Court And Spark

First Joni Mitchell album on the list for me! I admit I never really listened to here, but for some reason very excited and high expectations because of her legendary status and one song I do love from her catalogue after recent discovery when watching Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz is "Coyote". SO at the first glance and throughout the day it mostly seemed good, inventive music but maybe nothing super amazing and an easy 3-star rating. However, now, as I am writing this after work I am appreciating this more and more. I know it will be at least 3.5 on RYM, but it is getting harder to decide, maybe will be super greedy and give 3 stars but one for sure to REVISIT!

Great voice, uninspiring music

Decent

Soothing voice Fave track: Help Me

Inoffensive background music. 2.75

For some reason I thought Joni Mitchell was more folksy than this

2.5 - Fine, but not really my thing.

Very good! Lots of different musical styles

Tää oli taas tämmönen että joutu useampaan kertaan kuunella, yllätäen hyvin variaatiota tässä albumissa. Sopivasti vähä Jazziä, Rokkia ja Poppia. "Raised on Robbery" oli aika iso yllätys. Oli useampi hyvä kappale mutta kokonaisuus oli aika meh. Top 3 Honorable Mention: The Same Situation 1: Raised on Robbery 2: Help Me 3: Twisted 3/5

Ну нежно. Уже как будто устаревший, но довольно слушабельно. Я не фанат такой музыки

#117/1001 🇨🇦 I've got through Joni's albums on this list pretty quickly. This is another that i've never heard before. Of all of them this feels the most polished and accessible but not necesarily my favourite. Best Tracks: Free Man In Paris, Peoples Parties, Down To You.

Good Album, not every Song hits, but overall I felt entertained. Fav: Court and Spark

Sliter fortsatt med å få helt taket på Joni. Grei bakgrunnsmusikk.

Helt greit. Fun fact: På 80- og 90-tallet spilte faren min i et band oppkalt etter låten Free Man In Paris. På NRK ligg det faktisk en halvtimes konsert fra Kulturhuset på 90-tallet. Mer om dette får du i boka «1001 lokale band du aldri har hørt om», som æ skal gi ut med Robert Dyrnes.

Hyggelige greier, men mangler høydepunkter.

Not the worst 30 or so minutes of music.

어우 듣기좋아

entendo

Had never listened to Joni Mitchell before but am well aware of her significance. Wanted to like it but after one listen felt no connection and it was a sure 1 for me. Then I listened again. And again. Gave it several listens throughout the day and something has clicked and now I find myself really liking it. Glad I gave it another chance after that first listen.

I can see how someone would like this. dont hate it but wouldnt listen again. not my goto voice style of choice

Court and Spark Free Man in Paris Raised on Robbery

Free Man in Paris Raised on Robbery

Much more pleasant and evocative than Hejira. I do follow some of the comments on here that claim that Mitchell would be a better poet than a singer. Her lyrics are rich in meaning and deeply storylike. It makes you wonder what went through her head when she composed the songs. Her pleasant vocals are still a-okay, though. No complaints from me.

Joni compares herself to Cohen and Dylan in a quote that's included in the book. And if we do so, Joni is equally poetic but not as political or sombre. Essentially a ray of california sunshine in the genre.

Female folk. I think this is the lady from the movie with Bob Dylan.

Ok not my thing

Great songwriting. Her voice is a little unusual. This reminds me of Carole King.

Pleasant, they even a little too old for me to feel Nostalgia for.

good instrumentation i just don’t fw joni’s flow really

Nice to listen to, but disjointed album as the songs do not have consistent structure.

very chill album and she has a beautiful voice but not a huge fan of the melodies in her songs

6.7/10

From song to song, feelings varied from "meh" to "oh I like it" to "I'm going to sleep now"

Honestly pretty good and sounds ahead of its time. I would have thought this was recorded in the 90s.

It’s fine. Idk if Joni is for me

3/5

7/10

Lo escuché mientras hacia diseño

Hey it’s alright

Really liked it. Not what I was expecting

It was ok. It didn't make me want to turn it off, but nothing about it made me want to keep listening either.

Court and Spark is an easy, polished listen, but one that largely drifts by without leaving much of a mark. The jazz‑leaning arrangements are tasteful and Joni Mitchell’s songwriting is, as ever, assured, yet few moments really demand attention. “Raised on Robbery” is the clear exception, injecting a swagger and bite that took me by surprise and briefly shook the album to life. As with other Joni Mitchell entries I’ve encountered on the list, I’m glad to have heard it for context, but it’s not one I feel any real pull to revisit.

like this better than some other Joni albums. her song writing seems more relaxed and voice is less shrill, which i like.

Not a lot of experience with Joni Mitchell. Liked it, especially lyrically but nothing that I’d want to revisit over and over.

Just kind of got lost in the background, but was pleasant. 3/5

Low key solid, really enjoyed the calm jazzy arrangements which complement Joni's coffee shop with a guitar singing vibe. Would listen again 3/5

Some very fun songs. Joni Mitchell is very talented, but I just don't see myself coming back Favorite Song: Car on A Hill

Unremarkable.

I don't dislike Joni Mitchell, but why, may I ask are there so many on this list. They all sound the same.

3 stars for being iconic. But I’ve just never gotten into Joni. I like a couple of songs from her, just not a whole album.

Joni had some bops on here, I can’t even lie.

Pretty consistent but still felt less interesting to me in the second half.

I’ve never really listened to Joni Mitchell but her lyricism is awesome. This is a dope album. I wish she didn’t do blackface though. It would be four stars if she didnt

Great record top to bottom. Help me is fantastic as a vibe and song structure. It’s not my fav Joni album by any means, but it’s a good jam. Twisted is kinda hilarious.

Caras nao consegui prestar atenção direito e ja ouvi 3 vezes. Adorei Help Me. Vou revisitar em outros momentos!

Perfekt en vårig söndagsmorgon

3.5 Stars. It's certainly more upbeat than Blue, which is my only other reference point for her, but it's still not likely to be something I visit much. She often suffers from what I call bubble throat and that gets grating after awhile. It's fine.

Je ne suis pas le bon public.

Really good. Made me happy.

Very chill and very nice.

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

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

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.

little boring but fun

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

Best Track - "Help Me"

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.

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 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.

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.

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

Hele leuke ochtend vibes, voelt als een zonnige vakantieochtend

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

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

Folksy.

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

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

Zone out a fair bit. It's meh

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

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.

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.

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.

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….

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

Loved the jazzy Twisted.

a very pleasant sounding but ultimately boring album

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

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

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 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.

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

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 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.

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

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.

pareil sympa sans plus

Sympatoche

joni is good

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

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

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

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.

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

приятно слушать фоном, но не вслушиваться

Quite enjoyed it!

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

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.

Excellent album. Fascinating soundscapes. A 3,8.

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.

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.

Truly mediocre.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

I like her voice and it’s a chill album

Folk clásico, par de joyitas ubicadas

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

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

Enjoyable. She always has that unique vocal style.

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

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

very nice

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.

The Goat! Not her Goated tho

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

Yeah fine

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.

Сразу хочу отметить невероятно приятный голос, ушам становится очень приятно. Также не малую роль играет очень крутой и большой инструментал на альбоме, идеально сочетается и создает атмосферу. Хоть альбом и вышел зимой, но вайб у него лично у меня с летом. В целом хороший и приятный альбом, точно не жалею что послушал его, но не думаю что это все же мой стиль

Joni Mitchell has a more peculiar voice, which I only truly liked in Big Yellow Taxi. This was alright though.

It’s “Twisted”. The best song here is “Twisted” and it’s not even close. It’s strangely exciting for a closing song on an album that’s relatively mellow, but it’s an amazing song. The other great appeal to most of this record is how open Mitchell is about feelings of anxiety or doubt. Probably didn’t hear that a ton at the time of this albums release. An easy 3/5

I'm sure the album cover says "Cunt and Spunk"

I preferred 'Blue'. This isn't my usual choice, but it's alright.

it's Joni Mitchell so it's always going to be a beautiful album, not as strong as her other work though

I unfortunately wasn't paying a lot of attention while listening, nothing really stood out to me. But Joni's voice is incredible

3.5/5 Amazing instrumentation and writing, but I don’t really dig Joni’s way of singing. It feels a little like she’s just rhythmically reading a poem on top of music while trying to follow a melody; which I’m sure some people like, but for me it’s just an odd mix of like.. half-rapping and half-singing, almost. It’s enjoyable, though I wouldn’t relisten to it. A handful of standouts. Overall not bad

Lovely, could do with more taxi content.

While it started off a bit slow, I really enjoyed the second half of the album. The closing track twisted is pretty funny. 3/5

3.5 - need to realisten but def some songs i liked

Best Song: Raised on Robbery I really enioved much of the instrumentation: the blend of guitar and piano, and some of the sax on Raised on Robbery. As vulnerable and contemplative many of the lyrics may be, it strikes me that they would work better as poetry than in song, which touches on my main problem with the album. I feel that although Joni's vocal performance is technically good, I feel like either the melodies just dont land for me, or that they aren't integrating well with the instrumentation - like shes trying to carry the song with her singing but it feels like singing poetry over a song. I think this is exacerbated the lack of choruses. Standout songs like Raised on Robbery avoid these pitfalls. Also very notable how much of this she wrote, produced composed herself.

I have mixed feelings about this album. I am not a huge fan of Joni Mitchell’s style of singing albeit very impressive, I always feel like she puts too many words into the melody lines and it sounds cluttered/rushed, too conversational. However, the lyrics on this album are raw and poetic and it’s hard to not resonate with them on a personal level, the vulnerability she shares is beautiful and conveys complex feelings/emotions insightfully. The production across the album is great, arrangements are rich and layered and genres are combined smoothly, the entire thing is such an easy listen and in my option is timeless.

3.0 - Ok

In a word, inoffensive. Pleasant tunes with wordy lyrics that don’t do a whole lot for me, but clearly other people love it. She has a lovely voice but never really uses it to her full potential. And the instrumentation is nothing too exciting for mine, but then maybe I just don’t love folk rock that much. The final song (cover of Twisted by Annie Ross) annoyed the crap out of me.

Quite an upbeat collection of songs, enjoyable. Stellar cast of backing musicians.

Very Joni Can’t say I would listen to regularly but was nice Didn’t expect to be so jazzy

had a pretty strong start and was intrumentally beautiful but I found myself become increasingly bored as the album went on. there were no major standout moments to discern from so the songs started to mesh together in my mind.

Court AND Spark? Together at last?

Fun, not much more to say about it. That last song has an interesting melody. "And you could complete me. I'd complete you."

Surprised by this. Will listen again.

I prefer her earlier stuff

honestly its right between 3 and 4 for me but because i don’t think I’ll come back to this album a lot I’m gonna give it a three but it was a really enjoyable listen. 1970’s Mitski vibe…haha highlights for me were The same situation and Twisted (which was a nice surprise at the end)

Pretty dull…2.75

6/10 Some good songs amist quite a lot of meh

Classic Joni. I liked some of it don’t like others. Some of it’s a little too fanciful for me

Won't lie, always have found it difficult to love Joni. If her work is an acquired taste, this listen was the first time I started to acquire. Jazz, pop, folk--a few songs still put me off, but a start

I can understand how Bob Dylan fell asleep when he was played this album. I'm a fan of Joni Mitchell, and the reality is that it was just Bob Dylan being very Bob Dylan - but to be fair this is a very, very mellow album. There's a lot of soft jazz bringing the energy levels down here, which results in tamer stuff than I expected from Joni. There are some great songs on here all the same. "Help Me" is a classic, and title track "Court and Spark" has some really gorgeous piano. It's far from "Blue", but still enjoyable. "Raised on Robbery" finally wakes myself and Bob up with some high tempo rock'n' roll, but we're already at the last 3 songs of the album at this stage. "Twisted" is a jazzy number to end on, and the double bass groove will have you snapping your fingers before you realise you're doing it. Joni's vocal performance is fantastic and varied throughout the song. As the album comes to a close, I find myself wishing there had been more of this earlier.

Great voice, not her best album by a long shot but enjoyable enough. Help me in particular is very good.

Not really my vibe but i understand why its significant

Favorite: Car on a Hill Least Favorite: Down to You Overall Rating: 6/10 Not bad, just a little underwhelming. A lot of the songs sounded the same. Not for me, but definitely not bad by any means.

Calm and soothing.

solid. Country vibe. kinda whatever tho

I really like Joni Mitchell i love her other stuff and the uniqueness she brings with her lyrics. It was fun being able to listen to one of her bother albums but definitely wasn't my favourite

Probably very unpopular opinion: I'm not a huge fan of the singing. She has a great voice and she can surely sing, but the melodies are often not very accessible or memorable and it feels like she tries to put too many syllables into them. Lyrics are good, but it feels like they were not meant to be sung. Pleasant exception: Raised on Robbery I can't really say I enjoy this album. It's pretty well produced and arranged and has some very good musicians. I would have liked it better if she had gone full jazz like in the last track Twisted. There she even does some great phrasings with those "too many syllables". But in the other songs, they just feel displaced. 3/5

It's a little surprising to me that I'm not all over this album. Folky jazz should be up my alley but I just don't connect to it for the most part. It's definitely good, but not a favorite. Though it has at least 2 undeniable bangers that really got me moving

Another Joni album, another 3 stars

?? female Folk Pop schön...Tori Amos-Vibes und die habe ich ja mal intensiv gehört.c

First time listening to Joni. Came out of the gate really strong on this album, she's a great singer and had some discretely really good backup instrumentation on some of these songs. Felt like it ran out of steam a bit come Just Like this Train. Honestly didn't love the last few songs, she turned into the female version of Bob Dylan. No chorus', direction or structure with the way she was singing. Favorites were Car on a Hill, Court and Spark, Free man in Paris. 7/10

While this doesn't do as much for me as Joni Mitchell's starker music before this or her stranger music after, there is a lot to like about her jazz-pop album. Her quality songwriting, and fantastic vocal performances are still here. And the lyrics are up to par with her best. Her ability of compelling, poetic storytelling is unique and used well. As I alluded to: this is not the Joni Mitchell album most for me, just on an aesthetic level. But I do definitely see why it is on this list (and why it was her best-selling project at the time). Give this a listen! It is still cool!

this surprised me honestly i’ve never listened to joni Michell before so i didn’t know what to expect. she’s really talented stand outs: Help me, Raised on Robbery 7/10

Not my bag. Not bad per se, but doesn’t move me. Might suffer from the hype.

Okay

This was my third Joni Mitchell album in the first 50 of this challenge. After the first two I was ready to avoid her music for the rest of my life. This one was a lot better. I felt it veered away from some of the pretentiousness, added better production, kept within her best vocal range, and was better lyrically. I'd give it a solid 3.

Wanted to like it more than I did... a little too same-y for me to get into, and doesn't have the same punch as Blue.

Pretty good.

This is the second Joni Mitchell album I’ve rolled, following Blue. I was very critical of Blue. Noting its accolades, I was expecting something very good and noteworthy. What I got instead was a voice I didn’t love, and a boring album I also didn’t really love. I was fully expecting more of the same going into this album. For some reason, and I have no idea why, I had a much different experience with Court And Spark than I did with Blue. Her voice here is calm yet confident and vibrant, and made every song sound great, the variety in a lot of the songs was good, and even if it kind of faded into the background after a little bit, I was more relaxed and entertained than bored. Joni has a very good voice for putting me at ease, and I promise that’s a big compliment. With 4 albums on here, I wonder if this is going to be what I can expect from her later albums. I’ve gone in order so far, we’ll see if that changes later on with the other 2. I really liked the big hit on this one the most, “Help Me”. The jazzy ending track, “Twisted”, and energetic, upbeat “Raised on Robbery” are also very good. Alright, good stuff Joni. I enjoyed this one a lot more than Blue. I found it much more accessible and easier to listen to on my ears. You’ve earned a 3 with this one.

Joni Mitchell continues her legendary career in a much different fashion, three years on from "Blue." The songbird-esque vocal range gives way for a deeper, more sultry delivery that was initially a little jarring. What isn't jarring, the poetry. I felt like a newborn baby seeing strange faces for the first time. My eyebrows would arch and squirm with each colourful line of prose. I find good poetry sounds so obvious when you hear it, but trying to write it is like brain surgery. Especially when you are in possession of a brain that might benefit from some of that surgery. For every fascinating "bar" there was a slightly obnoxious instrumental, but with a writer like Joni Mitchell, there wasn't a lot of time wasted on the riverboats of my nightmares, and I was repeatedly taken back to the thought-provoking prose soaring on odd vocal melodies. Thankfully, on days like this, where I don't have anything interesting to say, there are artists, who are able to say all that stuff I am too intellectually stunted to conjure. A step down from Blue, and hell, even Kind of Blue, but in a post-colour album world, this one holds up as an enjoyable and unique ode to the English language set to the sounds of music. 3-3.5

Pretty good, but not many standout tracks.

Sounds lovely - first time listening to her

Joni mitchell er god

Nice

I recently listened to “Blue” again, as part of this challenge. I’m really familiar with that album and gave it five stars. I’m less familiar with Court and Spark, so it doesn’t land the same way for me. It’s creative and the singing is amazing. But, i can’t escape the sense of her privilege and entitlement as a much admired and courted white lady. I’m not judging Joni — she’s a fantastic artist — but the songs come from a fairly narrow point of view that is hard to relate to in the 2020’s. It’s a 3 for me — maybe it woukd become a four with more listening.

calm songs chill vibes good album

…like waiting for water to boil. Anticipation. Then it began and I wasn’t as invested anymore.

Meh. Likar stort sett Joni, men dette vart keisamt idag.

Gostosinho de ouvir. Nada de mais, mas voz boa e ritmo confortável de ouvir. 3 estrelinhas por ter feito minha manhã iniciar tranquila.

Não tenho muito o que falar aqui, são músicas bacaninhas, gostosinhas, mas nada marcante. Adicionei umas 3 só, que gostei mais, umas linhas de baixo mais catchy, uma mais agitadona também, mais dançante. Mas é, sem muitos comentários, álbum ok

This was nice, but I didn't have time to concentrate enough.

Ya, it was alright.

I liked this album better than her Blue album. This one has more instruments and more singers, more texture overall, more singable melodies.

3 go girlboss

This completes a week of albums out of my listening zone. Joni is a legendary songwriter but not in the universe I occupy. I often think that much of the hype surrounding an artist is the result of good marketing selling the idea that something is good and that there are enough idiots that fall hook line and sinker for the idea that this is good music. In America this is certainly true with both musicians and politicians. Look at the number of fucking idiots that voted for Donald Trump - a corrupt, convicted felon, evil piece of shit and pedophile enabler and yet a majority of Americans voted for him. Boggles the fucking mind. Anyway, back to Joni and the idea that somehow she is a national songwriting treasure. She is fucking not. And yet this record ended up in this list. I normally have a strong Canadian bias. This folk jazz record is boring as any Steely Dan offering yet somehow critics (paid promoters) said this was genius and a turning point in modern recorded music. Again, it is not. I would rather spend time on grief counseling than have to register to this record again. As I pondered the album, it struck me that this is what my mom played in the car while we drove to school. She would sing along to Help Me and although her enthusiasm was better than her vocal I can recall thinking you like this? I don’t fucking get it. And I still don’t. It may be the pitch - there is a particular vocal pitch that is one notch below screech and Joni is right there. I’m sure Free Man In Paris is enjoyable to someone, but unfortunately not me. I think Joni’s lyrical approach is solid - top shelf. Storytelling is an art and this is artfully done. People’s Parties is a good example of a complete and skilled approach but the music accompanying it, is exhausting. Raised on Robbery is the most energetic song on the album. It might be the one song I like best. I of course have heard it in other contexts. This is the first pass on a complete Joni Mitchell record and likely my last unless some clown felt Blue was also deserving. Probably. Back to my earlier point - it’s all sales. Music being spoon fed to the masses. You can’t sing but Joni can do it very well so the album must be good, right? Wrong. That is just the fucking incorrect way to make a decision. Think for your self.

Melkosen mukavaa meininkiä ja oikeinkin kivaa soitantaa ja laulantaa. Eipä oo Joni Mitchellikään tuttu itelle, mutta mukava uusi tuttavuus. Ei kyllä neloseen nouse mut voisin tutustua tähän enempi tulevaisuudessa

Ihan mukavan kepeää laulantaa.

Ihan kiva. Jotkut biisit nelosta mut osa sit kagosta. Kepulaasena siis mennään. Jos nyt oikein muistan niin näissä mitseleissä oli kyllä rajuja sekoilujakin jotkut projektit, tää nyt ol selkeesti ihan siedettävää ja melkein poppista.

Muutaman ekan biisin perusteella jopa neljän tähden kamaa, mutta puolivälin tienoilla alkoi kyllä toistamaan itseään ihan liikaa. Tosiaan alkupuolesta tykkäsin älyttömästi. Kivaa folkpoppia, vähän sillain semisti rokahtavalla otteella. Ja eihän Mitchellin laulajantaitoja käy kiistäminen. Huippukaunis ääni. Tässä oli vähän semmosta hippimeininkiä. Oman vähäisen kokemuksen perusteella tuli Grateful Dead mieleen varsinkin ehkä neljän ekan biisin kohdalla. Tuli mieleen myös, että onkohan Matti Mikkola kuunnellut tätä levyä tehdessään Saimaan vol kutosta ja seiskaa. Jotenkin samanlaista poljentoa tuossa levyn alkupäässä. Ja puhaltimet tietysti myös tekee vähän sitä. Puolivälin kohdan pianoballadit ei kauheasti nyt iskenyt, ja siinä tavallaan ehti vähän kyllästyä ennenkuin taas lopussa meno parani. Joka tapauksessa oikein hyvä levy, ja voisin hyvinkin omaan vinyylihyllyyn tämän ostaa, jos jossain tulee vastaan. Solid kolme tähteä.

Another Joni classic. I think she got her stride more on “Blue” but this was another good example of great songwriting

Smooth, easy listening. It brings you back to the 60s with an avocado shag rug, orange couch, and this LP spinning on your record player

Joni Mitchell is highly acclaimed and made a lot of stellar music, but I'm kind of indifferent to all of it. It's nice enough but it all kind of sounds same-ey to me. I didn't ever dislike listening this album, but I have no real desire to turn back to it. Hejira is a bit better IMO and has a bit more Jazz to it, this is nice but not really a favorite.

Leuk, beetje simpel af en toe maar goed op de achtergrond

Classic Joni. For a specific mood.

Nothing bad but no ‘blue’ 3/5

I don’t know if I like Joni Mitchell’s music. She seems lovely, but I don’t know if I want to listen to her. 6/10, but I’m being generous since I’d skip almost half of this album.

For some reason her voice annoys me to no end. 3 stars.

Bob Dylan is said to have fallen asleep when Joni Mitchell played him her latest album Court and Spark. She was understandingly not pleased but in Dylan's defense the music on Court and Spark did put me in a peaceful state of mind where I could have fallen asleep had I been even a little bit tired, but I had a good sleep last night & I'm well rested. My eyes are bright, my tail bushy. This is Mitchell's first album after falling hard for jazz music. She doesn't sound as confident as in her past few albums and I get it as new ground will sometimes have that effect on a girl. It's a solid album. I do prefer pre-jazz Joni, but this is a solid entry in her catalog and it's easy to see some listeners loving it, but I like it more than I love it and I think this is where I get off as Jazz Joni doesn't work all that great for me but it very well might work beautifully for you and if it does- I completely get even if - even if I don't.

Like it more than Hejira on a first listen. Has the Prince song. Could grow on me.

good, not great

Franchement pour l’âge et le style j’ai trouvé ça vraiment pas mal !

Good background music.

Musically and lyrically, it's a great albium, and it's perfect for a mood that I likely will never be in.

Didn’t finish. Not too bad, not my thing tho.

it’s okay, the last track kinda saved it from being a 2, it’s just a little boring

It just sort of goes on really doesn’t it? Not Joni’s finest work. Some really good instrumentals at times though.

I didn’t like this as much as I thought I would. I always hear how Joni Mitchell is one of the greats, and although I don’t dispute that, I just didn’t really click with this album. It sounds of its time I think. Some influences from earlier decades could be heard. I did enjoy peoples parties.

Joni Mitchell is one of those names that I’m aware of but couldn’t name a thing about them. This was an interesting listen, clearly an amazing voice but found it quite sing-song. Feel like this album sums up the whole process, a name I’ve heard of but not a style I would listen to normally. Clearly a great talent and sounds much later than 1974 but not for me. Last track was a bit random.

3.1

Yeah, I remember that album, hopelessly in love with a neo-hippie girl as a neo-punk. Never thought I would listen to any of these songs or artists at that point in my life, but the heck, there we were. Surely, falling in love at 16 is a kind of different love, and opened the doors for me to this genre. Not that I've listened to it any time after we broke up, but today it just brings back sweet memories of adolescent, unconditional pure love. Although I'm more familiar with "Blue" and rate it higher, and started to listen to listen to her later works like "The Hissing of Summer Lawns", and "Mingus" due to my interest in (fusion) jazz years later, I still liked to revisit this album. Those sweet memories...3/5

Nothing wrong with Joni Mitchell but her music is associated with bad memories for me.

Not as good as Blue

I have the same trouble with Joni Mitchell as I do with Bob Dylan. I appreciate some of the sentiments (when I can understand them) but I struggle wth the wandering melodies and lyrics. So here I am on the fence again 😐

Enjoyable but never really hooked me in. I think it’s just too folksy

Heard it before. I love the jazzy vibes from Joni. Trouble Child is soooo good 3/5

I hadn't got around to listening to Joni before, though I'd heard the odd song. This is really good and my rating will probably go up the more familiar I get with it.

Elevator music at its finest. In all seriousness, Joni has an amazing voice and the compositions are well put together. I understand that she was an icon of her time but I think you needed to be present in the 70’s to really jump on that train (and heavy usage of pot probably helped). Good album with no major criticisms to offer.

A pleasant listen

Meh

Thoughts before listening: Joni Mitchell is starting to grow on me a bit, at least partly because of this project. Her warbly voice can still grate, but she does write some good songs. Review: So this definitely suffers from the warbly voice and also the overall light jazz meets folk sound of Joni. I'm sure this is a positive for many, but it just keeps me from fully connecting with her music. That being said, there are some very good songs on here. "Free Man in Paris" is one of Joni's best songs and I've never heard her rock as much as she does on "Raised on Robbery". Those songs are going on the playlist, but the best I can give this album is 3-stars.

Buttery voice over folksy, adult contemporary and dated songs. It's good for a mellow vibe, I guess, but meh.

This album is OK. Some songs are nice, most of it is folk, too soft for me, but some have a bit of blues, or jazz, and it makes the album more interesting. Nice to have on the background, not particularly interested in listening to it again, although it made me curious to listen more about her.

Pleasant but unexciting. Mostly, the music just faded into the background. People's Parties and Twisted were the standouts for me and the reason this is getting a 3 rather than a 2.

Not a lot of standouts, but easy listening the whole way through.

Quite pleasant to listen to.

Nie podchodzi mi Joni Mitchell. To poprawna płyta, a dziewczyna naprawdę umiała śpiewać. Ale nuży mnie jej styl oraz warstwa muzyczna. Nie ma tam dla mnie nic ciekawego. Może jakbym bardziej przysłuchiwał się tekstom, to bym bardziej docenił ją jako tekściarkę, ale muzyka to jednak przede wszystkim muzyka i śpiew. Nie dla mnie.

Decent

3.5

"You can't separate a man and his Joni tapes," -- Mr. Chi Pig/SNFU This album is pretty classic Joni Mitchell. A lot of great tracks. There were a few duds. "Raised on Robbery," for example, is a little cheesy for me. I think some of the jazz experimentation on this album works--like in "Twisted," while sometimes I'm left with the feeling that Mitchell should just stick with the folk elements she does best. Tracks like Trouble Child. This is a high 3, but waving between 3 and 4. I'd listen to again.

Didn't love this. I am going to give it another listen but I just found it a little uninspiring. Some really creative directions on this album (especially for a folk album!) but I just couldn't really get behind. Didn't really click with me.

I will give it up! I understand why my mom was a fan.

Joni has a wonderful voice. Excellent vibes for a lazy Sunday soundtrack. But not the sort of sound I yearn for on the regular

Joni Mitchell is me nooit écht gelukt. En de reden waarom komt ook op deze plaat naar boven drijven. Ze doet best interessante dingen, vooral melody-wise, maar ik word altijd een beetje duizelig van haar songstructuur en timing. Veel songs op 'Court And Spark' hebben best mooie passages, maar je hebt het gevoel alsof er om de haverklap een nieuw nummer begint. Het is free jazz in een singer-songwriter jasje, en ik kan er gewoon niet in komen. 'Free Man in Paris' en 'Raised on Robbery' landden als enige, maar ik waardeer de algehele insteek. 6,5/10 Highlights: Free Man in Paris Raised on Robbery

Wel aangehad maar eigenlijk niet goed genoeg geluisterd. Helaas zijn het ook wel nummertjes die beetje naar de achtergrond verdwijnen. Maar ik ken de staat van dienst van Joni en geef haar de voordeel van de twijfel. 6,5/10

Ok, some of the songs were nice, everything was pleasant, but nothing really grabbed me.

Beautiful voice, of course. I somehow like the album’s themes (love, relationships) more than the actual songs. (“Raised on Robbery” actually sorta annoys me.) Do these songs . . . describe feelings more than invite the listener to experience them? Hmm. Anyway, Mitchell’s work at this point was more about pop than folk, and, as far as I’m concerned, that’s not a compliment (either in 1974 or now, for that matter).

De type of shit dat je hoort aan het einde van een romantische film wanneer de hoofdpersoon en liefdeintresse samenkomen na de hele film gezeik te hebben gehad.

nice

While I know of her I have never really listened to Joni before this. Great voice and smooth vibes from most of the songs. It got a bit to much like talking instead of singing in some songs to me. Some songs I will definitely come back to in the future whilst others I will probably skip.

вроде более музкальный чем предыдущие что я слышала, но в целом фолкси звук её мне не очень заходит

First album that I got from Joni Mitchell. I have to say her voice is really pleasant. It’s the exact type I like to hear in 70’s pop. You’d think I’d love this album. But for some reason, I couldn’t. The songs just couldn’t stick with me, like there was something missing. None of the songs really pop, like it’s content on being middle-of-the-road. Kind of a shame, really, because I really could have liked this one. Favorite track: Just Like This Train Other hits: Help Me, Car On A Hill, Down to You, The Same Situation, Raised on Robbery

A very elegant album elegantly written and elegantly performed.

This is really great in spots but drags overall.

first impressions: god, i love the album cover. it reminds me of medieval era art in the best way possible. as for the music, it's initially not really my style; but it is very far from bad. it was a pleasant surprise for me to come across 'help me' and 'car on a hill', songs that have now entered my playlist, in an album i wouldn't normally pay any attention to. joni's voice is beautiful. it's deep and sultry, but sweet at the same time. it feels like a soft breeze brushing against your skin on a hot, sunny day. overall, it's a pretty nice album; something one would play on a road trip to just tune off and watch the trees pass by.

Lovely voice for some lovely songs

I’ve never been a big Joni Mitchell fan. Nothing against her at all, she’s clearly a talented artist, but her style just doesn’t click with me. I think it’s her syncopated vocal phrasing that throws me off more than anything. It always feels like she’s singing just ahead or behind the beat, and it kind of pulls me out of the groove. That said, Court and Spark definitely has its moments. “Raised on Robbery” was fun and upbeat, and “Twisted” closed things out with a cool jazzy flair that I really liked. Those two songs showed a different side of her that worked better for me. Overall, it’s a well-made album and I get why people love it, but it’s just not my jam. Respect for the artistry, but this one probably won’t stay in my rotation.

Mixed feeling ‘boot this one. Love the jazz influences, but soft/folk rock guitar and vocal harmonies isn’t my thing. The songs felt identical, both in instrumental style and themes, but the lyrics were well-written. Overall, good if you enjoy the genre in the first place, and I'm sure there are many who can appreciate this more than me. Twisted was freaking funny though hahah.

Good, but not as good as Blue

Soft and cozy 70s singer songwriter folk. Fits in well with Paul Simon, James Taylor, et al. A little too poetic for me but undeniably well written and well executed.

pretty nice to listen to

Back after four months, hopefully. Sadly on an album that I understand is important and classic but which mostly kind of didn't do much for me, alas.

Wasn’t much to it really. Was a nice gentle listen but felt a bit empty tbh. Still nice to listen to though.

This is the first Joni album I have listened to in full, and admittedly, it’s not for me. Her voice is lovely, the words are great; observational, deep, sentimental. The music is also great. But there’s an ingredient that just doesn’t jive with the rest. It’s like putting paprika in the caramel. I don’t hate it, but I likely won’t revisit.

This was a beautiful and brilliant folk rock album. Lyrically poetic, experimental/jazz influenced musicianship and production, and phenomenal vocals all around. Even regarding all of that, this just isn’t my style. Would I listen to it again of my own volition while enjoying an spliff on the back porch of a mountain cabin?… Probably, if the record happened to be in the the cabin owners collection and they had a sick ass turntable setup. If the collection also included a copy of KISS’s dog-vomit-pressed-to-vinyl 1998 album “Psycho Circus”, would I actually listen to it? Absolutely. And then I would commit horribly violent suicide in an attempt to once again scrub it from my mind forever. Regardless, “Court and Spark” was a welcome change of pace and a peak at the brilliance of an artist I hadn’t yet given a chance.

Hyggelig det, liker det. Elsker det ikke 3/5

Det er jo veldig flott, men føler jeg akkurat nå ikke har tid til å dykke ned i tekstene noe jeg tror man må gjøre for å få fullt utbytte. Generelt liker jeg Joni Mitchell da, så er vel en solid treer tenker jeg

There’s parts and songs that I really like, Raised on Robbery and Help Me for instance. But there’s some songs that, if they were to appeal to me, they’d have to be a little more interesting. But still, I quite liked this. She’s incredibly talented and her lyrics are undeniably inspiring. I feel like this album does what it’s meant to do. It’s jazzy, it’s warm, it’s inspirational. But it didn’t give me enough feeling to give it four stars. So three it is.

This isn’t something I’d usually go out of my way for, but I can appreciate this album. It’s raw and introspective with some songs bordering on stream of consciousness. And then there’s some fun ones thrown in there, like raised on robbery, and my personal favorite, the album closer Twisted.

This is not my kind of music but it sounds really good. The songs are well written and the production values are good. She has a fantastic voice and it’s really up lifting. I’ll probably never listen to this record again but I would recommend it to anyone who is into Folk.

achei que seria mais chato porque geralmente não curto essa vibe folk singer-songwriter, mas até que curti bastante viu? mulheres no topo!!!!

Not my jam

I didn’t think this was too bad, especially considering that I’ve poorly rated previous albums of similar genres from this list. This one was more upbeat and I really enjoyed the guitar tone

Hat mir gefallen, aber jetzt auch nicht mega special

Nice folksy jazz for a certain mood.

No puedo con esta señora. El vibrato continuo, la voz aguda...

It's fine. Nice songs.

Felt pretty meh about the whole thing. They type of album where I wasn't having a bad time, but wished I was listening to something else.

The instrumental parts are usually really good but the vocals are a bit boring sometimes and don't have much to it

Old folk/country music. Was hoping for more lively but it was a bit slow. If it was all like Raised on Robbery I would have enjoyed it more!