Court And Spark

Not bad, though I prefer her other album more. Still, high 2s.

Cheerful and energetic sound. I love her voice. This website and project as a whole showed me that I really like folk music.

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

70’s Folk ⭐️Free Man in Paris

Bien

I was bored

Man, this is some hot garbage. I don't understand how anybody can like this at all..... April Fools! Yeah, this is amazing. 4 albums in to her discography and I still love Joni Mitchell. Who would've thought? Court and Spark is widely considered to be one of Joni's best albums and I can absolutely hear why. In fact, now that I've heard all 4 albums of hers on this list, I have to say that the people behind this list nailed the Joni Mitchell representation on this list. They went with all of the best albums! Court and Spark is a very nice mid-point between the pure folk of her earliest albums like Blue and the jazzier stuff from a bit later like Hejira. It's quite enjoyable, as one might expect. Joni's songwriting is still full of delightful detail. You've got some all-time classics on here like the back-to-back "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris." I will say that this album probably ends on its weakest song with "Twisted," but it's a minor hindrance to an otherwise fantastic album. I don't think I've called enough attention to Joni's singing in these reviews. It's quite beautiful, actually. I really love her voice. Combine that with the grade-A storytelling and the lovely musical compositions and you get an album with no major negative aspects to speak of. I do prefer Blue and possibly even Hejira over this, but there's no doubting that Court and Spark is an excellent showing of talent. Great stuff. Low 5/5.

I just can't with the voice

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

this was the best album i've listened to so far and i really enjoyed every song. genuinely will add this to my playlists and relisten whenever i have an itch for some good ol folk country 70s inspiration.

Bra men inte hennes bästa.

original sad girl music

Really good. Made me happy.

Very chill and very nice.

zu eintönig und langsam

Pleasant on the ear, but painfully forgettable.

No es mi estilo, esta bien pero no es para mí

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!

It's actually a 2.5; not what i expected in a good way but it will necessit revisits

copado, no mucho más.

Very good. Good voice and all songs were enjoyable

iskreno hard listen. mrzim ovaj stil pevusenja reci. PREVISE RECI. to me podseca na srednjovekovne trubadure i muzikante. i ne svidja mi se lady’s glas….previse tralalalala….mozda je bio gas tad sedamdesetih ali meni je samo malo jadan ovaj zvuk…nista ne osecam samo sam se malo iznervirala jer zvuci kao pripovetka

YASSS

I tried, but really not my thing.

I’m getting the feeling that Joni Mitchell is going to be very important to me when I’m an older woman going through some shit but right now I admire from a distance.

I like Joni a lot, but this album just wasn’t as engaging as her others on the list.

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.

little boring but fun

Very independent hippy vibes. LOVE Raised on Robbery, feel like it belongs in the Baby Driver movie. Definitely prefer the upbeat tempo of this song compared to the rest of the album so far. I like the jazz cover but only because it’s different than the rest of the album.

та шо знову

Honestly W album. Really chilled out, good variation in the songs and overall I just really liked it.

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.

I love the lyrics - very relatable and poetic - but not the way she sings the song or the strange rhythms. Not for me.

Best Track - "Help Me"

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…

Ah yes, this record. There's something about Joni Mitchell records that don't quite sit with me anymore - I think it's her swoopy her voice and that mellow 70s California jazz-rock vibe that makes me think these songs are best left in the past. But let's listen to it (again). These songs do have excellent lyrics, though, and she has a way of singing that accentuates the important parts. I've always liked "Free Man in Paris" - it describes so well that desire to quit your stupid job and go back someplace where you'd traveled in the past and weren't held to any expectations. And the goofy "Twisted" at the end is something we all thought was hilarious in 1974, and I guess it retains some hilarity now. 3 stars

Ok album, some real winners and some stuff that’s a miss for me. Notable tracks include Court and Spark, Help Me, Free Man in Paris, Down to You, Just Like This Train.

Peace, man. Peace. Beautiful.

sehr gut, liebs, ein punkt abzug für rassismus

gut

Not as boring as Hejira but, again, I don't find much to be excited about here. As someone else noticed, the lady did not really bother to write choruses or melodies in general... This one was short, at least.

I thought i was going to like this album because the first song kind of gave Tori Amos vibes for me, but IDK, it just wasn't one I enjoyed much really.

Yawn

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.

I knew a few of these songs from regular rotation on oldies radio when I was growing up. Listening to them again after all these years, there's so much good songcraft, and so jazzy. At the end of the day, I probably won't go back and listen to this album a lot, but love the mix of folk and jazz, and all the musician ship and production values are top notch.

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 five for me. Help Me is beautiful. In a younger time when having such preferences seemed to matter… People’s Parties contains my favourite chord. It still hits. Raised on Robbery is the real jewel in this crown.

I don't hate Joni but this ain't my bag.

I found it pleasant and engaging.

I've tried very very hard to understand why people like Joni Mitchell, this album maybe got me the closest, but I'm afraid it's still not for me.

A fun little album

Too many Joni

vinyl day!! this is a classic

'And the more he talked to me, you know / The more he reached me.' Joni is reachin' here, that is, she's happenin', she's loosenin', & she's gettin' it goin': no graspin' at straws here, just reachin' like Digable Planets reach, like the best psychedelics reach, just like the best jazz and funkadelia reach & go on reachin'. You can almost hear the origins of dream pop, so elastic is her voice, ironic b/c she's a lyricist who wants to be heard while Liz Fraser has no such desire. I guess that's b/c 'Saying, laughing, and crying, / You know it's the same release.' It's pretty rare to have a 'folk' singer who's as good a songwriter as she is a vocalist, but that's what Joni offers, the goat in many ways. I may enjoy Hejira a bit more, but that's honest preference.

good but not that much for me and her other albums are better

What else can be said about this beautiful woman. She's absolutely amazing & so is this record. I love everything she does. The beautiful melodies, music, lyrics, intelligence. Amazing.

This was an enjoyable listen considering I'm not usually super drawn to Joni Mitchell. I appreciate the jazz-y influence that runs through this album, it's a fun departure from the classic folk I went into this expecting to hear. I'm giving it 5 stars because, much like Rumours, I anticipate this growing on me from 'I enjoyed' to 'I loved' with repeat listens.

Leuk!

Hele leuke ochtend vibes, voelt als een zonnige vakantieochtend

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.

Very boring but i heard some jazz so a low 3.

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

I recognized "Help me". Tis a classic. The rest is pretty nice too. Folksy things are generally pleasant and hold up.

Folksy.

Ugh, after loving "Blue", I really expected to at least really like this one. Instead, it's headache-inducing mushy goop - "Help Me" in particular is nails on blackboard. The second star is for Blue again.

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.

The most accessible Joni album. This is the one that made me buy physical copies of her entire discography a couple of years ago… completely unaware how experimental she got.

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

Joni has got a unique and not displeasing voice and she is poetic in her lyrics. I guess this is her appeal but for me that doesn’t necessarily make the best songs

enjoyed! might return to it

It good, always need to take time to take in the complex song structures

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

Zone out a fair bit. It's meh

Not the biggest fan. Sounded a bit too whiny for my tastes

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.

A very long time ago, when I was an impressionable college student, I purchased a compact disc: Joni Mitchell’s Clouds. I grew up listening to folk rock thanks to my parents, and Judy Collins’ version of Both Sides Now had always been one of my favorite songs. I remember listening to Clouds and totally expecting something else. I never gave Joni a fair chance. Years later, after getting into Bob Dylan and others, I gave Joni a second listen. This time, I got it and she changed my life. Court and Spark is only one of Joni’s many masterpieces. She opens up her soul and sings with the voice of an angel. Her songwriting is on display here, experimenting with rhythms and harmonies. At this stage in her career, she had started blending in jazz elements and the fusion is pure perfection. Help Me, I think I’m falling in love with Joni’s music again. 5 stars

*Don't really love Joni but this is her at her most accessible.

redelijk

C'est doux, relax. Pas le genre de musique que j'écouterais à prime abord, mais j'ai bien aimé l'écoute. Belle évolution du rythme durant l'album. Sur certaines chansons, sa voix me fait penser Dusty Springfield.

Folks up beat

I'm starting to give up

Not bad, but also tending toward unremarkable. 2.5 stars.

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

Storytelling. It’s pretty, some beautiful moments but it’s just a bit of a drag. That’s on me, not Joni. I was raised on heavier stuff. Picking out Car in the Hill, 2.5/5.

This is some classic American 80s folk. I honestly would not have labelled it folk myself until I read the genre, but it is the best description I could give it. Folk has changed a bunch since then, moved way closer to country now. This is much closer to R&B. But it's got some strings, some muted synth, piano, and the singer is the focus of the mix. Not something I'd listen to again, but nothing is hateful here. I'd give it a 3 simply due to my own preferences, but I think it's a good album for those who like this genre.

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

Quite inconsistent. Often great, often crap

Interesting album. Over all I liked it. I would need more listens to see if I’d become a fan or not.

I’m embarrassed I’d never listened to this in its entirety up until this point. Songs like help me are timeless, but hearing the creative exploration of twisted was so cool. Amazing piano playing, amazing sound, too. Will be in my regular rotation for the foreseeable future.

Never cared to voluntarily listen to Joni Mitchell-but this album made me think differently. “Help Me” is a classic song that should be celebrated! This album changed my mind….

I loved this Indie-relaxed album

If Joni had not made Blue, this would be her masterpiece. I think it has one of the greatest opening lines: “Love came to my door with a sleeping roll, and a madman’s soul…”

Loving this album

lol, no thanks. The last Joni Mitchell record I got stuck with was enough for me. I did skim through a few of these tracks just to make certain what I already believed: Joni’s voice is pretty much my own definition of unlistenable, the music bores me to tears, and the songs kind of go nowhere for me. 3.5/10

that was not good

One of my favorite albums by one of my favorite artists, no brainer 5/5

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.

I appreciate Blue as much as I can, but I just don’t get Joni

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.

Pretty subdued jazz throughout which keeps me from picking out a standout favourite. It's easy listening at least.

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

Loved the jazzy Twisted.

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

a very pleasant sounding but ultimately boring album

4.5. Great listen

Silpnokas

This is better than than hissing but I like sharper Joni.

Meh

Not my cup of tea, but I sort of understand the appeal.

Soft rock, pop, jazz pop, jazz-rock.

This belongs in the hall of fame......The MEH hall of fame. Bored me to pieces. 2

dude why is my last three albums (including this one) all classic albums? but anyway this is kinda overrated as the quite plesent music flow into my left ear and out of my right ear all that left between my headphon and my ears are unplesent tinnius. 3.5/5

not my kind of music

Not for me

“Oh they used to laugh at me When I refused to ride On all those double-decker buses All because there was no driver on the top” Joni Mitchell could reasonably be considered the greatest songwriter of all time. She has been nothing short of prolific since her debut and she has influenced countless others who followed her. The volume of music we would not have if it were not for Joni Mitchell treading the path she did cannot be overstated. I first deep dived Joni Mitchell’s discography around late 2021 into 2022 and was only about five albums in when she (understandably) pulled all her material from Spotify. Consequently, I never got around to “Court and Spark”. It was clear from the first thirty seconds of the opener that I had missed out massively. From front to back it is absolute classic Joni Mitchell. Lyrically exceptional in terms of the vivid imagery she produces and her capacity for putting her emotions into words. The guitar playing is as wonderfully progressive and experimental as ever and the uplift in Jazz voicings feels unique within the singer songwriter genre. Absolutely essential listening for fans of all kinds of music.

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.

Very pleasant album. Definitely more like a 4.5 for me, but I rounded up. I respect Joni Mitchell a lot, even if her stuff isn’t always to my taste.

Trop de syllabes. Elle s’étouffe pour réussir à finir ses phrases. Trop calme et lent. Pas fan.

Too flat for me

Listened 2/24/2026 Understand why it’s an album to listen to, but never been a big fan of Joni Mitchell.

Dulce. Masó.

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!

Love me some Joni Mitchell

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

Never was a big fan of Joni Mitchell’s music but this album was not that bad.

It's slightly better than Blue. I dunno, I don't think I'll ever come around on Joni Mitchell at this point. Probably a me problem but there's really only so many hours in the day and so much I can stand. Fav tracks: Help Me

Didn’t enjoy the flow of the songwriting. Liked the saxophone.

A lot of new artists for me this week. This one might be my favorite out of them though. Love the melodic vocals. Reminds me of Karen Carpenter. There was a guinea pig named Joni Mitchell on a show Tally and I watched last month. Didn't realize it was named after a musician.

This one was just okay. I found some of it a little interesting but I don't have many thoughts on it. Probably wouldn't listen to it again.

good

Pretty

Review - I've never delved into her albums beyond Blue. This was a really good listen, but nothing in particular stood out about it. Probably worth a couple of repeat listens, but can't rate it too highly based on first impressions. Rating: 7/10 Need to listen? YES

Nothing particularly wrong with this album. I think it accomplishes what Joni hoped it would. It just isn't for me. But I'll be generous and call it a 3/5.

I like dis

Love!

Oh dear. This is going to be double heresy. An album by Joni Mitchell, from her golden period, so critics practically climax when they merely spot it on their shelves. And it is also her best-selling album, so the public — presumably consisting in large part of candle-burning, swooning poetry girls — have devoured it like Trump supporters devour hot dogs. Now, let’s be clear: this is perfectly respectable music. There is some excellent musicianship here. I would hope so, given that the ridiculously good guitarist Larry Carlton plays almost all the electric guitar, while José Feliciano and Robbie Robertson (The Band, my personal heroes) make guest appearances, along with guest vocals from, among others, David Crosby, Graham Nash and, considerably more bizarrely, comedy duo Cheech & Chong. And with Mitchell you know you’re going to get intriguing melodies and all that other good stuff. The best description I can come up with is jazz pop — which I emphatically do not mean as pop jazz. No joke. But a lot goes wrong on this album. The main problem, for me, is the singing. This is a matter of taste and therefore entirely subjective: Mitchell’s voice sits in an especially unpleasant register for my ears. It’s a kind of thin, high-pitched squeak. So be it. But her vocal technique is a slightly different matter. For starters, she uses far too much vibrato, often rather heavily exaggerated. And then there is a trick she employs so frequently that I can only describe it as clucking. She repeatedly approaches the boundary between her normal voice and falsetto, crosses it by a fraction of a second and immediately drops back down again. There are doubtless people who find this beautiful. Or impressive. I am not one of them. And that still isn't the worst of it. Mitchell produced the album herself, so we can't blame anyone else. Her singing is very, and I mean very, frequently accompanied by female backing vocals. Looking at the credits, I can only conclude that these are Mitchell herself. And those backing vocals don't add beautiful harmonies. They merely produce even more skyscraper-high squeaking. Bianca Castafiore would listen to this album with envy. I keep wondering what this music would have sounded like with a predominantly male backing choir, adding harmonies an octave or even two lower — or simply singing a different note of the chord, but much lower. It might have transformed the whole thing. There are other odd choices. Just Like This Train, one of the album's more famous songs, is built around an intriguing little figure consisting of three notes repeatedly climbing upwards. It's a nice idea, but it's repeated so often that it eventually becomes little more than a gimmick. Then comes Raised on Robbery, which is not good. This is presumably meant to be the album's rock number, and apparently the way to give it some oomph was to add... a wailing saxophone. Please don't. The finest song is probably the opening title track, a fairly restrained, piano-dominated piece. The low point is the closing track, Twisted, in which we get the comedy duo and Bianca — sorry, Mitchell — jazzy-timing her way through an excessive amount of lyrics. I genuinely cannot understand how people find this pleasant to listen to. Again: the music isn't bad. There is plenty of interesting stuff here, and the musicianship is obviously excellent. But this is not an especially enjoyable listening experience for me. Coincidentally, yesterday I listened to Illinois by Sufjan Stevens, which, rather remarkably, isn't on the list. That is an absolutely magnificent album, and so much better than this Yellow Wagtail squeaking. Sorry. We have one of those in the garden. And it sings in roughly the same register as Joni Mitchell.

4/5. Not my personal favorite Joni album but still a great time all around. also serves as a good example of the thing I love most about Joni Mitchell’s singing, which is her cadence. She sings in a way that feels just the slightest bit jazzy, moving just a little off-rhythm with the instrumentation which gives a very unique feel to her songs. Decent amount of variety on this one too, you get “raised on robbery” which is a bit more of a rocker or “twisted” which is very bluesy all mixed in with the expected 70’s folk sound.

As a voice and a songstress, she gives beauty and while I might not always choose her style, it is difficult to find fault.

I think she’s too clever a writer to fairly review after hearing the lyrics a single time. But, that’s the nature of this beast. I’ll be giving it a three based off of the level of enjoyment I got off a single listen, with the caveat that I think she may be worth repeating listens and that this could easily climb higher later. Had the same problem with Nick Drake; it needed time to marinate, time that I couldn’t give it.

I was genuinely surprised at how much I like this album, though the first few songs instrumentally didn’t do it for me. The writing was consistently great throughout the entire album and more playful than I expected.

Really really good. Almost my first 5. Joni's voice is like honey to me, I loved the storytelling and down to earth human experiences and emotions in the lyricism. I'm excited to hear more from Joni.

One of my favourite albums of all time. A subtle change of direction for Joni. The start of something very special.

Not her finest work, but will still revisit in the future

Extremely interesting album. Mitchell shows off a lot more jazz influence here, with the songs feeling somewhat free-form despite folkish roots. I definitely want to listen to this again, but I fear I may rate it lower upon a relisten.

I recognize that there's some amazing musicianship and the songwriting and style is unique. I'm not a Joni Mitchell guy.

- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM

great voice... boring album

An absolutely beautiful record with way too many words crammed into the verses.

This lady knows how to sing

I’ve never listened to much Joni Mitchell. I wasn’t a huge fan of her voice, at least from the few songs I heard snippets of. Plus, I was a rocker, and she seemed folky, singer/songwrit-y. Track 1, Court and Spark, the title track, is beautiful. I love it. It’s got piano as the main instrument, but it has acoustic guitar and steel guitar accenting the song. Her voice is incredible. Could I have been wrong all these years? I’m quite sure of it now. Maybe I only heard her when she was olde,r and her voice changed? Whatever the case, I wanted more. Track 2, Help Me, is very 70s AM Gold. I’m not sure I’ve heard any of these songs. Oh, sounds like maybe a tenor sax is back there sneaking in some notes. Wow, the song really opens up into a pop jam. Just a pretty little pop song. Track 3, Free Man in Paris, is another jam. Mitchell’s vocal styling is so different. It’s like she has so much to say, she’s trying to cram it all in there. It works, which is amazing. And there’s still time for the music to shine. Track 4, The Same Situation, is so great. Each of the songs has a similar vibe, but each has a new instrument pop up in the arrangement, or at least a new sound. This song is more piano, but there are some organ sounds in the background. Just a beautiful song. Track 5, Car on a Hill, has more sax in it, which equals jamtastic. There’s music that just puts you at ease, and so far, every song on this album does that. The backing vocals/choir on this album are what set it off. Plus, some electric guitar chords give it a heaviness. This song gives me a Steely Dan vibe. Mitchell is almost a rapper with how fast she spits her vocals. Track 6, Down To You, is mostly Mitchell’s vocals and a piano, but near the end, you get more choir singing, and a beautiful symphony comes in to buttress the piano. I said, buttress. Just another beautiful song. I’m really loving this album. Oooh, a crescendo near the end. There’s a melancholy feel to this song. Is that a French horn? This sounds like a movie soundtrack now. It’s the longest song on the album and may be the best song. Track 9 is called Raised on Robbery and it’s a jam. Damn, it’s like a Rolling Stones' song with Bobby Keys on the sax. Just a solid rock jam. I want to say that Neil Young and his band, for the Tonight’s the Night album sessions, played this with Mitchell. It was good, but I think Mitchell’s version here is fire. Robbie Robertson plays the guitar on it and just blazes. Great rock song. Track 10, Trouble Child, is a light pop song, but there are parts that give a kind of grimy feel to it. It has a very jazzy trumpet in it, too. Really different song for this album. It just has a different groove altogether. Noir, that’s what the song feels like. It could have been in a film noir set in the 1930’s, but the movie was made in the 1950s. Trouble Child just flows right into the last track, Twisted, and this song sounds much more like a jazz song. Mitchell sings it in a more old school way. It doesn’t even sound like her. The trumpet in the song gives it its soul. This song has a swing out the arse. Our good friends at Wikipedia tell us this was Mitchell’s most successful album, as it sold well and was received well by critics. Mitchell added more elements of jazz into her music for this album, which you can plainly hear. The album still has her folky singer/songwriter style, but it swings a little more. She hired the best session artists to play the music, including the aforementioned Robertson, with David Crosby and Graham Nash singing backing vocals on Free Man in Paris, another single. You can easily hear it's them. If I’m not mistaken, I think she dated, or whatever you did in the 60s, both of them for a time, one right after the other. Ahhh, the summer of love. This album is great, and I think it needs to be heard. It will introduce you to Mitchell’s work and maybe convert haters as it did me. I’ve already listened to it several times since I was assigned it yesterday.

not my personal favorite

Classic Joni. There are some bangers on here, including some deep cuts. Great voice, probably easier listening than some of her other albums as well. A bit more up beat in places. Throwing it in my Joni rotation.

Surprising how much great material Joni created for this album. Free Man in Paris is just one example.

too jazzy 4 me

pareil sympa sans plus

Sympatoche

joni is good

Ne

Sonically, a very good album with good layering of instruments and vocals, but it could do with a remaster. The songs themselves are all strong, I couldn't point out any weak moments, but as someone who is not a massive country fan, the album did not change this or blow me away, so it gets a strong 4 stars.

Not normally a fan but enjoyed this so much I listened twice

Quite nice, pretty singing, beautiful pianos. Bit boring still, went in one ear, came ot another

Freedom. Love. Alcohol. Timeless. https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/stories/inside-the-creation-of-joni-mitchells-court-and-spark/

Amazing.

Якось нудно, проте звучить доволі автентично

Ne volim ove antitalentovane muzičare koji su na tekstove koji su navodno dobri prošli hiljadu puta na ovu listu. Evo nju slušam treći put. I opet ništa. Mada moram priznati da mi je ovaj album malo bolji od prethodna dva.

3.5 stars because the last three songs are really fun and good. I don’t think this is her best album but I do appreciate her sound

I know that Joni Mitchell is very talented and very few people have ever been able to do what she does. The piano and vocals are objectively very well executed and performed beautifully. All of the elements are there to make this an incredible album. I personally just don't like it. There is a particular thing that Joni does where she changes pitch as she sings a line that I just don't enjoy. Its a me thing and I understand that. But I have listened to an album that I would not otherwise have listened to. And I didn't hate it. I just don't love it. (1.750)

Smooth album. Joni has a great range and a classic 70s voice, harmony, and layering. I hear a little of her vocal cadence in Tracy Chapman’s vocal performance who might have been influenced? Just a hunch. Good album overall. 3.5/5.0

Joni does it again; well written, beautifully performed and chock full of delightful melodies. She's been a really rewarding discovery in this challenge and I'm glad I've dug a little deeper into one of the all-times greats' life's work.

Feels like it’s been a while since we got a North American artist lol This album kinda has everything, really like the variety in sound. Raised on Robbery was fun, definitely the standout in this album, but it wasn’t like every other song was bad. I’ll admit I’m not crazy about her general sound and the slow quiet songs tend to drag so it’s not all good but I think the good pretty comfortably outweighs the bad. I would enthusiastically listen to this one again, though I might skip the boring ones next time

not bad. i could listen to it again

One of Joni Mitchell's best selling albums. No big tracks or big hits, but good music. Solid vocals and lyrics, with a tinge of jazz. Listenable, probably closer to 3 1/2 stars but I'm going 3.

I really like this album, after I finished it and liked it, I thought I should listen to it again and really focus in the music since I was only half listening the first time. There’s plenty of variety in it because it goes from a piano song to a guitar song to a saxophone song. The vocals are also amazing, I actually love Joni Mitchell’s voice. This album is really just the good vibes, definitely listening to it again.

I'm not too familiar with any of Joni Mitchell's music, so I only had a vague idea of what to expect with this album. I thought this album was truly amazing, and I really enjoyed listening to it. And it reminds me how many fantastic artists came out of the Laurel Canyon scene. Joni Mitchell's voice and lyrics are fantastic, and she created some really great piano and guitar arrangements to create a great overall sound. I do think that the second half of the album was stronger than the first, and Raised on Robbery was by far my favorite track on the album. I loved that it was a little bit different that other songs, but it still relied on the elements that made the album as a whole successful. The saxophone playing was what really elevated the song for me, and I thought it complimented the other elements in the song really well. Also Down To You was a close second, I really loved the opening piano melody, and woodwind arrangements. Did I need to hear this before I die? For sure

I've always thought this was Joni Mitchell's most fun album. Not as beautiful and emotionally packed as Blue. But it's a fun album and Joni's jazzy tendencies land perfectly here.

I really enjoyed this album. It was a blend of calm and quiet, but also fun and boppin'

Nice song writing and vocals but it’s all just a bit radio 2 isn’t it

A wonderful album by one of the best songwriters on the planet. A 5 and than some.

She's got great lyrics and a great voice. What's not to love?

This album is nice. I don't find it particularly special, but it is good. The songwriting is probably the best part of this, and it is well written. The arrangements are fine enough but nothing particularly incredible. It's nice to hear an alto lead female voice, that definitely makes Joni stand out here. Very soft and round timbre, so easy to listen to her sing. The songs themselves are kind of an extension of that, very soft and grounded. I do like it, but I'm not amazed. Raised on Robbery is a lot of fun, probably my favorite. 3.3/5

Heard Before? Yup. Notes: - subtle, gorgeous, highly varied production. and I'm always a sucker for the drum sounds of this era. - these arrangements! even on the third time through there were surprises in structure and instrumentation. "Down to You" is a stunner. - as far as songwriting, it's a grower, like virtually all her albums. not exactly hooky - every song is like a puzzle inside a maze. - some odd sequencing - the two most similar songs stuck together on tracks 2&3, then unfortinately finishing with the brief and goofy (almost Andrews Sisters sounding) "Twisted". - some of my favorite Joni vocals for sure, lots of swoops, and impressive use of her lower range. Verdict: Based on my memories, I was not expecting to give this a five. But today I got lost in it and didn't want to be found. Listen Again? I didn't think I needed to until I tried it again today. So yes, I will return.

Thursday, so I'm listening at home in the living room. Pretty. Chill.

the most ethereal and androgynous voice i've ever heard

Fuck off already with Joni Mitchell.

Интересный эксперимент, когда фолк-исполнитель пробует добавить в свою музыку не щепотку, а целую пригоршню джаза. Получается не так академично, как у джаз-бендов, и не так нудно, как у большинства сингер-сонграйтеров с гитарой. Но все же по-настоящему этот джаз раскрывается только в конце альбома на последних трех треках. Альбом сразу дышит новыми красками. Twisted вообще абсолютно прекрасен. До этого как будто лишь разогрев. 3,5, но все же ближе к 4.

Очень красивый альбом с нежнячим вокалом, с красивыми лириксами. Никогда не слушала ничего у Митчелл целым lp. Теперь хочется посмотреть, что там еще есть кроме синего альбомчика. Не хватает пока в этих рандомных пиках женских работ.

Один из моих самых любимых женских голосов. Симпатичный альбом, Blue нравится больше, но повторное прослушивание прошло удачно, раньше казался скучнее.

Лучшая песня: Raised on Robbery Худшая: Twisted Приятная музычка, но не запоминающаяся. Захочу ли я переслушать этот альбом когда-нибудь? Вряд ли.

приятно слушать фоном, но не вслушиваться

А вот и брильянтик. Мои женщины с гитарой вошли в чат и звучат также прекрасно и 50 лет назад. Альбом, который максимально приятно слушать целиком, даже взяла бы его на виниле, живи я в 1970-е. Raised on robbery - шикарна

Внезапно - очень хорошо! Джони Митчел, как Патти Смит и Кэрол Кинг у меня ассоциировались с чем-то таким чисто глубинно американским, что мне как европейцу не понять. Но у Патти и Кэрол есть по хиту на слуху, а у Джони такого хита я не знаю. По итогу был приятно удивлён - звучит максимально хорошо, хоть и не хитово. Оценка между 4 и 5. Но дам пять, за приятное удивление.

Quite enjoyed it!

At least I only have one more Joni Mitchell album to go

Not really a fan. She is talented but the music is very boring and plain. Not for me.

her voice bores me :/

I must be getting old because I could finally appreciate this album. I never understood why people lost their shit over JM, I always thought it was crap, until now. Why is this happening to me??

Bueno

Folksy album. Not a whole lot to say. She’s a good songwriter though.

qué buena primera escucha, muy soft

I love her

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Twisted This is the second Joni Mitchell album I've listened, and while it's not bad, I still don't really get it. I don't know who listens to music like this. Unlike Blue, this album has some jazz elements that were cool enough, and the last song, Twisted, I quite enjoyed.

This was an awesome and refreshing record. There are tons of different styles seamlessly blended together here, and Joni’s voice is really unique.

Excellent album. Fascinating soundscapes. A 3,8.

1. court - 1 2. help - 1 3. pariz - 1 4. partiez - 1 5. zame - 1 6. car - 1 7. douun - 1 8. train - 1 9. robbery - 0 10. child - 1 11. tuuizted - 1

For Joni this wasn't my favorite. The lyrics were great and it was the most commercial feeling, but that is almost what made me like it less. It was still good and I enjoyed it but it didn't hit me with the same level of emotion as other albums. This felt very surface level and not deep.

It's okay but she doesn't especially grab me or maybe I just haven't listened to her enough to really get it. I appreciate that she's taking a lot of creative approaches to songwriting on this album, complex intstrumentation without anything feeling too busy or thick. All very groovy and flowy... but nothing really clicks for me. It's some sort of mellow folk jazz 70's thing and it leaves a weird taste in my ears. I liked the guitars on Free Man in Paris. Horns are great in Help Me. Raised on Robbery was my favorite.

I’ve probably mentioned that Joni is an acquired taste. This is her most accessible album. It’s also the point where smoking caught up with her and dropped that beautiful voice down a register or so. These songs are easy going and lovely in a way that only the 70’s could have made. She’s a delight in any form but this is definitely one of her better albums. Help Me is just gorgeous. It never gets tiresome.

Joni writes great lyrics, but I continue to have trouble getting into her style of music, and her voice is just ok to me. I know she's an icon, and I have mad respect for her, but this just isn't my thing. It has a drifting at sea quality to it that makes me lose interest. Raised on Robbery was the song I was most drawn to. I liked the energy in that one.

Having only ever been exposed to Joni Mitchell via Blue, this was such a pleasant surprise. Really lovely stuff. Fav tracks: Court and Spark, Help Me, Just Like This Train. RYM: Y (#694) Saved a song: N

Inspired so many of my favorites, I was way overdue for a listen.

I didn’t expect this from myself, but I really loved this album. Even now, that mix of sounds from so many different instruments feels fresh and original — and, most importantly, it all comes together in a really harmonious way.

Another great offering from Joni

Truly mediocre.

110/1001 First listen. This did nothing for me. There’s definitely worse music so I can’t give it one star. The best of ‘74? C’mon! 3/10

Joni Mitchell rocks. Always really interesting chord voicing. Great groove and disarming lyrics. Raised on Robbery has always been a favourite and it features some great rock and roll guitar by Robbie Robertson.

3 out of 5. Pleasant surprise, I'm becoming more of a fan with each album I listen to by her.

I really enjoyed this. Yes, it has almost no choruses, but who needs them anyways?

Not really my thing stylistically, a bit forgettable but not terrible.

The Re-Master I listened to on Apple Music sounded phenomenal. A blend of Joni's signature soprano-laden folk and jazz fusion rhythms and arrangements. The stories of heartbreak and people searching for something sometimes brush past gently and at others, cut more deeply. A staple CD in the car when I was growing up.

Definitely wouldn’t have found this in my entire life, not entirely what I’m into, but I enjoyed Car on a Hill, and Trouble Child.

Very nice. I can see myself listening to this when I need something relaxing in the background.

Only okay. I don't really like her singing style. Last song didn't feel like an end of album song.

Bangs

I enjoyed an upbeat Joni Mitchell

Beautiful

What a treat for a Monday morning - about as close as pop gets to perfection. Thoughtful lyrics. Complementary melody. Sophisticated arrangements. Beautiful voice. I never understand why she doesn't get as many mentions as Dylan when we discuss the GOATs. A 5* every day of the week.

Okay I didn't know much about Joni before starting this project but turns out she owns. I already got Blue, which is of course fantastic, but this hits in a much different way. It's jazzier and looser and a different side of her. Laurel Canyon in the 70s must have been so cool. Standouts: Help Me, Free Man in Paris, Car on a Hill

👍 very good.

I spent this entire album trying and failing over and over again to get an S Rank on Mystic Jungle at Super Sonic Speed. Having some reservations and thoughts about the bosses which may be present throughout this lost, it was a relief to encounter a third woman within the first 15 albums (following on from Tracy Chapman and Meg White). Joni Mitchell is a name I have long heard good things about without every listening myself, and I am kicking myself for that now, as this album is absolutely incredible for me. Her songwriting is relatable and vulnerable in a way that reminds me of Fiona Apple, but the instrumentation behind her blends these energetic blues and jazz sounds into this incredibly captivating singer-songwriter aesthetic. So much of this album revolves around love and romance, but Mitchell tackles the topic from different angles with so much layered and nuanced lyricism that it paints vivid vignettes in my mind of these situations. There is a creativity to her lyricism that I find compelling, finding these unique new ways and metaphors through which to examine the various topics she tackles. Everything about this album clicks for me, from the vocal melodies to the rhythm of the vocals to the percussive groove of so many of these songs: I'm getting the familiar gut feeling that I may have just discovered a new favorite artist of mine. Highlights: Court and Spark, Help Me, People's Parties, The Same Situation, Down To You, Just Like This Train, Raised On Robbery, Twisted

JONI MITCHELLLL i think this may surprisingly be the only album i havent listened to. obviously knew help me and free man in paris, but honestly this album was so great. While still influenced by her typical folksy sound and the introspective songwriting she's known for, there are so many other interesting influences here (jazz, blues). and her voice REALLYYYY shines here

*Help Me - 2nd Song* Kickass start, great supporting riffs, the beats. Jazzy vibes after 2:20 in the vocal progression. Needs a re-listen.

I wish this album was better. This is my first time listening to any of it. It was calm and had some fun jazz elements but it was not what I am looking for. Giving it 2/5

aaa transition izmedju peoples parties i the same situation, obozavam prelaze iz jedne u drugu pesmu. raised on robbery me je probudio iz mrtvih ne znam ni sto. trouble child strava truba i strava prelaz u twisted. onako malo je retro truba, ali to je bas i fora. volim sto u svakoj pesmi joni mitchell polu peva polu recituje slam poetry. "and you know two heads are better than one" being the last lyric of the album SHES SO UNSERIOUS ma joni je bre do jaja, vec sam poslusala blue ranije i znam da je dobar bas, ovo je valjda odmah sledeci album posle pa naravno da lice sonicno ali ovaj je tonom nekako neozbiljniji, odnosno lezerniji, opusteniji. strava je, lak za slusanje. super produkcija kao i uvek, ponekad divne melodije ponekad najkomplikovanija recenica ugurana u tri sloga kao sto samo ona zna da izrecituje, but you have to love it. mnogo mi se svidja koliko razlicitih instrumenata mozes da cujes u jednoj pesmi!

prrr

3/5 Did quite enjoy! a few stood out.

Tender

Sehr Spannende Musik und gesag, Es gefällt mir wie es aufgebaut ist

204/1001 Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ I think this is my second favourite Joni album 🖤

joni u are just magic

A top 10 album for me. Delivers on all fronts. Incredible arrangements, beautiful song writing…it’s a real vibe. Laurel canyon brilliance

‘Help Me’ was a banger, otherwise I was quite bored. Stand-outs - Help Me

I like her voice and it’s a chill album

Legendary songwriter. Enjoyed this a lot. 4.5.

Folk clásico, par de joyitas ubicadas

Absolutely incredible. Standouts for me being Car on a Hill and Down to You. Last few tracks kind of lost me a tiny bit so it’s not perfect

Beautiful vocals, but with the lyrics, her words seem to just ramble on. No chorus or anything. Strange, but still alright! This sounded very nice and was overall a great listen. Favorite song: Raised on Robbery

First time ever listening to her, but I definitely like her type of music. I liked the Album more and more as it went on. Didn’t care for the first song or two. I will definitely listen to her other albums! One of my favorite songs from this album was Raised on Robbery.

How can you not love Joni. Such an amazing voice.

Kept waiting for the twist.

5/10 some good tracks, but probably won’t revisit

I’ve heard the name Joni Mitchell brought up by several people through out my life but never took the time to listen. I was missing out. I love this album. It’s in between rock and folk and it sounds amazing. Joni’s voice is refreshing. I don’t know exactly what that means but that’s how it felt as I was listening. Will be listening to more of Joni especially since she has a Jazz era later in her career

Enjoyable. She always has that unique vocal style.

"Court and Spark" is my favorite Joni Mitchell album, comprising a near perfect blend of the folk majesty of "Blue" with an increasing pop sensibility (most obviously on the hit "Help me") and touches of the jazz and art-rock sensibilities that would define her later albums. Maybe this record is transitional, but its nearly perfect because of it.

Absolut wundervoll. Auch jazziger als gedacht. Unbedingt nochmal hören mit Fokus auf Lyrics

Listened on the drive to the mall and while walking around the mall. What an incredible story teller. Great range and variety of sounds on this record too. Down To You is a masterpiece of a song. Great record!

An important slice of folk and I’m rating this more for its significance than for pure personal taste.

Not bad, but also my least favorite genre so....

Blends Joni's folk sound and lyrics with soft rock and jazz. Her lyrical cadence can be a bit too "runny"/poetic for me at times but the instrumentals are so soothing. (3.5-4)

C'est certain que je ne contredirai pas Félix sur un 5 pour Joni!

Un bijou. Joni Mitchell = 5 automatique, aussi simple que ça. Merci à M. Villemure (aujourd'hui que je peux appeler simplement Marc), mon prof de concentration jazz, d'avoir montré à une gang d'adolescents de 5e secondaire ,dont j'étais, un concert de Joni Mitchell à Newport avec une passion tout à fait contagieuse. Je pense qu'on comprenait pas trop ce qui venait de nous frapper. Il me semble que Zawinul et Jaco Pastorius étaient de la partie, c'était buzzé ben raide. L'album qui marque le plus clairement la migration du folk au jazz de Joni. Quelle femme, je tombe en amour à chaque fois. J'ai dû l'écouter 3 ou 4 fois aujourd'hui. De la sérieuse compétition avec Blue.

Beautiful tone, and songwriting that grabs me throughout. Especially Raised on Robbery & Free Man in Paris

Omg i adore this, the music is amazing her voice is great and I love this type of music

I've never been able to "get" Joni Mitchell. This album helped a bit, but still not there.

Incredible to follow up Blue with another set bordering on masterpiece

very nice

Very well made, Joni Mitchell is an excellent song writer and great composer

This is the type of album that pays dividends with repeated listens. It's open, honest and interesting both musically and lyrically. As evidenced in her later albums, Joni had a strong jazz sensibility and it shows here. In "Twisted" she sings it like a jazz trumpeter would play it. This is among her best and I enjoyed it.

Appreciate when an album has a defined sound which this certainly does. That jazzy backing band gives it a fun energy. Was expecting more folky, as that’s my only prior experience with Joni Mitchell. Help Me and Free Man in Paris are probably my two favorite songs. Raised on Robbery is super fun and has that dated fusion 70s sound. Feels like it would come on at a boomer BBQ and get the old folks moving. Don’t dislike anything but not sure I would choose to listen much of this again. Her voice is nice, but the way she sings isn’t always my favorite. Seems like a solid 3/5, 6.5/10.

One of the best singer\songwriter folk\rock albums ever made.

The Goat! Not her Goated tho

Wouldn't have looked into Joni Mitchell most likely without this challenge. Really enjoyed this. Liked Help Me, Free Man in Paris, and Car on a Hill. Liked the jazz elements. Didn't realize Phish covered Free Man in Paris too.

Decent

Good

First Listen; 3; This might be the first album ever where I remember the lyrics and stories but not the songs. There's some interesting little parts of melodies in some of the songs, but then they're never repeated or built on my. Feels like these songs just go all over the place. Favorite Track: Car on a Hill

I liked this more than Blue, the other album we had, but the back half lost me

Not my cup of tea

Yeah fine

Beautiful. Love this. I’ve never really listened to Joni Mitchell before. Why has nobody ever sat me down and said “Mike, you need to listen to Joni Mitchell.”

Classic! Light years beyond some chick with a guitar

I know this album from and bought on vinyl a couple of years ago, but it didn’t hang around my playlist for too long. I understand its popularity but I need more melody and tunes rather than poetry and uniform delivery. My song choices are again no surprise as these offer more than the rest. 1. Help Me 2. Trouble Child 3. Raised on robbery

The lyrics threw me off

Pleasant

Nice listen

Fine but nothing stuck with me

Just don't really like Joni Mitchell, bit of a vibe and less slow than the other albums I've heard of hers. 3 stars.