable de la música folk.

10/10 once again, Joni delivers!

I had not really listened to her before (though I knew and liked "Both Sides Now"), but I am glad I listened to this. Good album.

Two Joni albums in a row. 10 years ago I would have been annoyed but I really enjoyed both. Her style has been an acquired taste for me but I really appreciate her talents now. There are some really intricate songs on this album.

I looooooove 1960s and 1970s mellow singer songwriter stuff and Joni Mitchell is no exception. Such a beautiful voice!

This lady just does not miss! She has absolutely dominated this list with Blue, Hejira and now Court and Spark. Special shoutout to the gospel moment on 'Down to You'.

There’s absolutely no one who’s able to match the tone of Joni Mitchell. What a voice!

Never listened to this Joni album through before, but love it

Joni is the realest.

A key Joni Mitchell album (along with *Blue*, *Hejira* and *Ladies Of The Canyon*). This one here is the record where Mitchell starts to dive into jazz territories via pop music (a jazzier direction she will then refine again for *The Hissing Of Summer Lawns* and *Hejira*). But most of all, this album harbours some of the very best tunes Mitchell ever wrote and performed (like "Help Me", "Free Man In Paris" or "Car On A Hill"...). Some transitional albums are not "essential" but this one truly is--if only because the tunes are as catchy as their instrumentation and arrangements are sophisticated. But it's not because Joni's craft is unique that she can't have fun along the way. Case in point, "Raised On Robbery", a refreshing rocker. But there's also that cover of a skat standard at the end, "Twisted". Lots of reviewers on this app complained about this one. C'mon, gals and guys, this here is just a little joke to close the proceedings. Where's your sense of humor, damn it? Number of albums left to review: 529 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 226 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 109 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 137

I mean..........😩 fave songs : can't pick least faves : NO would I listen again ? yesyes

beautiful album

Yes

I wish this was still on Spotify

One of Joni’s wonderful 5/5 albums.

5/5 easy, both for the album itself and the memories it resurfaces from having it in my parents record collection.

What a singer, what a songwriter, what an album.

Incredible. Shame it’s not on Spotify. Can’t believe I’ve never heard it, the songwriting is impeccable, the chords and the horns. The whole vibe in general. LOVE IT

The last installment in a triptych where she was the darling (and nuisance) of the industry, Court and Spark sees Joni Mitchell approaching a new level within the peak of her powers, closing the doors on her hit making phase (Help Me, Raised on Robbery, Free Man in Paris) and opening the doors on a far more adventurous portion of her career (the middle section of Down to You, the one-two punch of People's Parties and The Same Situation). It was apparent that, wherever she may wish to roam, Joni was going to be just fine and this album is testament to that.

The brilliant musicians who accompany Joni here make the album a timeless gem.

Oportunidade incrível de se envolver pela potência da Joni Mitchell, todas as faixas exalam liberdade, força e beleza.

One of my favourite albums for over forty years.

This album was really pretty. Thoughtful lyrics and a nice acoustic sound (a bit jazzy on some songs) make this a great and rewarding listen.

Should I ever wonder why I like Joni Mitchell, I'll just play this.

Very nice can't describe how good it was with words 10/10

Beautiful stuff. Fell in love with it instantly

This one only gets better with age. Joni's voice is at its peak here, the jazzy ensemble backing her up is utterly brilliant, the songs speak to the human condition and the female experience, with notes on the music industry, Hollywood, heart break, and loneliness, but also the "Court and Spark" of fresh new love. The poetry is unusual, off beat, and endlessly fascinating. My goodness, it doesn't feel like 5/5 even does this album justice. It should get a 6.

Stunning album with Joni finding a new sound

I'm biased from years of loving this album, but I think it's Joni's masterwork. Though definitely her attempt at mainstream success, her jazz influences shine through, making it a crowd-pleaser with true artistic integrity. Songs like "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris" are among her greatest singles, still staples of oldies radio, and songs like "Down to You" are as beautiful as anything you'd find on her perceived best, Blue.

Beautiful. Smart. Complex. Emotional. Incredible.

This album brings me back to my youth. Listening to these songs on my AM clock radio in my dark wood paneled, shag carpeted room. But aside from the sentimental, this album has a simple, smooth sound to it. With Joni's beautiful voice sing strong and clear. Most of the songs sounded pretty similar. But because of that, there were no dogs on this album. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - I enjoyed listening to it but wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

My favorite Joni Mitchell album, along with "Blue".

I love the idea that around the time Joni recorded this album, she spotted a 15-year-old Prince in the front row of a concert she was giving in Minnesota. He sent her fan-mail that her office thought was possibly coming from the “lunatic fringe”. Like Prince, I was so passionate about her that I hand-delivered a letter to her when she was staying at the Sebel Townhouse in the Cross during her only Australian tour in 1983. As for this album, I’d heard the single Raised On Robbery on the radio before the album was released & really liked it. But it was the single Help Me /Just Like This Train (20 cents in a bargain bin somewhere in Newcastle) that made me go out & find the album. Side One of the album is outstanding. The title track is her storytelling at it’s finest. Free Man In Paris (about David Geffen) & People’s Parties reflect her life at the time in such a poetic way. Side Two is also quality-plus & concludes with one of the few cover versions she’d ever released at that point, the Annie Ross classic Twisted, which Bette Midler had also covered the year before. This began a love for Lambert, Hendricks & Ross which continues to this day. Joni was at the peak of her powers here. What a songwriter.

Court and Spark - amazing start to the album Help Me - 10/10 People's Parties - so good Car on a Hill - the instrumentation is perfect this album is so good the piano, the lyrics, the vocals, everything

Þetta er uppáhalds Joni Mitchell platan mín. Hún er æði. Ég segi bara takk fyrir mig.

This album is an absolute masterpiece. Every song is like nothing I've ever heard before, yet undeniably beautiful. It's as if Mitchell used music to provide a glimpse into her psyche in real time. For anyone who has ever had or loved someone who suffers from social anxiety, the lyrics will take on a meaning that is therapeutic. Just an amazing album.

Great album. I love the end of the album where the song types change up a bit! Would definitely listen to more!

Joni Mitchell is my mom's favorite musician so I grew up listening to her a lot and this is my favorite of her albums. Her storytelling and lyricism, as well as variety of music and unique voice, is spectacular. Wonderful listen with wonderful memories

Did people know Joni Mitchell was so good!? I can't say I've listened to much or any Joni Mitchell before but this album was great. Top to bottom, I loved it all.

Flawless songwriting and her vocal range I always loved.

Just excellent album through and through

This was an artist at the peak of her powers and fully conscious of it. It's dense, but everything feels like it fits. And the hooks are tight despite how fluid her songwriting can be. I could listen ten more times and keep finding new things I love. Best album from this list so far.

I do not love Joni Mitchell, but this album is great. Excellent writing and vocal performance. The instrumentals are immaculate. The last song Twisted really stood out to me as it is essentially a vocal jazz performance.

If I remember rightly, when I was listening to Carole King and reading up on her music, I came across Joni Mitchell’s name there. I couldn’t tell you anything about her, but if she’s anything like Carole King then I expect I’m going to enjoy this. Songs I already know: none Favourite after listening: Raised On Robbery, Twisted Overall: 9/10 A month ago, I would have laughed in your face if you’d have said I would really enjoy 70s singer-songwriter folk. And yet here we are. Joni’s voice is silky smooth, and makes you want to cosy up by a fire with a hot chocolate. The music makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and is just generally lovely. If the music was taken away and we were left with only the lyrics, we’d be left with writing that stands up by itself as poetry. I’d definitely recommend to anybody who likes a bit of easy listening, and anybody who is fortunate enough to own a fireplace.

"Court and Spark" is the sixth and most successful studio album from Joni Mitchell. The album is a break from her more folk music and into pop and jazz. I agree with the pop and jazz and also kind of has a Steely Dan feel to some of the songs, probably since her guitarist Larry Carlton performed on a number of future Steely Dan albums. She had an increased interest in jazz and spent a lot of 1973 writing and recording the material for the album. Other notable musicians who contributed to the recording were jazz bands The Crusaders and Tom Scott's LA Express, Robbie Robertson, David Crosby, Graham Nash, José Feliciano and Cheech and Chong (yes them). The lyrics are outstanding and deal with love, loss and general human observations. The album begins with "Court and Spark" and a jazzy piano with subtle guitar, chimes and horns in the background. It's a man changing his ways, the woman falls for him but ultimately doesn't trust him. The band the LA Express gives "Help Me" a bigger jazz feel with horns and guitar. It was/is Joni's biggest single. Needing help to feel good but reluctant to fall in love too fast. Another instantly recognizable and one of my favorite Joni songs is "Free Man in Paris" supposedly about music agent/promoter David Geffin and his finding peace in Paris. It's a little lighter musically with acoustic guitar and backing vocals by David Crosby and Graham Nash. José Feliciano on the guitar. A highlight on the second side and album is "Down to You." It's slower with piano, multiple horns and just great backing vocals (David Crosby and Susan Webb). It won a Grammy for best arrangement accompanying vocalist. An introspective on life..loneliness, losing someone, life going by. "Raised on Robbery" was the first single and is a more rockin' song with Robbie Robertson on guitar. The song actually sounds like a mix between The Band's "Cripple Creek" and the 70's theme from "Saturday Night Live" with the guitar and horns. It's about a prostitute telling her story to a man in a hotel. Joni used very decphired lyrics to get this to be a released single at that time. The album ends with the cover of Wardell Gray and Annie Ross' 1952 jazz song "Twisted." A good example of how good Joni could sing jazz. Some pretty funny lyrics about everyone telling her she's going crazy and she's telling them they're going crazy. And of course, this is where Cheech and Chong make their contributions. This album makes me want go back and re-check out the 1970's Joni Mitchell. It's been awhile for me but this album sounded great and not dated at all.

Easy 5 even with the awful last track (I since discovered that is not by Joni at all!). Her voice sounds "softest" here compared to the other '70s classics although the songs are far from "pop". Great album

Love this whole album, except for the last track. Joni has always been criminally underrated in the modern era.

Good ol' Joni folk/pop, with a good bit of orchestral, jazz, and rock n roll injected in. Can't go wrong here!

Beautiful Folk Music™️

Naturally, with Joni Mitchell’s current Spotify exodus, listening to this album wasn’t the most convenient experience (I had to stick on a copy we had at the record shop where I work). But my god was it worth it. I wasn’t at all familiar with a great deal of her work beforehand, but I’ll certainly be going back to this one. It’s hard to describe exactly what makes Mitchell’s songwriting so unique, but as I listened I was totally gripped by her sense of melody. It seems like she has the ability to change the entire mood of a song with the most deft usage of harmonic changes. Most of these songs felt almost impressionistic in their structure. Like Debussy meets Fairport Convention or Pentangle. The jazz flourishes are here too but not quite as pronounced as critics have made them out to be. With the exception of Mitchell’s gorgeous take on Waddell Gray’s “Twisted”, her folk roots permeate most of the album’s run time. I was wavering between a 4 and a 5 on this one (there is a bit of a lull towards the middle of side 2 which drags slightly) but after a couple of listens anything less than full marks would be a travesty. Songwriting, production and emotion - it’s all here on this album.

Innovative and dreamy

для тихих тусовок с подружками или теплых летних прогулок

I love this album

There are many great singer-songwriters to come out of the 60s, but Joni is on a whole different level. The songs of Court and Spark are both complex and accessible. Folk with hints of Jazz. Her gift for words really comes alive on here. “Free Man in Paris” has some of my favorite Joni lyrics on any of her albums. On the track “Down to You” it sounds like there’s a harp, but nothing is listed in the credits so it’s probably Joni on the Clavinet. I don’t think there’s a weak track on this album and not only does it make me want to go and listen to my other favorite Joni album (they’re coming up eventually on the list, so I’ll wait) , it really makes me want to check out the few albums of hers that I haven’t listened to yet.

What a voice - such precision, range, and beauty. The music takes you on a calm, beautiful ride and includes some brilliant lyrics. Some examples that stood out: "We love our lovin' but not like we love our freedom" (Help Me), "laughing and crying, you know it's the same release" (People's Parties), "Everything comes and goes/pleasure moves on too early and trouble leaves too slow" (Down to You), "Dreaming of the pleasure I'm going to have/Watching your hairline recede, my vain darling" [I laughed at that one] (Just Like This Train). Favorite tracks - Court and Spark (really sets the mood for the album), Help Me (one other observation - the musicians on this album are so good - not flashy, but just perfect for the music), Down to You, Raised on Robbery (fun track), Troubled Child.

Big Joni Mitchell fanboy. This is one of my all time favorites.

Help Me is my love life Free Man in Paris is excellent I am not a woman of many words but the greatest cacophony of sounds you've ever heard comes from this very album it's so rich and it feels like walking into a blooming field My favourite song/ most played is probably People's Parties and I get very sad and melodramatic reflecting on what she means. Sometimes I wish I wrote, but I didn't so I just learned the words. Joni has plenty albums but I feel like this one is easily in her Top 5

Bob Dylan was wrong

A favourite. Always listened to it side two first just so the sequence would finish with Same Situation. Just made more sense to me.

Five starts forever.

Bis auf Big Yellow Taxi kannte ich natürlich, wie bei so vielen bekannten Namen, nix von ihr. Dieses Album ist eine un-glaubliche Wohltat, alles daran ist richtig. Ich kann mich nur verneigen.

Aaaand she’s a genius! Not exactly one of Joni’s more famous albums and exactly stuffed with hits and bangers but it’s just the genius of it that gets me. The woman invented her own chords for Christs sake!! She spoke openly about never being classically musically trained and she just got her guitar and had a fucking ball! It’s just so fucking beautiful and incredible. Joni forever.

Holy crap. Although I like her, I never put this one on because I’d never heard of any of its tracks. I figured it was one of those dud albums that even good artists have. Nope. Maybe my new favorite, might be better than Hejira. The strings, winds and horns in Down to You are jaw-droppingly good. I listened to it three times over.

I went in planning to give it 4 stars to make room for “Blue” to be ranked higher, but that’s only because I forgot how amazing this record was! It’s right there with “Blue,” I’d say.

Great Album ! Could listen to it over and over again !

I loved this album, both the songs I'd known and loved, and the new ones I discovered. I love the ventures into rock, pop, and jazz on this that made me rethink what I thought I knew about Joni Mitchell. In fact I spent a lot of time today learning as much as I could about her. Love.

I very much enjoyed this album and listening experience. I don't really know much on Joni's work other than the popular songs, but I was happy to expand my horizons today.

I think my heart just exploded.

I love this album. It’s like a warm blanket around my soul. Joni Mitchell’s vocals are perfectly beautiful. The songs are so so nice. Put this album on and everything seems like it will be ok. I haven’t listened to this in decades… a terrible oversight. Hearing the opening chirp of “Free Man In Paris” after such a long hiatus is like being home again. I could listen to this all day. And did.

This album is musically interesting. It’s somewhat of a transitional album that combines Joni Mitchell’s folk sensibilities with a jazz foundation. The result is an album that still sounds undeniably like Joni Mitchell but manages to push her sound forward. The lyrics paint real life with profundity and Mitchell’s voice is the perfect carrier for those words.

Joni's jazzy vibes makes this album one of her best. It is difficult to top Blue, but she certainly presents an album that sits on par with her 1971 release

Holy crap. Although I like her, I never put this one on because I’d never heard of any of its tracks. I figured it was one of those dud albums that even good artists have. Nope. Maybe my new favorite, might be better than Hejira. The strings, winds and horns in Down to You are jaw-droppingly good. I listened to it three times over.

‘Court And Spark’ is full of great songs and stunning arrangements by an artist at her peak, with a who’s who of 70s musicians including Joe Sample and Wilton Felder (from the Crusaders) Jose Feliciano, Larry Carlton, David Crosby and Graham Nash (from CSN and CSNY) all dropping by to lend a hand. Even Cheech and Chong provide some backing vocals. While not quite as emotional and intense as say ‘Blue’, ‘Court and Spark’ is still lyrically deep, musically and melodically sweeter than the aforementioned, and more ‘pop’ overall, even with its distinct jazz leanings. It was Joni Mitchell’s commercial high point, and you can really hear why.

Bon Joni

I liked the exploration of different genres! Very good album!

Really great album. Love the composition and lyrics. Need more Joni in my life.

Rejection of fame. Moments of jazziness.

2nd Joni Mitchell album I've gotten and this one is a lot more happy and energetic than Blue. Although this album doesn't feel as emotionally intense as Blue, I still enjoyed nearly as much. This album feels exciting and fresh but that can also be its biggest weakness. Sometimes it can feel a little too grandiose. Aside from that, if I had friends over and had to choose a Joni album to put on, it would be this one. Great album!

This is one of the best albums I’ve ever listened to. Joni Mitchell is one of my favorite artists ever. Help me is such a uniquely beautiful expression of new and true love. The lightness that comes with love and the lightness of the song goes so well together. She is absolutely a gem of a human

This album hit different. I really, really enjoyed this entire album. It's got that 'timeless classic' sound to it, the light drums, the completely clean guitar tones, the angelic vocals, it's like a female version of Bread (I hope to god an album by Bread comes up on this someday LOL). Not only that, but it also sounds like she may have had a ton of impact on other artists. I can't think of any specific examples off the top of my head, but certain things here and there in some of the songs just sound so familiar, as if you've heard it before, but you've probably just heard a song that was heavily influenced by Joni Mitchell.

Beautiful lyricism, sparkling melodies, reclusive balladeer. This album is pure Joni Mitchell, dialed up to 11. A wonderful listen, a respite from treating Frankie's illness.

Yes, Joni Mitchell, better than just the hits. Great album.

nice album

More sublime music from Joni Mitchell, this time with a rock flair. An artist whose work merits repeat listening and will change its meaning over time as you get older and maybe wiser. Superb.

5/5 - excellent and consistent

Once again, I find myself struggling to find words worthy of Joni Mitchell. For me, she is and will always be one of the greatest treasures, one of the greatest gifts, to and from the world of art and creativity. When I focus on her music, as I did for this album for this listen, there is so much to discover and hear, even when I've heard the song countless times before. What a rare and incredible musician on every level. This is a beautiful and fascinating album.

I like virtually everything about this album - complex jazz-rock songs that could end up boring but due to intriguing rhythmic breaks, sneaky time signature changes, unconventional chord progressions, and of course the added unpredictable melodies of Joni Mitchell's voice the songs keep moving in new directions at all times. What makes this work so well for me is that it's not even remotely all about Joni's voice - this is a collection of A+ level musicians, musicianship, and songwriting. The electric guitar playing (mostly Larry Carlton) is compelling, with elements of slide, country, and rock. But the technical stuff doesn't matter if it's not good, obviously. I don't think you have to be a musician to be intrigued by and in love with this album. Such a short duration (~37 minutes) actually works in its favour as well - you're done before you're ready which is always better than the alternative. I was mildly surprised to find that this was her highest-selling album [as a little kid in the back of the car I do recall hearing "Help Me" on the radio a lot!]; I would have expected "Blue" to be tops - this album was only 3 years removed from Blue and is so very different. I love Blue as well and yet I think I like this as much - even a little more (and perfected in 2 yrs on her "Hejira") at times - the move into more of a jazzy territory and accompanied by more instrumentation really showcases the unique songwriting talent Joni had. While I don't know if I could say it's an album I'd always consider in my top 25 or whatever, for what it is it is fantastic: a well-produced smooth musical gem that shows off the best of talented early 70s elite of the music business and I'm never not fully taken in by it when I'm listening. 9/10 5 stars

Prime Joni is beyond criticism.

Hell yeah bro

Such a beautiful albums, from the lyrics to the instrumentals to the singing itself.

The sounds on here are incredible! These are the smoothest, most satisfying tracks I've heard since "Blue". I especially love the transition between "Trouble Child" and "Twisted". Both top tier tracks, too.

A masterpiece, simply put. Mixes folk rock, blues and jazz in a placement where they all feel welcome and appreciated. I love the modal mixture, harmonies and the unique integrity of Joni Mitchell's voice. Absolutely fantastic

pretty good Phoebe plays Steely Dan vibes

really good, I’ll definitely come back to this. 10

9/10. Really quite good. Possibly could bump it up to a 10 on a relisten.

Her breakthrough of folk, jazz and pop. Her voice is so lilting, but the lyrics are anything but. "Free man in Paris" goes right at the music industry machine. This was "Laurel Canyon" par excellence.

Joni Mitchell y su voz me dan un efecto tranquilizador. Comienzo por ahí porque ahí ya va de gane este disco. Me gusta mucho cómo no parece tener un solo hilo conductor (poco más en los ritmos, melodías que en las letras) pero a la vez sí suena como un conjunto y disfruté cada una de sus canciones. Ya sea por las variaciones internas o por el trabajo con la voz o, en ocasiones, por versos dulzones. Tengo en alta estima a Joni, que además es muy prolífica. Seguro viene el Blue en algún momento (10/10) y no sé si haya otro. Me parece un gran disco pop de los 70. Y bueno, canciones a destacar diría "Free Man in Paris", la canción quizá más uniforme del disco, "Raised on Robbery" por su ritmo alegre y la balada "Down To You" con su suficiente dosis de cursilería y sus cambios y todo. 9.5/10

5/26 Warm, serene, and free. Standout Tracks: Help Me, Free Man in Paris, People's Parties, Car on a Hill, Down To You, Raised on Robbery, Troubled Child

Joni Mitchell is always good. I enjoyed “Twisted” and “Raised on Robbery”—sounds like she had fun with those. “Free Man in Paris” also stood out to me. Lyrics hooked me “I deal in dreamers and telephone screamers…”

Lovely

iconic

I know this album well, it's the only Joni album I own.

She’s a poet

It's good! Exactly as I anticipated with a folk singer. I haven't listened to a full Joni Mitchell album prior to this but I enjoyed my time with it. Introspective while not being boring or dull, some tracks that went beyond a typical 3:05, it was well worth the listen and I enjoyed my time.

I'm pleased that they have the next two of Joni's albums in here along with this one! That's my favorite stretch of her catalog for sure. This album is just incredible, a perfect synthesis of her earlier folksier stuff and the stuff that comes after this that becomes more meandering and outwardly jazz-influenced.

Majestic

This may be the most approachable album I’ve listened to all week. Joni Mitchell is one of those musicians who is just kind of… always there. I’ve never really paid much attention to her work; that may be because I haven’t spent a lot of time listening to folk rock, or it may be just that I haven’t had the urge, or didn’t have the chance, or... Well. Ask me why I’m doing the 1001 Albums Challenge. Anyways. I turned this one on, and the opening piano just made me smile. The way that “Court and Spark” builds up over the song feels like the proper way to open an album like this, bringing all the pieces together into a full band. The songs on the whole are… emotionally dissonant? That’s probably the best way I can describe this. If you pay no attention to the words, these are all (well, mostly) upbeat, hopeful songs, a little jazzy alongside the piano and guitar… but if you pay attention to the words, most of these are sad songs, the words of someone who has fallen out of love with love. There’s a vulnerability on display here that you don’t often get in albums that try to be pop music. It’s an unusual combination, to say the least, all leading into “Trouble Child”, the one song that actually feels downbeat in the music to match the lyrics. It actually feels kind of like it’s what the whole album is building to, the inevitable crash of someone who is trying to appear happy while they’re inwardly depressed. … and then that track suddenly veers into the bubbly jazzpop of the one song on the album that Joni Mitchell didn’t write, a cover of Annie Ross’s 1952 “Twisted”, which fits at the end as, like… the person who went through all those songs we just listened to needs therapy, I guess? It’s very clearly a different style altogether from the rest of the album, but it feels like a perfect mirror of “Trouble Child”–one song took all the pessimism and held it so that the other could be a release of joyous energy. 7.5/10, but then bumped up to 8.5 for “Twisted.”

Se, det er god chill.

Joni Mitchell tiene cosas súper lindas, pero a veces no tengo la capacidad de escucharla. Hay cosas de su elección de tiempos... No sé

Enjoyed the voice. What a dame...

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

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.

I really liked her voice

Mostly pretty good. It's not what I'd be putting on myself, but I like it nevertheless.

Хорошо поет прикольно как птичка

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.

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.

I got into this one more than other Mitchell albums. I would add this to the rotation! Rating: 8/10 Favorite Song: Help 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.

Revisit this one, it was great

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

It's Joni, it's a four at least.

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.

More pop than folk and this might be her best album

Aleays a pleasure to listen to Joni. Such a unique and beautiful voice. Not as good as Yellow Taxi though

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?)

classic old rock. Love.

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 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.

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.

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

bem calmo, perfeito pra escutar enquanto viaja, mas não gostei tanto das letras

Such beautiful songwriting

4,5 ✱✱✱✱ Favoritas - Court and Spark - Help Me - Car on a Hill - Raised on Robbery - Troubled Child - Twisted

I liked it more than the blue album

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"

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.

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

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.

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.

Not really my style of music, but I can still appreciate the talent here. Low 4.

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

Very cool album!

Joni goes electric.

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

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.

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

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

Canadian icon????? Lfg, Joni, what a voice 4 stars

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!

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.

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.

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..

Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.

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.

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

um ótimo album pra vc se sentir bem leve e feliz, verdadeiramente um fell good album aprovado 👍🏼

It's good! It's a little happier than some of her other albums too which is nice

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

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.

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

nice and smooth folky, I think I'll try listening to more of her stuff

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.

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.

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.

Favorite Track: Raised on Robbery

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.

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.

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.

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.

Joni, so always great

Det synes jeg var nice? Dejligt med jazz-elementerne og rart og chilleren, jeg gemmer det

Fantastic album. Just Like This Train is probably my favorite, but I've always enjoyed Raised on Robbery and Twisted. The rest of the album is great too. I still think I prefer Ladies of the Canyon - but not by a ton.

80

Bra men inte hennes bästa.

original sad girl music

My top 3 songs of the album (off first listen) 1) Help Me 2) Court and Spark 3) Car on the Hill Honorable mention: Raised on Robbery, twisted

I enjoyed the varied sounds and the songwriting!

The musicianship and voice are great but I still lack an emotional connection with the songs. The last track was not really to my taste.

It’s a very nice listen but didn’t grab me in the same way ‘blue’ does. Also lacks a killer track or two but the standard is consistently high throughout. Hard to find too many flaws with her music as it is well written, well delivered, and exudes confidence and competence.

Glad I got to listen to this again, some great songs

It's a pretty good and enjoyable album to listen to. It's mainly based on folk and rock, but adds jazz arrangements with the use of some brass instruments, giving it a sense of innovation. Not to mention the vocal melodies, which are mostly quite good and, thanks to the impeccable vocal performance, convey a feeling of warmth and emotional closeness. Overall, it's quite enjoyable and perfect for accompanying you during long periods of listening.

WOW. This album was a powerhouse in its first listen. The layering of instruments, genres, moods. Joni I’m sad that I have neglected you in my life as an avid listener up until now. Raised on Robbery a particular highlight. Only giving four stars as I need to leave something for the GOATs…

Peace, man. Peace. Beautiful.

sehr gut, liebs, ein punkt abzug für rassismus

gut

Me: why do they keep sending me Joni Mitchell albums? I just don’t care for more than one song per album. Them: sends me another album Me: oh, ok, fine. I get it.

Joni Mitchell never misses. I mean, sometimes. But not on this one.

Este album estuvo super bueno. La voz de Joni just seems to fit all the different styles a traves del album con facilidad. Help Me, Trouble Child and Twisted really stood out for me 4/5

A fun little album

Leuk!

Wow, I didn’t think of myself as a big Joni Mitchell fan, but here we are. I wasn’t familiar with this particular album before, but that was great.

Mostly beautiful, at it's best it's pure poetry. Ends a bit strangely; didn't like '...Twisted' much

Really enjoy this one. Another album I’d not listed to before. Maybe a 5 star but need some time to listen to it again.

I guess as usual, live her voice, love her lyrics, love the instrumentation, but sometimes the melody is a little jarring

enjoyed! might return to it

magical, would give 5/5 but wasn’t that life changing

Great album! I love Joni’s style of folk singing- but this album was sneaky and changed into a jazz album part way through. Jazz isn’t my favourite, but it was nice to pick up the pace and hear something a little different. My favourite song was from the first half of the album though- I loved Free Man in Paris. The harmonies on that song were great- I wish there was more of that all the way through the album.

Nice album, a bit more rock in it than I would have thought for Joni Mitchell.

Getting heavy vibes like I do for Stereolab, feels a bit louder and messier, quite enjoyable even if imperfect

Great, just slightly below Blue and Hejira, would give a 4.5

Loving this album

Very chill and mellow. It’s a great vibe. I do prefer more upbeat music though, that’s why “Raised on Robbery” was my personal favourite. Great discovery.

Of the Joni Mitchell albums I've heard (Hissing of Summer Lawns - for this project, as well as Hejira and Blue), this is probably my "least" favorite of her albums, but that's not saying much since it's still a four. A light four compared to Hissing's very high four, but still a four. I think what's kinda keeping me from liking it as much is the vibe is just a bit different compared to those other albums. It's tough to describe what the difference is, but yeah. Still sounds like classic Joni Mitchell. Either way, great album. Especially a song like Help Me.

Given the fact that I think Joni Mitchell is a fucking racist weirdo (just look up her history with blackface), it makes it all the more heartbreaking that her early albums like this and Hejira are actually really good. Woman's got definite songwriting skills when it comes to soft, jazz-influened folk rock, and her studio band sound great (her electric piano player in particular has some great parts). 8/10.

8/10 I like this jazzier version of Joni Mitchell's music, and the songwriting is great as usual.

Not the best I've heard from Joni but still incredibly catchy and solid. She's an excellent songwriter.

Felt like driving through the LA valley in the 70s

4.5. Great listen

Clear, slightly cold and beautiful voice. Poetic and entrancing lyrics. Highly structured but complex. Feels classically inspired, maybe because of all the beautifully played instrumentals. I can hear the jazz influences, and other tell tale signs of 70s folk. I like her voice and songs better when they lean more into rock and not folk. Although she’s of course wonderful. Maybe Joni Mitchell is just too sincere and too clean for my personal taste. I can see why this would be a great influential and beloved album from the time. I wish I liked it more. Maybe it’s a matter of exposure.

Perfecta

Heat. Just the sort of folksy stuff I love. 4/5

Great folk singer

A fine album with very evocative lyrics. Great to just sit and listen on the bus, like I did.

Хороший альбом, класні виконання без винятків, деякі дуже сподобалисб. Аранжування теж сподобались, все дуже стильне та таке трохи posh та аристократичне. Лірика теж додає до цього враження. Впевнені 4.5.

Я фанат Джоні Мітчел, а Court And Spark це альбом який вийшов перед її джаз ерою (яка є моєю улюбленою). Так Court And Spark не досягає вершин Hissing of Summer Lawns або Hejira, принаймні для мене, але тут, як власне і на більш ранніх альбомах, відчувається її майстерний і доволі нестандартний сонграйтінг (особливо у побудові вокальних партій), а також талант до написання лірики. Прекрасний альбом, Free Man in Paris мабуть фаворит.

Much like!

First thought was that the back band are solid. Looked them up, Larry Carlton, Joe Sample, etc, yeah fair enough. Drums sound crystal clear on this, lovely sound. Its a beautiful album really - at once light and casual yet deep and complex. It would be a 5 star but i find her voice a little too pure? Heady? Falsetto? Operatic. Not sure but there is a little cleaness and upper register consistency that doesnt quite gel with me. Dont get me wrong, she has range, but most of it in the upper reigister. The darts must have hit hard as the years went by cause she sings lower in later years.

My kinda vibe