Hejira

Du Joni Mitchell quoi, toujours très sympa à écouter, mais peut-être pas son album que je préfère

M’oui

Très cool! J'ai bien aimé le style

Favss: song for sharon, a strange boy

I'm quite fond of Joni Mitchell's music and this album is no different. Great instrumentals (shoutout to Jaco Pastorius on bass) and vocals.

It was simply nice.

A beautiful jazz folk album- calming, tranquil, and affirming all in one. Her voice is hauntingly beautiful and the lyrics never intrude on the pleasant sounds.

Liked this one a lot more than Court & Spark

Already listened 5/5

Rating generator is not working, I rated the past 5 albums and the rating disappeared , had to re rate albums, get your shit together

3.5. I know I’m supposed to like Joni Mitchell. Great song writing, beautiful voice. Unlike a lot of folk music, amazing composition and backing band. It’s good maybe even great. I don’t like Joni Mitchell. Giving her the lowest mathematical score to still get a 4. I know it’s good, I don’t like it.

Bad

Its not terrible but I didnt like it

boooooring

So this is why Emma Thompson burst into tears?

Utterly gorgeous, moody, how amazing would it have been to have known Joni in the 70s.

# Hejira by Joni Mitchell: An In-Depth Review Released in November 1976, *Hejira* represents a pivotal moment in Joni Mitchell's artistic evolution—a restless, introspective masterpiece that transforms the open road into a metaphor for emotional and spiritual flight. The title, derived from the Arabic word for the Prophet Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina, captures Mitchell's concept of "running away with honour". ## Lyrics: Poetry in Motion *Hejira* contains some of Mitchell's most audacious and accomplished lyric writing. The album functions as a travelogue, with place names accumulating as the protagonist moves on—New England, North Dakota, Beale Street, Bleecker Street. Yet these are not mere geographical references; they serve as psychological landscapes for introspection. Mitchell's lyrical genius lies in her ability to subvert expectations within a single phrase. Consider the opening of "Coyote": > "There's no comprehending / Just how close to the bone and the skin and the eyes and the lips you can get / And still feel so alone / And still feel related" In just three lines, she establishes intimacy, then alienation, then a paradoxical connection—setting up the album's central tension between physical proximity and emotional distance. The two songs addressed to women, "Amelia" and "Song for Sharon," showcase Mitchell's most remarkable lyrical achievement. In "Amelia," she juxtaposes her own romantic disillusionment with the spirit of aviator Amelia Earhart: > "Maybe I've never really loved / I guess that is the truth / I've spent my whole life in clouds at icy altitudes" "Furry Sings the Blues" is musical prose that functions almost as a short story, painting a vivid portrait of Memphis's decaying Beale Street: > "Pawn shops glitter like gold tooth caps / In the grey decay / They chew the last few dollars off / Old Beale Street's carcass" The title track offers some of the album's most striking imagery: > "I looked at the granite markers / Those tributes to finality - to eternity / And then I looked at myself here / Chicken-scratching for my immortality" However, the density of Mitchell's language occasionally works against her. Some critics noted that she occasionally "stuffs in too many words, resulting in great lyrics but a choppy melody". The Los Angeles Times review found that while several songs fit comfortably alongside her best work, others—particularly "Refuge of the Roads" and "Blue Motel Room"—lacked the consistency and discovery of her earlier albums. ## Music and Production: A Hypnotic Soundscape Mitchell's musical direction on *Hejira* represents a significant departure from her earlier work. She abandoned conventional, hummable tunes in favour of rich, esoteric guitar patterns that create a hypnotic, seductive sound. The arrangements are spare and intimate—the session crew minimised to a basic handful of elements, all texturally conceived. The most distinctive presence on the album is Jaco Pastorius on fretless bass. His playing "sidles, nudges and cajoles its way into the upper registers of the lead parts like a friend interrupting a conversation with something important to say". On tracks like "Coyote," "Hejira," "Black Crow," and "Refuge of the Roads," Pastorius's bass becomes a second voice, unsettling and beautiful. Mitchell herself plays acoustic and electric guitar, making judicious use of electronics to achieve a rounded, thicker tone. The rhythm sections are reined to a nearly subliminal yet elastic pulse, with solos submerged into the fluid mass of Mitchell's guitars. Drummer John Guerin and bassist Max Bennett from the L.A. Express play with notable restraint, particularly on the eight-and-a-half-minute "Song for Sharon". The production, handled by Mitchell with longtime engineer Henry Lewy, achieves a distinctive unity through subtle colouring and impressionistic arrangements. Many songs lack drums entirely, and the rhythms move with the sinuousness of Mitchell's electric guitar and the elasticity of her vocal lines. Yet this experimental approach has its detractors. Some contemporary listeners find the album "messy and too unorganised"—beautiful vocals and lyrics undermined by a lack of clear structure. A Melody Maker review noted that the album occasionally "subjugates melody to the natural music of language itself". Another critic observed that some songs sound similar to one another, though acknowledged this uniformity enhances the album's overall mood. ## Themes: Flight, Freedom, and Isolation The dominant theme of *Hejira* is flight in all its aspects—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Mitchell was literally on the road during this period, travelling across America in a white Mercedes, checking into motels under pseudonyms. But the journey was also internal: she was "getting away from a romance, getting away from the craziness and searching for something to make sense of everything". Love and its complications are central to this flight. "Love stimulated my illusions / More than anything," Mitchell sings, but she suggests that unravelling those illusions from reality is a tricky business. The album explores the paradox of wanting both freedom and connection—"the refuge of the roads" versus "love that sticks around". The album is also a meditation on selfhood and isolation. At its most profound, *Hejira* explores "the prisonhouse of the self"—the way introspection can become its own trap. "And the power of reason / And the flowers of deep feelings / Seem to serve me / Only to deceive me," Mitchell concludes. There is a notable absence of optimism compared to her earlier work. The Los Angeles Times review noted that while her previous romantic songs contained hope that happiness was within reach, *Hejira* reflects a more resigned, weary perspective—"the first, tentative step in a search for a new balance and perspective". The album is "all shades of grey" in its lyrics, music, and even its cover art. ## Influence and Legacy *Hejira* has grown in stature with each passing decade. While initial reviews were mixed—some critics found it inaccessible or lacking the consistency of *Blue* or *Court and Spark*—it is now widely regarded as Mitchell's masterpiece. A 2022 Pitchfork review gave the album a perfect 10/10, describing it as "restless music of road and sky". The album's influence extends beyond Mitchell's career. It represents the culmination of her singular synthesis of jazz, folk, and confessional songwriting—a fusion that had no parallel in popular music. The album's refusal to compromise commercial appeal for artistic vision set a template for generations of singer-songwriters who followed. Yet *Hejira* also marked a turning point in Mitchell's relationship with her audience. The album "demands far more from her audience than the heady romantic bloom that made *Court and Spark* so attractive to radio programmers". It was a risk that reaffirmed her commitment to intimate, human-scaled artistic expression over commercial accessibility. ## Pros and Cons ### Pros **Lyrical mastery**: Some of Mitchell's most sophisticated, layered writing—particularly on "Amelia," "Coyote," and the title track—combining poetry, philosophy, and storytelling with extraordinary precision. **Innovative musicianship**: Jaco Pastorius's fretless bass contributions are legendary, creating a distinctive, haunting sound that defines the album's identity. **Conceptual unity**: The album's thematic coherence—the road as metaphor for emotional journey—creates a powerful, immersive experience. **Vocal maturity**: Mitchell's voice has "matured to a mellow sexiness," moving beyond the girlish quality of earlier albums to a more confident, seductive delivery. **Lasting legacy**: The album has only grown in critical estimation, now considered by many to be Mitchell's greatest work. ### Cons **Accessibility barrier**: The unconventional melodies and abstracted instrumental filigree can be challenging, particularly on first listen. Some listeners find the music "cold" and "distancing". **Inconsistent songwriting**: While the album contains Mitchell's best work, some tracks—particularly "Refuge of the Roads" and "Blue Motel Room"—are considered weaker, lacking the dimension and character of the stronger songs. **Melodic sacrifice**: Mitchell's subordination of conventional melody to rhythmic and lyrical concerns can result in songs that feel "choppy" or lacking in structure. **Homogeneity**: Some songs sound similar to one another—a characteristic that enhances the album's mood but can make individual tracks blend together indistinguishably. **Weight of introspection**: The relentless introspection, while lyrically remarkable, can feel overwhelming or self-indulgent to some listeners. *Hejira* demands patience and commitment from its listener. It is not an album that reveals itself quickly, but for those willing to invest the time, it offers one of the most profound and rewarding experiences in popular music—a "lovely masterpiece" that continues to resonate nearly 50 years after its release.

Soothing but average album, quite a lot of long songs which can make it a slog on some songs

Fine

Very good, sleepy lovely and good and guitar and the bass and ooh yes lovely

잔잔하고 평범한 느낌의 앨범이었다. It was an album with a calm and ordinary feel.

Joni is the GOAT. A true capital A artist. Blue is my favorite and a master piece but I like this one too.

It's fine - kinda meandering but I don't hate it.

Better than the other Joni album on here but that’s not a huge hurdle.

The only -jira I’m interested in is GO

We’ve had enough Joni Mitchell and I think there’s still more to come. Once again, this list is ruined by artists appearing multiple times with incredibly similar albums

I really liked this one. The instrumentals are often flowing and understated, yet they occasionally feature additional instruments that keep things interesting like the clarinet on the title track or the harmonica on Furry Sings The Blues. Her lyrics match the vibe of being on the road and moving past the world in such a great way. Favorites were Coyote, A Strange Boy, Song For Sharon, and Black Crow.

Not my favorite of her albums but it's still pretty good. Coyote is one of my favorites but the other songs are not bad, just not on that same level. I have to admit that she does that thing that I hate where she changes the cadence of her vocals to make them work in the song. Fortunately she is probably the best at doing this and I don't mind it so much. The music is really good and matches the style perfectly. I'm sure I will listen to this album again sometime, it's just not at the top of my list.

I knew a couple of these songs from The Last Waltz, which I enjoyed. Overall this was pretty good.

this put me onto Joni Mitchell and I’m never going back

music is love

Foretrekker forløperne, men denne plata er fremdeles meget sterk.

Fin bakgrunnsmusikk men synes ærlig talt JM blir litt slitsomt å høre på i lengden.

Trivelig, men jeg kommer ikke helt inn i tekstene (og det er mye tekst).

Not my cup of tea, but it's listenable unlike some other pop records on this list.

I have a problem with Joni’s delivery. Too flute-y, too lacking in edge or wry winks - even though I’ve heard that (rarely) on other albums. Here, on a first listen, I can tell the strong lyricism is there, but her affect rubs me the wrong way, and I was glad when it was over.

4/5

Too one note, a bit of a headache

Man loti gruti klausities es nez kapec

Man neparāk nesaktoties uz to, ka viņai ir ļoti skaista blass. Pirmā dziesma ir vienīga, kas man patika

Joni Mitchell is one of the top female vocalists of my generation. As she sings it's so easy to see her songs and picture the story she is telling. Starting off this album with Coyote was a treat, Always outstanding.

Somewhere on this album, she said “I’m headed to church to play Bingo.” Somehow, that sounds more fun than listening to this album again.

Je ne connaissais pas. Et je dois dire que ça ne m'a pas accroché plus que ça. Mais contrairement à la plupart des albums que je trouve assez osef, je dois dire que celui-là m'a quand même semblé bien bon. Il fait partie de ceux auxquels je n'accroche pas, tout en sachant que ça reste bon dans on genre. En tout cas, musicalement, il y a vraiment de très beaux passages, l'instrumentation est souvent mise en avant, on a même droit à une grosse basse qui a quand même réussi à m'évoquer Cynic (sacré grand écart mental !). C'est plutôt rare dans les albums de ce genre que je ne sais jamais trop comment qualifier. J'ai regardé vite fait, le site qualifie cet album de jazz et de folk ? Je suis pas trop convaincu. Enfin, c'est plutôt sympathique, donc on va pas faire la fine bouche ! PS : mais c'est Jaco Pastorius à la basse ? Mais ça explique tout !

Another masterpiece from American treasure, Joni Mitchell. One of my favorite albums to fall asleep to. No regrets, Coyote! 5

Not for me

Low key folk rock

Far too long and lyrical to really get into today, did kind of enjoy it though

Not got as many catchy songs on it as blue does but still some nice song writing in here Struggle to say I like her stuff as much now I know about the black face and racism though… 3

2/10 - enough of the Joni Mitchell albums, one is enough FFS, so boring and same throughout all the songs

The poet strikes again.

This album is definitely a continuation of Joni Mitchell exploring new sounds, heading more into a folk jazz direction. It has a more mature feel compared to her earlier work. Her lyrics carry more weight, with a deeper sense of insight and wisdom, and the jazz elements add a more sophisticated touch to the music.

I respect Joni Mitchell. The last album of hers I got had a surprise or two that made me respect her more. I still don't feel like listening to her. This was also fine, and not for me. .

Not my kind of Joni Mitchell.

5/10

Wasn’t really feeling this one.

9/10 If I was to one piece of advice to listeners if this record before it begins, it would be to approach it as a jazz recording, rather than a song-focused folk one. Yes, there are lyrics and vocal lines, but they are approached in a similar way to the lead instrument within a jazz ensemble. Don't go in expecting a standard verse/chorus structure, at least for the most part, or even a typical repeating melodic approach. This is free-form in places, but appreciated as an exploration of melody and harmony through organic development and experimentation, it's incredibly rewarding and beautiful. Interestingly, the album does ease the listener in with a couple of slightly more "song" structured efforts, but let that ease you in and you'll be floating along with the work as it becomes looser. The instrumental blend is, of course, a more traditionally folk rock one, but structurally and compositionally, this is very much a jazz record at its core. I can understand why that might make this feel like an unfocused or uninteresting album to some, but for me the beauty of this record lies within that approach. Joni's melodic skill and approach to harmony makes much of her work feel very unique, which is no doubt part of why people tend to love or hate her, but to me this is a very beautiful record that is given that extra level of quality due to the blend of jazz structures and that aforementioned compositional style. Worth mentioning here is the subtle range in instrumental use. The core of the album focuses on guitar, bass, vocal and subtle drums, but Joni invites in various other instruments in different places to create textural depth and range to that stable core. And the addition of Jaco Pastorius' trademark mid-tone roaming bass work is an absolute delight that adds extra jazz bona-fides to Joni's journey in that direction. If I were to have one complaint, it's that there is the odd occasion where that looseness drifts a tiny bit too much, but in all honesty, I strongly believe that if you fully immerse yourself into the work, that floaty nature is actually a benefit to the aesthetic, though it does make a casual listen a touch more challenging. That aside, this is a harmonically rich, melodically beautiful and structurally inspirational piece of work that sits very much towards the top tier of Joni's catalogue. Coyote - This is a lovely mid-point between folk and jazz. Jaco's bass brings a sense of urgency to the mix, while Joni's vocal drifts beautifully between a laid back swagger and slightly more forward to match that bass groove. Melodically, it rolls around it's centre in a very free, jazzy way, but it feels so coherent and thematically solid despite that free form approach. A very beautiful and rhythmically interesting start to the record. Amelia - I love this song. Again, it floats around in a very structurally jazz influenced way, but the instrumental blend is gorgeous. It's a melodically adventurous, while keeping things loose and free. The central motifs pop in and out, with the counterpoint between guitar parts and vibes is incredibly pretty too. It's not the most focused song, but in this case that works very well with the theme and general vibe. Furry Sings The Blues - That more free form structure starts to drift a tiny bit on this track. There are some really lovely moments, but that melodic centre doesn't feel as clear and defined as on the first couple of tracks. The guitar playing floats around the bass, in this case by Max Bennett, really nicely, and the harmonica adds an airy quality to the tone. It's very pretty, but lacking in definition just a tiny bit. A Strange Boy - Joni starts to tighten up the structure again here. It's still melodically fluid and jazzy in its approach to performance, both instrumentally and vocally, but that centre feels more defined. There are some more very pretty motifs and riffs from each of the instruments and the track soars in places and drifts into a mellow wash in others. It's a really nice experience to sink yourself into. Hejira - Jaco's back on bass now and the way his lines and Joni's guitar lines dance around one another really is gorgeous. His bass tone is always excellent, but it sits in this mix especially beautifully. The various lines, both instrumental and vocal soar from and dive back to a mellow home that rumbles along at the base of this song. As with much of the album, it's structurally fluid and roaming, but it always feels purposeful. The brief appearance of the clarinet adds a nice bit of range to the tone too. Beautiful stuff Song For Sharon - The cadence of the underlying structure here is very cool. It drifts along through some nice chord changes and then roams upwards before dropping back to that base. There's a bit more of a melodic focus here than some of the more free-form moments. The bass, back with Bennett again, gives this a nice platform on which to play and even wades in to the fun in places too. This is a little more sonically dense with the backing vocals adding extra weight to the mix. It's another really nice, floating effort, even if it is a touch on the long side. Black Crow - This is a more conceptually complex and atmosphere focused track. It's a sonic departure from the tone of the rest of the record but, while it's possibly the most challenging listen within, it's got interesting rhythms and grooves that make it a worthy inclusion. The addition of the distorted, reverberant guitar lines adds a lovely, dark texture to the composition too. It's not necessarily my favourite track on the album, but it's arguably the most interesting. Blue Motel Room - And we're now on to the most trad-jazz track on the record. It's got a beautiful swing to it, and a hazy, loosely focused flow to it that is so incredibly inviting. It's a pretty, floaty and warm experience that wraps you up and takes you on a lazy journey. Lovely. Refuge Of The Roads - We close out with another loosely focused, jazzy, melodically exploratory track. Just when you think things are drifting, though, Joni tightens things up and drops in one of the core melodic motifs to bring things back to the centre. Jaco's bass is roaming and interesting again, with a freedom that matches the floating nature of the track. Again, it's one that you need to settle in and enjoy the ride as the rhythms come and go, while the harmonic structures ebb and flow against those grooves. It's lovely stuff, even if I can see why it's not for everyone.

Highlight of this album is Jaco’s bass playing but I will never be a fan of Joni’s lamentations.

I can see how some people have a connection to this album. But i do not unfortunately.

Whilst this doesn’t showcase her astonishing voice the same way that many of her earlier albums do, he voice is still a thing of shifting mercurial beauty. Musically there’s a broader palatte. Fretless bass, electric guitar and sometimes that limits the flights her voice takes but lyrically she still makes the everyday shine

Like I’ve said before when one of her albums turns up - just wish I’d got into Joni a lot earlier than I did. I really regret those years she was out of my life. Be that a warning to all you doubters out there. She’ll get you in the end. 5/5 26/7/26

This is an absolutely beautiful album filled with atmosphere, intricate musicianship and stunning vocals. Most notably for me, this is miles better than any other Joni Mitchell albums I've listened to. Other records haven't struck home with me but this one really did.

Really solid, I enjoyed it.

This sounds like she recorded her vocals and then they just layered some production that doesn't match underneath.

Great songwriting from one of the GOATs. 4/5

All songs sound kinda the same. If you love Joni, that's a good thing. I am not, though.

Joni Mitchell me suele costar un poco de trabajo y Hejira es, creo, su disco con el que más he batallado. No está mal, ni de lejos creo que no sea buena música, solo que yo la siento un tanto densa. No para mí.

I feel bad but I just don't get her. She's so boring to me. I know that's a me issue but it's the truth. 4/10

ik ken een liedje van haar blauwe album die is meer piano based very chill nice singer songwriter mensen haten echt op haar?? dit mag bij albums die we in de woonkamer aan kunnen zetten

ik ken haar niet maar ze kan wel goed singen & songwriten.. goede chille muziek

Furry Sings the Blues and Blue Motel Room stood out. Impartial on this album. It's fine. 2.5/5

Never listened to a full album of hers before. The lyrics come across as anecdotal, almost inconsequential. It's like the backing track is already laid down and she's fitting the words of her diary to it. Enjoyed it more than I expected to.

I know that I’m supposed to like Joni Mitchell but I just couldn’t get along with this album. Perhaps the lyrics are more meaningful than the tune but just found it all rather bland.

Joni's masterpiece! At the top of her lyrical game!

Didn't really vibe with it sadly

Очень даже

Леееейдис ❤️

Какая же прекрасная музыка, я не можу

звучит как и любой другой альбом митчелл - приятно, но не цепляет, потому 3

Uggghhhh. That singing. She likes words. Fine. Lots of beautiful poetic lyrics. Just be a darned poet! Don’t make me listen to your voice do the same damn moves over every single song on every single album!

I still don’t understand who the Coyote is, but great set of songs

This was a pleasant enough road album. I'm not sure that I would come back and listen again.

I recognize a few of these tracks by title, but otherwise have never listened to this album start-to-finish. I'm also a big fan of Jaco Pastorius, so I'm at least looking forward to that portion of this album. I'm not normally a fan of Joni Mitchell, but I enjoyed this collection of songs more than I usually do. I think I'll add this to my list of albums to listen to again.

I have 2 Joni Mitchell albums-- Blue and Court and Spark. I look forward to hearing them on this site. Hejira was not my favorite.

I don't know some of it was cool but I am terminal brain rooted

Still not a Joni Mitchell fan

I’ve really quite enjoyed most of the Joni Mitchell albums I’ve gotten for this project. I think this was my fourth? She’s a name I knew, but idk if I could name any of her songs except “Big Yellow Taxi.” She’s a lovely writer. This isn’t my favorite of hers I’ve gotten but it’s still quite good. I especially love the sequence of songs going “Furry Sings The Blues-Strange Boy-Hejira.” Really strong right there in the middle. There’s a line in the title track where she poetically describes life as “Between the forceps and the stone” and I’ll be honest, hearing that took my breath away. Lovely, dark way of describing a life. Great writer! Love the tone of the songs, again, especially on the sequence I called out earlier. Guitars almost sound like alt-rock 90s tracks. Very cool and forward thinking.

This project can be great even when it feeds you something you don't respond to; like this poetry-set-to-music. I got this and Patti Smith's Horses back to back and spent a few days listening to both back and forth. Two women who used music as a vector for their poetry, producing albums released within a year, or so, of one other. How is it that I LOVE Horses, and have to struggle just to get through this? I think it's in the way they use the music. Patti's vocals are musical - yes, avant garde and often challenging; but she delivers her poetry as part of the music happening around her. She's listening and responding. She's passionate, and urgent, and emotional ABOUT THE MUSIC. (And, I have to add, Patti also has a sense of humor and is (at least mildly) self-aware; two characteristics that are essential to my ability to bond with a person or their art.) Joni's vocals, on the other hand, come across as performative intellectualism. Other than her need to anchor her modal meandering to a key, she seems utterly disinterested in what any of the other musicians are doing. Her intentions seem almost wholly linguistic; musicality comes across as a distant and very minor afterthought. How people so intrigued by language can make a life in music and have such total disregard for lyricism - for the way the words and their delivery SOUND within a song is a complete mystery. (But there are a LOT of them, and they are VERY popular; especially among people - like critics and historians, who write for a living.) Of course there are people whose tastes are the precise opposite; and their vote counts just as much as mine.

This was produced pretty well and the instrumentals were decent to good across many of the tracks, but the big downside is that her vocals just did not match with those in the slightest. The way she did a half talking half singing/ rambling style just didn't work for me and made it more annoying to listen to as it felt all so off beat. 2/5

Not a casual listen...but very intentional. Lots going on to focus on.

Very smooth and cool-girl-coded. If I was walking through the streets of New York this is what I would be listening to.

I suppose I'm not that familiar with Joni Mitchell because I was expecting something more akin to Joan Baez.. an annoying and sort of operatic voice. But I was happy to be surprised by her voice and her song-writing.

only ever listened to Blue, this whips

5/10. Realmente no puedo valorar este disco más abajo porque reconozco la significancia de Joni Mitchell en la música, así como las buenas armonías y melodías de las canciones. Sin embargo, no logro conectar con esta música, ya lo he intentado previamente, pero para mí no llega a transmitir nada sentimental, o algo que pueda apreciar fuera de la monotonía de la cuasi perfección que generan los instrumentos en cada tema.

Middle of the road stuff, was fine!

I like some Joni Mitchell songs, but I thought this was incredibly boring. Nothing stood out to me.

I'm writing this review a few weeks after listening to this album. At first, I gave it 3 stars, meaning that I liked it, but it probably wouldn't make it into my rotation. Now I'm realizing that I don't remember a single song from it, not even the general vibe of the album, and that's unusual for me, even when some time has passed. So sadly, it's going down to a 2, because one of the worst things that can be said about a record is that it's forgettable.

never really was a fan of vocal storytelling, good for background ambience. not a bad album, good tracks here and there, but it's not for me.

Another song-writing legend I've now experienced for the first time! I actually really like this spoken word stream-of-consciousness style that she's going for here; it feels like I've been cornered by a woman at the end of her rope, sitting me down in the dark corner of a cafe so she can tell me her life story. She's dangling me off the edge of a metaphorical cliff and it's a coin toss whether she'll pull me into safety or let me fall. I can understand why this isn't for everyone, but to me these weirdly intimate rambles are the real star, the instrumentals are just here to set the mood (very well might I add).

The music wasn't bad I just didn't really care for it.

Joni is like the female Bob Dylan for me - best consumed in small doses. By the time I finish an album I’m tired of listening to them. Brilliant, but tedious.

It's not a bad album, it's just not for me

This whole album settles uneasily on my brain; these unfamiliar rhythms and chord changes disturb me a lot. In gives me the same feeling of "this has the components of musicality, yet my brain does not accept this as music" as Stephen Sondheim operas.

Being a dude means I am not the target demographic of this album. Otherwise the instrumentals are ok if a little repetitive, but that makes sense when the lyrics are more of metaphorical spoken words. That said, I can hear reflections of this in later artists like Sheryl Crow.

Some jaw-dropping beauty here, and a few odd ducks too. No denying that Joni is masterful and so lovely to listen to, and adding fucking Jaco Pastorius brings us up to the freaking moon. But again, not every song goes there. The lyrics are generally just a little too loose for me (however, they are true poetry), but the vibe is wonderful -- an album written along the road that somehow makes you feel like you are also on the road. A beautiful, quiet, winding road. A wonderful album, and just barely not a five. Fave tracks: - Coyote - A Strange Boy - Hejira - Black Crow - Blue Motel Room - Refuge of the Road Edit: oh wow. That's a penis.

It's a good album, it's a Joni Mitchell album. I don't see anything that would point to this being amazing or memorable.

Not bad. Pretty jazzy

1.67

Deus abençoe ela. Gostei, mas o Blue não tem comparação.

Gentle, kinda spooky folk

Por casualidad escuché este álbum tomando un vaso de whisky y siento que fue bastante apropiado

Eh, it was fine. Kind of soft and quiet and boring for my tastes, but I didn't dislike it or think it was bad.

Musically, this is awesome. I could listen to hours of Jaco Pistorius on that fretless bass. It's velvety and wonderful. Joni Mitchell, though.... She sounds like she's trying to sing the entirety of "War and Peace" in three hours, AND not miss any details. You know that tree? That's important. You gotta know all about that tree. And ... here, cook up this excuse that you can't go somewhere and stay with me. Tell them you have German Measles. Specifically. Come on. It's too much. Slow it down, let it breathe. It’s a beautiful record, but it’s like trying to meditate while someone reads their travel diary out loud. My Rating: 3/5

With Hejira, the transition from folk to jazz is complete. This is a lyrically driven record; poetry over jazzy chord progressions. Not my favorite Joni Mitchell, but an unarguable classic.

Another album nice for background music at work.

🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 (rounded down very, very, very tentatively because it sorta blended together) Having heard a lot about Hejira and assumed a lot about Joni Mitchell, I was worried this was either going to be so cheesy it triggers my lactose diarrhea reaction or, maybe less viscerally, so good it makes me reconsider my biases. I think it was neither, but still not bad. Maybe I shouldn't have listened to it on a plane for the first time, because what I got from it was mainly the music, when it's the vocals and lyrics that are, I think, the real selling point. Unfortunately, the only lyrics I heard were "you are russia I am america we're in a cold war we need peace talks." What's that Taylor swift lyric? "You rode in on a horse / I was the horse"? 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

I think I liked this better than Court and Spark and am going to be lazy and give it a 4 because I liked it and can't think of a reason not to!

I loved Blue. Still an album I return to. Part & Parcel or Steak & Stein, or whatever it was called was pretty good. Now? This record is almost too Joni Mitchell-y. It's words put in combinations and sequences that my lethargic brain would have no prayer of assembling, which SHOULD be a good thing. I am so very tired of the nomadic gypsy schtick that, even today, permeates the "My primary goal is to to be perceived as intelligent" crowd. You know, like "Can't tie me down, man. Sure, it may look as though I have a deep-seated fear of commitment and everyone discovering me for the fraud I am, so I dress up my pursuit of base human desires as deep and meaningful in order to project an image of confidence and also to deaden the shrieking of my disapproving father's ghost in my mind" That kind of thing. This was another Joni Mitchell album, and the least likeable of the three. 2 GENRE: Mom is taking the divorce well (?)

Coyote is a great song and several others are quite good, but the style of music is not something I listen too a lot. 4 stars or B+.

Loved coyote and black crow. Felt the rest had less to latch on too. An interesting album though for sure

I didn’t know this album. It’s fabulous. The songwriting is exceptional. Detailed portraits and word-pictures, deeply personal in places, with pervading themes of travel, movement, seeking and clear-eyed reflection.

Sorry Joni. You didn’t grab me.

Yeah this was great. You gotta listen to it in the right context, i was doing a lovely sunday afternoon in the sun pulling some weeds out me garden. Enjoyable. Not as good as blue

Nice enough, and I do like joni Mitchell but couldn't really be arsed with it.

Very well written. Decent. Found it hard to care about what the fuck she was talking about most of the time though Wouldnt choose to put it on. 2.5

Nice enough but this is on me. I wasn’t in the mood to listen to it. Sorry

Good but not her best.

don't enjoy her voice or style

Not a Joni that I was overly familiar with - although a lot of the songs I felt like I knew, which just shows the way that she gets into the ether and under the skin I guess. It's a really lovely affair, not at the level of Blue, or maybe even Court and Spark, but still with a beautiful lush feel to it. It has the sound of being a bit later in the 70s, with some Fleetwood Mac influence in the arrangements and even a little bit of disco-y base in the opening track. But at the heart of it all is the purity and wonder of one of the greatest vocalists to ever do it.

Perfect album for a long walk

No es para mi, pero tuvo una canción que me agrado.

naprosto divota, od prve sekunde do kraja. mislio sam da će biti lošije od maestralnog »blue«, a kad ono, nekako uspijeva biti čak i bolje! gledam popis preslušanih pjesama i ne mogu odrediti najbolju... možda »songs for sharon«, ali jedno veliko možda ... v., pišem ovdje jer ne znam gdje drugdje, ne želim te zamarati nikakvim porukama, a ovdje nećeš vidjeti. ne mogu ni opisati kolko mi jebeno fališ. svaki dan nagomilavam po hiljadu sitnica koje ti želim reći. svakodnevnih, banalnih gluposti, onakvih kakve smo si uvijek govorili. nemam ih kome reći. možda tu i tamo kažem nekome nešto, ali nije to to. aktivno, neprestano osjećam golemu prazninu u svojoj svakodnevici. ne znam što radiš i nadam se da si dobro, da ti je bolje bez mene. nisam ni mogao slutiti da će biti ovako teško nakon toliko vremena. nedostaje mi i cijela naša ekipa. sinoć sam sreo i sjedio s dijelom našeg raspadnutog društva i jednostavno mi je bilo bolno za ubit se. i. pita t.-u kako si ti i šta radiš, odlazim na vece jer ne mogu slušati. ne znam kako ću dalje, zašto je svaki dan kao da je prvi bez tebe. objektivno se u redu nosim sa životom ali ničime i nikime ne uspijevam nadopuniti prazninu. mislim si da ćemo oboje ući u tridesete s nekim osobama koje će nas voljeti i s kojima ćemo možda i zasnovati porodice. i što onda? sjedit ću tako u tom okružju koje će mi uvijek biti pomalo neprirodno i usiljeno i sjetit ću se neke banalnosti poput "lilika reži". da se čovjek propuca...

Lovely.

I like joni but theres nothing here Ill probably play again.

I’ve decided that I really really like Joni Mitchell.

Joni continues to show she's a great songwriter with a lovely voice. That said, I didn't like this one as much as I liked her other album I heard through this thing. I think the longer songs felt a bit dragged out, and at some point some songs started feeling like background noise rather than something I listen closely to. I may have to give it another listen to truly fairly assess it but for now it gets a 3 for me.

lot more harmonics than i would expect in a singer song writer album. damn good

Not her greatest. Not even good.

Most of the songs didn't do a whole lot for me, though overall I liked the warmly atmospheric instrumentation and touches of fretless bass. Coyote and A Strange Boy are lovely. I can't help preferring her earlier work – I think I just prefer those higher, brighter vocals.

Boring. One Roberta Joan Mitchell album in a week is more than enough to hear thank you. Rambling lyrics on overly long songs which could easily be interchanged with almost any other backing track. No more please!

I think I may actually be coming around to Joni Mitchell. It may be due to the fact that I listened to it whilst relaxing on a lovely Sunday afternoon (and not at work) but there’s something so lovely and dreamy about this. What is this musical genre?Americana, jazz, folk? I’m not sure but I like it. A Strange Boy and Song for Sharon were great…. Oh and Furry Sings the Blues! Mitchell’s voice on Blue Motel Room is just exquisite. Her lyrics are interesting and sometimes witty, inviting you to look them up and read more! I loved this! (Might actually have to give Court and Spark another try). Took me a while to see that it was her wrist in the road on the front cover

The 1001 roulette blessed us putting this on a Sunday, as it's perfect Sunday morning music. Enjoyed it so much more than Court and Spark, loved the intertwining guitars and Pastorius sliding about on the bass. 'Amelia' was probably my favourite, I wish the vibes on this track (the instrument, not the mood (but also the mood)) were featured more throughout the album. 'Hejira' also exceptional. I think it ran out of steam a bit towards the end, but overall this was super good and suspect it will only go up in my estimations with repeated listens.

I still don't like Joni Mitchell but now I know where the phrase "boom boom pachyderm" came from. 2.5

Not really an enjoyable album.

A surprisingly unengaging set of songs. I don't get the attraction of these autobiographical lyrics and I found the music a little dull and samey.

she is so great at creating tiny little atmospheres, this album is so sonically beautiful

The dreamy gentle sound of Joni Mitchell is not really my thing. However, took time to listen to this without distractions and started to see the strength of her talent. I must start listening to this when I need to chill and consider my naval. Helpful for that, for sure.

While this album doesn’t have the clear, consistent melodic beauty of Mitchell’s 1971 album ‘Blue’, it was still an absolute joy to listen to. Of course, there are still some strong melodies here, but I think instrumentation, lyrics, and rhythm are the primary focus of this project. And, Mitchell executes all of it amazingly well.

Enjoyed the road trip with Joni baloney.

nice bass

As lovely as ever

I just don’t get Joni Mitchell. Her singing style and phrasing is so obnoxious that anything she’s trying to say as a poet is thrown out of the window for me. There are amazing musicians on this record, but again… the pretentious of Joni Mitchell makes them even harder to enjoy.

kind of an interesting album. catchy at times, had good "early morning in the lab alone" vibes. had a tendency to drone on at times, but overall i liked it.

I love Joni, but this is probably my least favorite from her classic era. Just a little too aimless and sleepy for me

i really don't vibe with this atonal meandering talk-singing

ah, we meet again, joni "doing blackface while dressed like bruno mars" mitchell. some decent tracks towards the front here but the rest are just long, meandering, and don't make up for her unbelievably casual racism. favorites: coyote, amelia, furry sings the blues

Pure torture , what brain placed this in 1001 i know 1001 that are better than this , even from Joni herself , gimme a brak

Not great, her other albums are better.

Great Sunday morning music

I never did like Joni Mitchell's music, and this album met my preconceived expectations precisely. She's smart and talented, but every song just feels like too much word salad crammed together. I guess I don't want to listen to songs that force me to pay close attention in order to make sense of them.

This sounds like it was a lot of influence on Beck's mellow tunes. This is repetitive yet chill. A good album to fall asleep to. Top tracks: "Coyote," "Hejira"

BORRRRINNNNGGGGG

--Coyote...it's a solid groove. vocals seem improvisational. too wordy. let the music do the cooking here, Joni --Amelia...again, the music is compelling but her vocals feel random and get in the way --Furry Sings the Blues...instrumentation and the vocals seem very disconnected on this entire LP --A Strange Boy...vocals and instrumentation are more cooperative here --Hejira...maybe her lyrics are super awesome and I'm too dumb to understand them but I consistently find the instrumentation quite compelling and the vocals incredibly annoying --Song for Sharon...pleasant but why is it nine minutes long? --Black Crow...funky bass --Blue Motel Room...this was nice --Refuge of the Roads...I did not enjoy the front half of this LP because it felt like her vocals were actively fighting the instruments. the second half settled into a less antagonistic groove and I enjoyed it a little more

Klang für mich alles gleich. Nette Stimme, aber halt irgendwie Einheitsbreit, vielleicht muss man hier mehr auf die Lyrics achten, aber ich hab nebenbei gearbeitet und kam nicht auf meine Kosten

langweilig und weinerlich, nichts für mich

achja. werd mich morgen nicht mehr an das Album erinnern

Even though there were a few songs with interesting lyrics, the overall tone of the album was not my style. It felt quite monotonous quite quickly.

Coyote is pretty damn good. Yeah, this album is up my alley in a way I didn't quite expect. Not all the way up there, but certainly a pleasant listen.

not available on Spotify so I didn't listen. I will say JM is not really my jam. 2/5

4th and final Joni Mitchell album for my project, singer-songwriter albums typically don’t score well for me but I like her better than many others. Pretty easy listening but easy to zone out and lose a track or two.. 3.25/5

A lot of these songs kinda went on and on and felt very similar. There wasn't a ton of super interesting stuff, but this wasn't bad. Liked Songs: "Coyote" , "Amelia" , "A Strange Boy" , and "Refuge of the Roads"

Not even Jaco Pastorius's bass playing can save this for me. I just think her singing is awful.

3/4 Joni albums for me, I’ll be sad once I’m done with her part of this list. Of course the instrumentation was incredible, but it’s not my favorite of hers. I looked back and saw that I wrongfully gave Blue 4 stars so I’m correcting that here.

The Good: A Joni Mitchell album The Bad: That is wasn’t the same experience as the other JM album I had to listen to on this list The Ugly: Trying to decipher what the hell Hejira stands for.. Hear Ji? Is JM dyslexic? Right. Done. Stick the fork in me… I don’t believe I need to listen to another JM via this list, and that’s fine by me at this moment. Really really really wanted to enjoy it… but couldn’t 2*

Found it a bit tiresome overall

Quite a drag. Nearly a 1 but felt that would have been a tad harsh.

I was bored

Second time listening to a Joni Mitchell album. Was enjoyable, great lyricist and vocalist Highlights-Coyote, Amelia, Furry Sings The Blues, A Strange Boy, Hejira, ans Song For Sharron.

Respect to Joni for being a one-of-one true artist, but it is difficult for me to get into the young Boomer women headspace and enjoy her music.

I guess this is what happens when you travel as a member of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour and become a frequent cocaine user. Take caution, children.

Cringey

Preddy good...

лайтовая кантри музыка приятная, но не запоминающаяся прослушал для галочки

A great storyteller songwriter with a really distinctive style

Always pleasant to listen to

If you’ve heard one Joni album, you’ve heard them all. No thanks. I don’t need whiney hippy music I don’t need to judge it as I already know it Lyrically it’s ok Vocally it’s too much to beat Musically it’s ok but can’t be saved. Move on

Very cool moody, jazz-influenced folk tunes. Jaco Pastorius' contributions are a highlight here, man was a master of knowing when to employ bass harmonics and had a great fretless bass tone. Gotta dock a star though solely because Mitchell's obsession with blackface still poisons my perception of her work anytime I try to relisten to it. 7.5/10.

9/10 I'm not a fan of Joni as a person, but this is her best work in my opinion. The minimalist instrumentation and subtle guitars work really well with her beautiful vocal melodies.

Amazing and incredible sounds in this albums, the Jaco bass lines are sublime, Joni's voice is magical and every song feel right. What a good surprise, I loved this one.

There was an indifferent feeling when I saw this album pop up. I respect Joni, but I rarely give in to her sound. For this record, something felt different than I'm used to. I still find the lyrics themselves way too dense for a passing listen, and even a dedicated listen needs more focus than usual. I imagine the payoff is decent, from what I've heard and read so far, this is a very intimate recording. On the other hand, the musicians here are playing an amazing backing role, creating these stunning soundscapes that set everything up for Joni's vocal structure. Legends, Jaco Pastorious, Larry Carlton, and then she was just casually dating ***and writing about*** John Guerin. The rest of the team is impressive, with a track featuring Neil Diamond's harmonica. It's just constant musical exploration, almost exclusively for the benefit of the vocal performance. I don't know if I'll feel like listening to this one again, just based off the mood. I would consider buying the LP, though, the quality of production feels built for a quality sound system. 3.3/5

- Completely different from the other albums I've gotten so far. Not a bad thing at all. Idk what I was expecting but it wasn't this. - She's got a great voice, also some very interesting lyrics. She's creative. - Joni paints these pictures in her songs that it almost feels like you're out on a walk with her, or sitting in the backseat of a car as she describes things she sees out the window. - She puts a lot into her music and it's quite apparent. She seems very personal with her words, some lyrics had me doing a double take *cough* "he picks up my scent on his fingers" - This is pretty far from my usual taste in music so I'll admit it was a chore for me to get through SOME of these songs. They made me quite drowsy. But that's just me. - I really like the tracks "Amelia" which is about Amelia Earhart funnily enough, and "Song for Sharon" which is literally a letter to her friend Sharon, where she is talking about love problems and her dreams for future relationships. The lyrics were interesting to follow along to. - This is a memorable album for sure and I'm grateful to have heard it. It gave me an appreciation for this style of music and for Joni's writing style. The 70s really had some of the most incredible songwriting, almost as if it was a competition to see who's more clever. Anyway, it resulted in some good music.

Eh

Pas nul, juste plat

nothing for me but 1 extra Star for mentioning the Gulf of Mexico. fuck djt

I took me a little while to warm up to blue and Joni's style of singing. This has similar vibe of verbal overland but with a jazzier vibe. I have listened 3 times now and its a pleasant listen - but not having the same impact on me as Blue which was a real grower.

Hejira 30 years ago if you’d have asked me if I liked jazz-folk I would have said who are you and why are you in my bedroom? I only know Coyote from The Last Waltz, and although Jaco Pistorius’s fretless bass does date it somewhat, it’s not an unpleasant sound, and the song is fantastic, evoking the wide open spaces of the highway, but representing confinement, rather than freedom. Clearly this is her ‘road’ album, but many of the songs seem to be about that same paradox, of the characters being trapped by their own escape, even if, as she alludes to in the album title, they ran away with honor (after plenty of banging - good for her). Amelia is a lovely song too, I didn’t notice the shifting between two keys until I read about it on Wikipedia, but it has a lovely, floatingly odd sense to it. Furry Sings the Blues continues that shifting, undulating feel, making a superb opening 3 songs. Those three songs also set the stylistic template that doesn’t vary hugely, apart from the more overtly jazzy (and pleasingly ethereal) Blue Motel Room, but it’s a template I like. A Strange Boy has a slight bluesyness and a fantastic vocal. Her voice really is fantastic throughout, possibly the best sounding of all her albums? The fretless bass also sounds great on the title track, again, the shifting, undulating effect it gives the song is fantastic. I love that moment when the backing vocals kick in on Song for Sharon, and it's another superb song, winding its way beautifully over the course of 8 minutes. Black Crow has slightly fraught feeling, which I really like, especially as its followed by Blue Motel Room and the melancholic Refuge of the Roads. I ended up giving The Hissing of Summer Lawns a 5, even though I thought didn't quite resonate in the way Court and Spark did, and on the first few listens I similarly though this didn't quite resonate as much as Summer Lawns, but I kept wanting to re-listen, and I ended up really getting into it. Maybe it’s a kind of Stockholm Syndrome, but I really grew to love this, and I think it’s also a 5. 🛣️🛣️🛣️🛣️🛣️ Playlist submission: Coyote

There's always at least some quality with Joni, and that's no different here. Whether it quite matches up to her masterworks is another question. It's not as instantly melodic as 'Blue', nor does it work the jazzy nuances as well as 'Court and Spark'. 'Refuge of the Raids' is a highlight - and that's where Kate Bush got here fretless bass sound from! 'Amelia' is very much a template for several Marling numbers and, similarly, grows over time to something quite phenomenal. The gliding chord progression is superb. Its an album, along with 'The Hiding of Summer Lawns', that I probably need some time to fully appreciate; but after many, many listens this does not feel on par with her two great albums, nor does it gel as well. And yet it still feels a uniquely compelling area of MoR with sublime touches.

the voice is nice, the instrumentals as well

God just kill me. I can’t get into this at all. I’ve never been the biggest Joni Mitchell fan, and this album isn’t helping. Maybe on a dreary late fall day or something, but it’s beautifully sunny in the middle of July. Birds are chirping, kids are playing in the neighborhood, and Joni’s bitching about god-knows-what. Bumming me out. Joni, you’re lucky you’re making it out of here with a 3, because I really want to slap this boring, meandering, sad-sack album with a 2. Now go on, git… before I change my mind. 3/5 Highlights: - Song for Sharon - Refuge of the Roads

Her music just has such a peacefulness and thoughtfulness to it Playlist add: "Song for Sharon"

Interesting combo of genres

Awesome. Honestly a 5. Perfect road trip album and the origins of this shine. It is melodic and adventurous. 5

interesting production, not what i expected from a joni mitchell. very nice, maybe will grow to a later 5 once i can digest it more

Jaco killing the bass, Larry Carlton’s classic hook line guitar lines all capped with Joni Mitchell’s stellar guitar quartal voicings and deep lyrics. Absolute perfection.

Joni Mitchell is like Bob Dylan, except she can sing. That isn't an original take in the slightest, but it's true. And I say that as a Bob Dylan fan.

What if Bob Dylan and Lenord whoever, but girl?

This album feels to me like one long song. I like the concept behind it - a road trip through dry, scorching landscapes somewhere in the middle of the States, an endless stretch of road, and boys met along the way who you may never see again. But at the same time, I find it terribly monotonous. Each track feels more like softly humming poetry written on the road - although both musically and lyrically, it’s actually pretty good. 5/10

This is so hard. She is an absolute queen. Her voice is second to none. Her lyrics are arguably more heartfelt than Leonard Cohen. I just find this album incredibly repetitive and it drones on and on.

Respect her as a songwriter but try as I might, her music doesn’t really appeal to me

4.5 Wow, I never really thought of myself as a Joni Mitchell fan but I thought this album was great. I was more enthralled with Jaco's playing more than anything but thought the instrumentals fit pinpoint perfectly to the songs. This is kind of like Graceland for me, Im not going to put this one once a week or anything but you have to recognize that this is something different/exceptional and should be a must for any decent record collection

Listened to it twice and couldn’t get into it.

I like Joni Mitchell, but I think this was a bit too bluesy for my taste

Coyote - 10/10. I never knew this was the title of this song. This is exactly what I expect when I see Joni Mitchell. Just awesome. I first heard this song in the Movie "The Last Waltz." Amelia - 8/10. My GOD, but Joni Mitchell has a stunningly beautiful voice. This is incredible, except that some of the guitar is a little jarring. Furry Sings the Blues - 9/10. Another killer from one of the Queens of Folk. A Strange Boy - 9/10. Absolutely beautiful. Hejira - 11/10. Goosebumps. Incredible clarinet in the background, perfection in the vocals, mix is well balanced, and everything fits amazingly. This one definitely goes to 11. Song for Sharon - 9/10. This song tells a very interesting, stream-of-consciousness story. Outstanding song. Black Crow - 9/10. Awesome. Great guitar lick on the fade out, too. Blue Hotel Room - 9/10. Smooth, a little jazzy, great sound, great vocals, Refuge of the Roads - 9/10. Absolutely awesome. I've run out of words to describe how this music makes me feel. Overall Rating - 4.61/5 (9.22/10). This is the exact sound and feel I expect when I see a Joni Mitchell album come across my list. Such a pure voice, great musicians backing (Larry Carlton, Jaco Pistorius, Neil Young, among others). All killer, no filler.

Just one more Joni Mitchell album left and I wish I had died so I didn't have to listen all of them for this list.

i like the electric guitar soso much. voice in coyote has almost a latin feel which is so cutes... song about amelia earhart? i love you. this is such a relaxing album. oh fuck a harmonica. these tracks are much more of a standard rnb pedals go fucking nuts. i love how this album feels. highlights: Coyote

Not for me.

You dort of know exactly what you're going to get from Joni. She has a great voice and sings very visual story songs, which are very pleasant. I don't mind listening to any of her songs, but I do struggle with an entire album. I can appreciate its quality, but it's just not my thing. Going to give this a 2.

I liked that more than I would ever have guessed. Some of the tracks did seem to ramble on a bit, all one paced. But her voice is great, and the music is beautifully arranged.

I'm sure she had written very clever lyrics which were deeply profound. Sadly this was completely lost on me due to her very boring delivery of said clever lyrics. The guitar and bass work was pretty good for what it was, but got tedious after the third song as all the songs seemed to be in the same key and tempo. This became such a drain, I have to admit I gave up with 2 songs to go. File under 'up your own arse'. You are not for me Joni Mitchell.

Needs some more listens but I really enjoyed.

Not a huge Joni fan, I like her best songs but the rest don't really grab me. So I was surprised at how cohesive and consistent this was. I still didn't love this, but it seems like it had a real cousin and I can at least respect that

I listened to it 4 times, and every time a different track stood out to me. I love how self assured Mitchell sounds on this album.

I totally get why some people don't like Jonis songs. Why some people think she's boring. Just like I totally get why some people don't like Kate Bush. It's because they're fucking idiots.

I am aware of Joni Mitchell but have never done a deep dive into her stuff. I only have 2 liked songs by her prior to being assigned this album here. The 2 songs are "Both Sides Now" and "Big Yellow Taxi" - which are 2 of her most popular songs. I've always thought both of those songs are lyrically very genius. Thoughts after listening 3 times... The first time through I couldn't focus on the lyrics really at all because the music is just so different than stuff I am used to. I had to just sort of let the vibe of Joni sink in a bit. The lyrics are just so dense - long poems really - with no chorus. I guess they have a refrain sometimes. I had to read them and try to slightly figure out what she's talking about. By the 2nd or 3rd time through I started to notice how unique (at least to my ears) the music is. The instrumentation is very stripped down and sparse but the guitar and bass parts are very interesting. I thought the guitar on "Strange Boy", "Song for Sharon" and "Black Crow" is really interesting. And the bass on "Hejira" is really good. The music is almost more atmospheric in nature - which is cool. "Blue Motel Room" kind of reminded me of Sarah Vaughn who I first heard through this project. This my be my jazz ignorance here - but it seemed like Joni was attempting a similar style. Her voice and singing style grew on me after a while. It's very "talky" but she definitely has a broad range and her voice get's very powerful for emphasis sometimes. "Song for Sharon" is a good example of this. I think that may be my favorite song on this - I like how it goes on for a long time (almost 9 minutes) and I also thought the background voices were cool. I don't see any credits for background singers so I assume that is layers of Joni's voice or something. I ended up "liking" 6 songs - which means I will hear them as the come up on my automated playlists. Those songs are "Coyote", "Amelia", "A Strange Boy", "Hejira", "Song For Sharon" and "Black Crow". I think I am going to have to listen to these songs many more times before I fully "get it" - but I am intrigued. Definitely interesting. In general, I am a big fan of story songs that don't have a chorus. These are like that - but on early listen the stories are a little hard to follow - but I think that is a me issue. And they're not always stories - they seem more like thoughts or reflections and complex metaphors. I have a feeling these will grow on my more. Cool stuff Joni! Looks like I am gonna get 3 more albums by her on this website - so am curious to see how those go. Liked songs on Spotify: 6/9 Rating: 4/5

wasnt a fan, it was a bit drab and boring

Meh.

Oh Joni we’re really in it now…

Joni is a legend. She’s not my favorite artist. It’s not my favorite album. But she is arguably one of the greatest singer songwriters of all time.

Legendary then and now. What powerful music this is.

It’s not my favorite. This is very pretty. She sounds amazing. Production, all of that is excellent.

I really like Joni Mitchell. Here story telling folk songs are great

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a Joni Mitchell song that didn’t sound like every song on this album.

You do have to hand it to Joni, it is rare talent to have an amazing voice which portrays great emotion and still make every song sound dull.

I can’t really fathom Joni Mitchell. There is something inherently likeable about her vocals, lyricism, wit and laid back vibe. The only problem is I don’t really like any of the actual songs, literally none of them I thought I’d want to hear again. All a bit puzzling.

First Joni album I've received so far. I've never been super into her music but its always enjoyable when I do give it a listen and this album is no exception. "Furry Sings the Blues" is probably my new favorite song by her. Favorite track: Furry Sings the Blues 3.5/5

the single was pretty good but despite that the rest of this album fell flat and the songs all started to sound the same. her 1971 album blue was better in my opinion. 3/10 rating

Much better than the last Joni album they gave me on here, but probably not as good as Blue? Not sure yet. Haven't heard that one in a while. Anyway.....4 Stars

3 - BAD

Enjoyed it! Half paying attention since I was working out, but liked the lyricism

It’s beige. She should’ve been a poet.

3.5

4.5

*Hijera* Love this albums... Is so cool and Jazzy without truly abandoning her folky leanings. This is the last, but definitely not the least, of her seven album do no wrong stretch, going way back to her sophomore album, *Clouds*. This is definitely more laid back than *Hissing* which ranks it a slight higher on my 1001 chart. (9.8) ★★★★½

The second best album of all time. Immaculate! 5 stars

4.5/5

I've never heard this before, but I liked this better than *The Hissing of the Summer Lawns*. I feel like some of Joni's annoying vocal mannerisms are more subdued on this album. I had really high hopes for this after the first two tracks, and I think "Amelia" in particular was really good. By the end though, I wasn't completely won over and it relies too much on that jazz folk sound I don't like. Still, I'll go with a light 3.5.

4.5

Marvellously hipcat album with particularly amazing assistance from jazz cats Jaco Pastorius and Larry Carlton. Also the best Joni Mitchell album for furries. Best tracks Coyote and Furry Sings The Blues.

I was blown away by how good this album is. I have mostly ignored Joni (outside of Blue or a song here and there, mostly there). But I've been short-changing myself. If Hejira is an indication to her catalog, seriously missing out. I can praise this enough or elegantly enough. Great album. 5 "I'm shivering" stars.

Que insanidade de produção, simplesmente magnífico dado que é um álbum que transita entre muitos gêneros e métricas e ritmos diferentes!!!

Narrative pop music, pretty interesting

Great album. I add it to my collection. 10/10

First listen

Quite liked this. Can imagine a cross-US road trip with this as the soundtrack.

Its just kind of bland and meloncoly to me. Not bad persee but could be 5 songs shorter and still would have gotten to the point imo.

I really liked the opening song Coyote. After that however I had trouble finding songs that resonated with me. None are bad and I'd probably enjoy listening to these songs live. Just isn't my thing.

A joy to listen to. It feels incredibly creative, and each song was a joy. I was very surprised how well I could keep my attention to this, as often these acoustic songs bore me.

suzanne vegas vibebi aqvs. like magram playlitshi ar minda

Joni Mitchell, 4eme album =>1/5 Pas de Jazz dans cet album interminable, avec des morceaux trop longs et sans intérêt qui génèrent un ennui complet. Point positif : enfin, c'est le dernier.

Funny to have this after the MC5, as it’s everything the MC5 is not, for better AND for worse. A meticulously crafted album of beautifully written songs and impeccable arrangements that somehow falls short of her best. Coyote is one of my favorites, and everything here is good to very good, but it falls well short of Chalk Mark or Blue or Hissing and probably a few others

6.5/10. I had never listened to this before, and it surprised me in a good way. It’s subtle, introspective, and really well crafted… you can tell why it’s considered great. It just doesn’t fully connect with me on a personal level. I probably wouldn’t add any tracks to my playlist, but I respect it and understand why it’s a good album.

This was better than I remember. Not the biggest fan of Jazzy Joni but this pretty good.

Love her, or hate her music, you can't deny her talent. I do find a lot of her music very samey, which is surprising as her guitar is often tuned in some very weird combination of notes!

I feel like I should like Joni Mitchell more, but her music always feels like one continuous song.

I first discovered Joni Mitchell way back when I was a teenager in the late 90s. I was a big Bob Dylan fan, and would read a lot about him. She came up a lot, always framed as “The Female Dylan”, so I was eager to hear her stuff. The thing is, if you go into Joni Mitchell's music expecting a female Bob Dylan, you'll end up disappointed. I was. Her music is nothing like Dylan's folky political pieces, or his looser rock ‘n’ roll numbers. It’s a lot more complex musically, something that leans more towards jazz in structure and feel. You can never predict where any of her songs will go next. There's no way to predict the next chord or how the melody will resolve itself. She doesn't seem to follow any of the conventional rules, yet it all sounds intentional, and it works. I love the song “Coyote”. I first heard it performed by Joni with The Band as part of The Last Waltz. It's a unique song full of layers: the strange tuning of the subtly phased guitar, the fretless bass, the harmonic textures in the background. I love how the song really takes off in the verse. And the way Joni switches between singing and spoken word: “no regrets, coyote”. But, overall as an album, Hejira was a bit of a struggle to get through. Some of the instrumentation can get a little much. I have an irrational fear of pedal steel guitars. Ok, not a fear, but an intense dislike. And the fretless bass works very well mostly, but at times feels “dated” and a little irritating. After the very strong first four songs, it all starts to blur together. So it’s one I respect more than I actually like. There are moments in here that are genuinely brilliant, but as a whole, it kept me at arm’s length. 3.5 stars.

Pretty ok. Decent voice, but kinda boring music. Not my thing. 2.5/5

This was fine as background music. I didn't hate it.

nah

Molto interessante e molto tranquillo, lo voglio riascoltare sicuramente

6/10

Decent. Ei ehkä parasta Jonia omasta mielestä, mutta toimivaa silti.

There's sadly more Joni I don't enjoy much than I enjoy a lot. This was squarely in the middle despite two listens. Much as I like atmosphere and melody sometimes I want a little more and she is basically anti-rhythm on this album. Just lots and lots and lots of words over music. It sometimes works and the stories are evocative - like Song for Sharon - but much of it was nice but passed me by.

Joni is impressive, her guitar playing alongside her songwriting, lyrics and interesting phrasing just stand out. I'm not sure how much I enjoyed this, like I really don't know, but it was all interesting enough I be 4 stars. Probably if I knew the songs better everything she does could be 5 stars. One day I'll give her records the time they deserve but right now I had a helloumi wrap and a nice walk home.

a very wonderful time. nothing she's ever put out there warrants anything less than a 4 in my eyes

finally, a return to greatness. the british are not coming. the title track on this album is fantastic.

I enjoyed it, but it got a little tedious as the songs went on. I kept finding myself drifting off while listening to see where they'd go. It is entirely possible that I don't have the music IQ to fully appreciate her genius. I see the vision though, 3-3.5.

I love Joni but this was surprisingly my first listen to this album. I was blown away. I can't believe this came out in the 70s. There's still so much influence that's made its way to the 2020s. My only critique is that the songs themselves and the album overall carry on a bit too long. This will be getting lots of replay. The title track had me enraptured, I don't think I moved a muscle during the whole song.

I had this Joni album before no? What's that? It was a *different* Joni album? Oh my mistake, but it's hard to tell.

Had never listened intently to JM. This album was surprising. Sophisticated chord progressions and amazing sounds all around. Joni’s voice is really just perfect. Call me a convert.

This record left me with an aching feeling, one I haven't felt in a while. Something that I felt in my soul. I'm only familiar with Joni from Blue, which is already a difficult (and by that I mean emotionally significant) listen. This has joined it in that rank. I'm pretty much at a loss for words with this. It's a record I had to listen to twice in a row, which is a first for this challenge. I think this is just something I needed to hear right now. I don't know why. Maybe I won't know. I know Joni's big grab is her lyricism, which is at its full power here, but my God, even the arrangements, the way that everything SOUNDS here is just so gorgeous and human. Jaco's bass on "Hejira" threw me off in the best way possible.

I had a hard time getting into this. Mitchell's music here doesn't really have form or structure -- it's almost as if she's reciting poetry over backing tracks... no discernable melody, beat, etc. The musicianship leads to some cool musical moments -- the fretless bass and guitar in the title track got my attention, and the guitar solo in Black Crow was nice. Mitchell's voice is fine, but not particularly memorable for me. I could see how others may appreciate this music, but it's just not for me.

I’ve enjoyed Blue for awhile, but never explored Joni’s catalog further until now. This style speaks to me with it’s unpredictable production as a backdrop for potent lyricism only enhanced by Joni’s voice and performance. Folk music that is anything but repetitive or ever short of ideas, it feels like the work of a one-of-one creative. The standout feature might be the storytelling though, which demands return to this to grasp those stories fully and piece them together, but with Joni I imagine they come together beautifully. Exploring her emotional state through her music in the way she does, Joni does one of my favorite things in singer-songwriter music, throwing out a hook to explore more. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Song for Sharon, Title Track

Expectation: -> This will be first full Joni Mitchell album listen for me. Long overdue. After listening: -> Much respect for her talent, songwriting, and style. I see why she is so beloved by many. For me, I prefer different styles than this, strong vocals, more energy, and songs that really stand out. This music is beautiful but often darkens the mood like a cloudy, brisk day. As she says herself in the title track, "There's comfort in melancholy." Track ranking: (skipped)

I had 0 clue what to expect with this but it certainly wasn't that. I felt this was the most up and down album so far. Some tracks I was thinking wtf am I listening to while others I really enjoyed. Unlikely to ever listen to it again though

This is a lovely mood to get lost in. Such an iconic voice, and Larry + Jaco add so much flavour

Smithers, I’m beginning to think that Joni Mitchell was not the brilliant songwriter I thought she was.

2.78

Most children, at some point, discover that poems don't have to rhyme. "Look at me, I'm so clever, I can just put random words together and it's a poem". Similarly, children find out about jazz and realise that songs don't have to have melodies, choruses or hooks. It feels to me like Joni Mitchell never moved past either of these phases. Which is a bit sad as I do like the *concept* of this album, but just not the slightly rambling reality.

Totally Forgettable.

She has nice lyrics, I enjoy reading them and respect her insightfulness. The music feels like pearls before swine. I'm missing something in the jazzy noodling.

Would like a little more variety in her singing.

pleasant, jazzy, relaxing. this was a great album to have in the background while doing other things.

Like a lot of people, I found this album somewhat inaccessible when I first heard it years ago. I think it was at the beginning of the streaming era when I was excited about hearing the whole catalogue of artists who I only knew from an album or two. “Blue” was already one of my favorite albums and I knew about some of her later work, but just didn’t connect with this one. But now it feels indispensable. Joni stories and lyrics and phrasing are always in a class by themselves, but what really makes is so great to me is the back-and-forth between her voice and Jaco Pastorius’s bass. It is weird to me that so many reviewers hear it as discordant when to me it is clearly a conversation between good friends. Maybe it’s the Emma Thompson of it all, but I feel like Joni Mitchell gives us music to age with. She’s never been without cynicism, but her later albums seem more frank in the need for joyous connections and experiences as an antidote to the world’s awfulness. And to cultivate one’s inner voice even when it sounds really different from what people expect. I’m in my 40s now and would sure love to ride around and hear her tell stories over the fretless bass.

Coyote, the first song, clicks me! I think I will love this album.

I don't know what she's singing about but I like how she sings and plays.

okay chill old stuff

Another great album by one of the great singer songwriters.

Buen disco, relajante, como para disfrutarlo en un atardecer. Me gusta mucho la voz de Joni Mitchell, es primera vez que la escucho.

Not my usual but Joni Mitchell has grown on me. Like Black Crow a lot.

I think any Joni Mitchell album deserves a 5 star. I love her voice, her melodies, her vibe.

It's poetry night at the combination coffee-shop-and-local-art-gallery, and brother, your drink is free