Hejira

Joni sounds completely at ease here — her melodies flow so naturally it’s hard to tell where she stops and the music begins. Jaco’s fretless bass tone is the perfect counterpart: fluid, conversational, and endlessly expressive. There’s a real beauty in how unforced the whole thing feels. That said, it’s easy to see why some listeners find this cold or self-indulgent — it’s more about subtle mood than emotional catharsis. Still, it’s hard not to admire how effortlessly Joni makes complexity sound simpl

Slightly mesmerised. Really appreciate ui!

Oops she did it again. The second Joni Mitchell album that converted me after a few listens. Plodding but beautiful nonetheless.

I find 40 minutes a lot of Joni Mitchell but she definitely is a one off and this is pretty classic Joni. Understands what an album is and delivers. I suspect there's others to come and she maybe has more accessible albums.

I liked this one. Playful and interesting and Joni is great. Not a lot of real "star" songs but a good listen start to finish.

Besides Blue and a best of, I've not listened to much Joni Mitchell. I'm not sure why as Blue is a great album. This isn't as good as Blue, but it's still very enjoyable. A solid 4.

Joni has a voice that takes me in. Her songwriting is exquisite and her storytelling is unmatched. I had never heard this album, but I really like it. Great stuff.

Ah, my final Joni Mitchell album to review. Sad day. I’d never listened to any of Joni Mitchell’s music before starting this project, but I’ve really fallen in love with her as an artist over the course of the first three albums of hers that I reviewed. I gave five stars to Blue and four stars to the Court and Spark and The Hissing of Summer Lawns, the latter of which definitely deserved five stars. Oh well, live and learn. Each album of hers has offered me something different, and I expect Hejira to do the same. Here’s to my last hurrah with Joni! Hejira definitely offered something different than the three Joni albums I’ve already reviewed, and I’d put it a little above Court and Spark for my official rankings. I loved that this album told stories of Joni’s time on the road, and even though this wasn’t really a concept album, it felt like all the tracks were tied together really well, with the title track of the album serving as the tethering point for those threads. As with the other Joni albums on this list, her songwriting, vocals, and ability to tell narratives is second-to-none. I loved how some of these songs took bigger ideas or figurative concepts, and tied them to Joni’s real-world experiences, making them so much more concrete and real. The guitar playing was great on this album, and I loved how rich each song was. Jaco Pastorius’s bass playing was truly exceptional, and his musicianship gave this album a really great sound. A few notes on some individual songs: The storytelling on “Coyote” is excellent. I loved the metaphor of the coyote as a ladies’ man and as a predator in nature. The vocals and guitar playing created an excellent vibe for the story. “Amelia” had a really rich sound, with more fantastic guitar playing, and the vibes (the instrument) added a wonderfully unique touch. The weaving of Amelia Earhart’s story into Joni’s personal experience was done perfectly, and I loved the parallels between the two stories. I loved the darker sound of the title track, and I loved how it was the song that tied together these other stories. I loved how the bass playing changed and developed over the course of the song as well. “Black Crow” had a really great sound to it, and I loved the unique rhythm of the guitar strumming. While this wasn’t my favorite Joni Mitchell album, I still really enjoyed it, and I can understand why it’s often regarded as her best work. Joni Mitchell is an incredible talent, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know her music.

this was good, some really good songs and lyrics on this

I always struggle with Joni Mitchell. This is, like, the third or fourth album we’ve had of hers on this list. She has some of my favourite musicians around her and the music is always great. But it’s the old problem, not liking the sound of someone’s voice. It’s a bit reedy and weedy and whimsical for me. Nonetheless, I always give her a favourable score, even though it’s a struggle. And thus it is here. This might be one of my favourite albums I’ve heard of hers. The music is quite beautiful and you can hear Jaco Pastorious prominently. It feels a bit less hippyish, even though it’s only 1976. I don’t know if I’ll come back to it, but I’ll try.

I liked it, very mellow

This is such a beautiful album. I didn't know one song before this listen. It was such a treat listening to Jaco Pastorius' bass playing. I love his work, so it's like discovering a hidden treasure for me. Larry Carlton's playing is great too, but a lot more subtle than Jaco's. Joni's voice is like it's own instrument and her songwriting is so interesting on so many levels. Liked Songs Added: Coyote Hejira Song For Sharon Refuge Of The Roads

Enjoyed this way more than the previous Joni album. 4/5

I really liked Jaco’s unmistakable bass playing. I will listen again

not really any standout songs just a solid album

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'll be back for a few more listens at least. Quiet for not really my thing but lovely melodies and pleasant enough. Better that watch rock at least.

Very lovely album

This is a great, relaxed album; perfect for fall season. But, man, did they go overboard with chorus on Jaco Pastorius' fretless bass. 4/5

Classic Joni loveliness

Another good album from Joni Mitchell with acoustic folk with occasional jazz. Better than court and spark, but would come after Blue. Favorite track: Strange boy other picks: Coyote, Amelia, Blue Motel Room, Black Crow

I would say with a more jazz folk sound is where Joni Mitchell excels most. Some of her most evocative songs on here.

Thoughts before listening: I really want to like Joni Mitchell...and sometimes I do like her. Her music is soothing, especially when it's jazz inspired, and the lyrics are typically interesting. I just don't love her voice. It's too warbly or something. Review: So this opens with "Coyote" which is definitely one of Joni's best. An upbeat song with jazzy acoustic instrumentation, this is what I want all Joni Mitchell songs to sound like. Joni's vocal performances on this album are much better than I would typically expect. More husky voiced, bluesy talk singing than her typical folky warble, I am not as turned off by the vocals as I usually am. Real star of this album though is Jaco Pastorious on bass adding all sorts of interesting flourishes to the music. Maybe the best Joni album I've heard? 4-stars

Great songwriting but sometimes her vocal style gets annoying.

I very much enjoyed this album listen! I believe this was my first time ever listening to a Joni Mitchell album in full and I had a great time doing so. Her songs are very lyrically and melodically gorgeous to listen to. I could listen to her sing all day. I would definitely listen to this album and more of Joni in the future!

Superb!!

This is peak Joni figuring out her new direction; road trips are you kidding me? And collab with The Band; nothing but to love this one.

This definitely merits another listen. Some of the harmonic choices are beautiful, and it's quite listenable for how lyrically dense it is.

Since it's no secret that Mitchell's lyrics and songwriting are masterful, I want to give a shoutout to the electric guitar across this album. The production on everything is extremely warm and smooth, but especially on the electric. It doesn't overstay its welcome on more acoustic driven songs, but it adds a perfect flavor and spark to what you might consider more "typical" arrangements compared to some of Mitchell's earlier work. And while this album is brilliant, it does feel a little safer in comparison, and almost like a step back for her instead of forward.

Learning this record emerged from cross-country road trips deepened my appreciation for its restless, wandering instrumentation that perfectly complements Joni's exploratory and literate lyricism.

Erinomaisesti sovitettu ja sanoitettu levy!

Good album, now I get all the fuss about Joni Mitchell

Like speaking to someone who is high but really is speaking truth. Just hard to get figure out where they are initially

I'm m not in the slightest bit familiar with Joni Mitchell, however this album has got me very keen to explore further. Hejira in some ways acts as a fine juxtaposition to yesterday's listening via The Associates - this is one where the low-key sonic approach, on the surface of it, has provided a welcome change of pace. Whilst there aren't walls of sound to unpack here, what I did find impressive and most engaging about Hejira is the variety / complexity to the crooning melodies and instrumental patterns here, providing this album with a level of depth which isn't immediately apparent at first glance. There are undoubtedly jazzy qualities underlining this album, which I suppose you would broadly consider a "soft rock" or singer-songwriter effort. After wrapping up my listening, I noticed that a certain Jaco Pastorius features on the album as a bassist, who I'm also unfamiliar with but am aware is held in very high regard. Joni Mitchell's voice is wonderful, and unusually for a first listen on my part, I also caught onto a level of poetic, abstract beauty in the lyricism throughout. This is definitely high up on my list to revisit.

Aching and beautiful and worth multiple listens to keep discovering the lyrics.

As soon as you see Joni's name come up, you know you're gonna get some quality tunes. I think this will take more than just this single initial listen to unlock the wonders of this album that are surely there, but there were definitely some standout moments on first listen.

Hejira is my favourite Joni Mitchell album, and it continues to grow on me with every listen. The blend of jazzy and bluesy tones creates a rich, introspective soundscape that perfectly complements her poetic, deeply reflective lyrics. Standout tracks like “Black Crow” and “Blue Motel Room” showcase Joni’s ability to merge storytelling with musical sophistication. “Black Crow” in particular is a brilliant, restless journey — both lyrically and musically — and stands out as my favourite song on the album. Honestly, there isn’t a single weak track here; each song offers something unique and meaningful. The album flows with a quiet intensity that rewards repeated listens. The artwork also deserves a mention — cool, mysterious, and perfectly aligned with the album’s moody, traveling spirit.

Just like the other Joni albums her vocal delivery is so unique and intriguing on Coyote. This song rules. Love the harmonica on Furry Sings the Blues. Turns out it's Neil Young!

Kocham Joni nad życie, ale na płyta nie jest wybitna. Ma lekkie kawałki przez które się płynie, ale nic mi nie rozerwało serca na strzępy, a tego się po niej spodziewam. Nadal 7/10, bo to Joni i ona nie jest w stanie nagrać złej płyty, ale czuję lekki niedosyt.

Joni is from my home city! I love her voice more than I think. Black crow is probably the song off of the album for me

Great

One of my favorite Joni Mitchell albums. Deep, introspective songwriting and stunning musical arrangements are helped along with some of the best musicians around. Jaco Pastorius’ fretless bass playing is always a delight to hear. Beautiful album.

Loved everything about this. Just as good as Blue

This is my third Joni Mitchell album for this project and I was pretty convinced that I do not like her music. Hejira had me questioning that sentiment three songs in. I like the instrumentation on these songs, especially the bass. I still struggle with Joni’s vocal style in places, but the good overrides the bad. Hejira is the most consistent Mitchell album that I’ve heard from beginning to end. It kept me engaged throughout. I could see myself listening to this again. I keep going between a 3 or 4 on my rating and I think I’m landing on a 4. Hejira has some staying power to come back to multiple times and probably get something new from it every time. I guess I don’t dislike all of Joni’s music after all. 4/5

I only really knew Blue before, but this is right up there. Nice.

A very lyrically dense and impressive pop album. I really enjoyed the instrumentals and Joni's voice. Some songs went on a bit too long but it was all around good. 4/5

Such a beautiful voice, really enjoyed this but none of the songs stood out more than another on the first listen.

I wasn't super familiar with Joni Mitchell's music outside of some songs I heard from Blue so this is my first time listening to her music and good lord is this album pretty. It's basically a travelogue and her recounting all these small things along the road, but at the same time the emotions and ways in which this album plays out are pretty and calm yet very complex (helps she has help from a lot of jazz legends) It's fantastic stuff

Pleasant vocals and instrumentation but a lot of the lyrics seem nonsensical. Almost a spoken word kind of singing that flows rather than distinct sections. The self-titled song is quite good. Song for Sharon is good too. It sounds like Fleetwood Mac. It came out a year after the Rhiannon, maybe it was inspired (taken). Black Crow is good too.

Not as commercial as some of her earlier work, still has that great voice and interesting chord progressions you'd associate with Joni, the songs are longer, they ramble on with a looser structure. Lyrically excellent, a slower listen, needs a few listens I think to appreciate.

This is my favorite songwriters favorite album. So i think by default I kind of have to like it. Lyrically fantastic. But why is there a penis on the cover? That's for JM to know I guess. Really beautiful record though

Lovely stuff. She'll go far.

Apparently I need to listen to more Joni Mitchell because this was very awesome. Strong vocals & lyrics.

Favorite Track: Coyote

4/5. Joni Mitchell is an interesting person, and with each album, I feel like I'm learning more about her while also asking double the questions. It's not that she's mysterious, it's that everything she's done seems to be known by everyone. There is a weird sense of violence towards her from many men in the music industry and I wondered why that could be. And after listening to this album, I think I understand. I think many men just hate women. Now, I knew this already but hearing Joni speak about travel, what if's, cocaine, and being alone, it became clear why these things were happening to her. She was smart, witty, confident, and yet still sexual, hence being with many music men. But these music men did not like that, they needed to be the smart ones. And so she never stayed with anyone too long for fear of harm. As far as the album itself, I still think Blue is her best. However, I did grow to like this more with each song. Hearing Joni speak from a place of privilege yet shame, the cocaine made sense. Identity crisis on another level filled with ego and hubris. It's a wild combination. It's sad to listen to Joni, as it is clear to those who will listen, that every song feels like a cry for help with a mix of shade and anger. And men don't like to hear that. I enjoyed it, but not Mitchell's best imo. Best Song: Coyote, Song For Sharon, Hejira

What a great start to a Saturday morning

2nd Joni Mitchell album. I liked the change in instrumentation even if it was mostly "put phasers on things". A few tracks are enjoyable, but I think I struggle a bit with her arrangements - the free flowing nature of the melodies isn't very repetitive, so I sometimes struggle to find the heart of the song. Coyote and Blue Motel Room are great, but a lot of the tracks don't stick in my memory. A strong 3/soft 4. Giving a 4 because I think it could reward multiple listens. Maybe I just haven't 'unlocked' Joni Mitchell yet?

Beautiful voice, rambling album. I loved it anyway.

Classic singer songwriter from Woodstock! LOVE PEACE

The opening is a bit erratic, but it settles in a sweet spot of good songwriting and great tones

jaco bass action

Loved the songs, love to listen to Mitchell play guitar and sing. Plus she’s from the second coolest city a musician can be from (after Edmonton). Production on this one a bit too slick for me, but it overcomes it.

Coyote is a bop and saves this album from being 3 stars. The rest is good folk music but (at least on my listen) none of it stood out after that first track. Just nicely strummed songs with meandering lyrics

Loved this!

Cozy

This is one of my favorite Joni albums. I actually like it more than Court and Spark. Cannot miss tracks: Coyote Amelia Hejira

She has such a lovely voice

I love her vocal inflections; equal parts Bob and Paul Simon, and yet this music feels like an entirely new experience. For an album pretty much standing against the idea of a song having typical song structure by fully rejecting choruses, each song still stands on its own with some of the most beautiful lyrics I’ve ever heard.

music very much subordinated to the lyrical content here. fortunately, that lyrical content (introspective travelogue) is generally top notch.

Enjoyed it.

Muy lindo canto, guitarras Super exquisitas 6 letras que se salen de lo típico. No es mi género pero también, le voy a poner buena puntuación. Definitivamente voy a escuchar otro de sus discos. Nota: 3.8

An ethereal entry bordering on jazz. Worthy of more exploration, for sure.

Good porch music. Vocal cadence is almost jazzy.

A very pleasant experience. Of course the bass work by Jaco is just phenomenal, and is the reason I bought this album in the first place. Joni's usual penchant for singing long flows of words with no thought to any rhyming scheme is evident here as usual. Just a straight up storyteller that happens to sing instead of speaking. It's hard to really pin down what genre any of this is, some sort of folk/pop/jazz amalgamation.

Enjoyed. Hints of what is to come

A Joni Mitchell album. No surprises. An enjoyable listen. (3/7)

Folksy girl with guitar. She has a really happy pleasant voice. Stand-out: Coyote

Pretty and atmospheric. Enjoyed the title track and Blue Motel Room in particular.

Joni and Jaco! What else can you ask ?! Beautiful album. Not as iconic as Blue, but really good! 4 stars

It feels much denser than Blue and Hissing of Summer Lawns so it'll probably take a while before I get a good grasp on this one. I still really enjoyed it albeit not as much as the previously mentioned. It goes in a jazz direction that I usually can't get much out of but I felt like I was able to understand it better than usual. Rating: 4.3

Сложная музыка с великими текстами. Лучшая песня - Hejira.

Joni travelling around the US in the mid 70s recording her experiences over scattered beats. Kind of medidative. Poetry set to music. A bit rambling but also soothing and beautiful.

This is definitely one my my favourites from Joni Mitchell so far. I have yet to really properly get to know any of her albums, but I can just tell that this is one of her best. I really like albums that contain fewer songs, but each song is much longer. It makes for a far more memorable album and that can really be felt here.

Over the years, I've had my fair share of struggles connecting with Joni Mitchell’s music. I've spun Blue and Court and Spark countless times, trying to fall in love with her as some of my friends have. I have immense respect for her as a lyricist, songwriter, and vocalist, but something about her delivery and even her choice of subject matter hasn't fully clicked for me. It’s a personal disconnect, and I’m sure Joni isn’t losing any sleep over it! Hejira, however, was new territory for me, and knowing it marked her deeper exploration into jazz, I was eager to give it a shot. At first listen, it sounds like a natural extension of her earlier sound; the compositions are looser, and her vocal tone feels a little deeper and more grounded, yet it’s still unmistakably Joni. But if anything, this album’s restrained delivery speaks to me more. She’s less focused on pitch-perfect moments and more on letting the raw emotional undertones of her words shine through. There’s a natural flow, a sense of just letting the words and music breathe. Subject-wise, Hejira is a true road trip album, drenched in solitude, introspection, and freedom. Inspired by Mitchell’s 1975 solo drive from Maine to California, the songs are shaped by the long stretches of highway and open landscapes she travelled alone. This album feels like a series of snapshots—moments of clarity, passing thoughts, deep reflections. In tracks like "Coyote" with its flirtatious spontaneity, "Furry Sings the Blues" with its haunting portrayal of Beale Street’s lost past, and "Song for Sharon," where she contemplates the paths not taken, she captures the exhilaration and isolation of the journey. Hejira has been a revelation to me, upending my preconceived notions of Joni Mitchell and her music. Its understated beauty, raw emotion, and introspective lyrics have drawn me in like never before. The album’s cinematic feel, rich with evocative imagery and stripped arrangements, creates the impression that you are riding shotgun with her on the highway. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Sure, although 'The Hissing of Summer Lawns', 'Blue' and 'Court and Spark' are more closely recognised with the artist Would this release make my personal list? I'm surprised by just how much I enjoyed this album. It may not have made me a die-hard fan just yet, but it definitely brought me closer to appreciating her world. Will I be listening to it again? For sure.

Liked this way more than expected

I love Joni, but everything else she has done is better than this one

Enjoyed this a whole lot more than expected. Super relaxing tunes and quality singing. A little boring at times but still good, coyotes a great tune

I love Joni Mitchell, she's why I switched from Spotify to Apple Music. Now her and Neil Young are both on Spotify again and I'm still stuck with Apple's shit algorithm. Fuck you Joe Rogan. Oh yeah hey everyone I'm back.

I like Joni Mitchell but hadn't got round to listening to this one before. Good as always, but probably not my favourite of hers. Fav tracks: Coyote, Refuge of the Roads, Blue Motel Room

I don’t think I’ve really listened to much of her music but I really enjoyed this. Coyote was great

This was goooood. Compared to the previous Joni record I got on this list, this one sounded much more evolved musically. Some real nice tones throughout. Kinda want to listen to it again which is always a good sign

Solid Joni fare. She’s been better but I still enjoyed it.

This album feels warm and wonderful but breezy. I've never really listened to Joni Mitchell before but I definitely ended up enjoying the album. I drifted in and out of the lyrics but from what I could tell they seemed poetic. Very much just enjoyed the vibe of this. Wasn't a big fan of "Song for Sharon" but I liked everything else.

Really liked this. The movement of the bass doesn't allow it to wash over you and you're almost forced to listen - not unpleasant though! Lyrically interesting and poetic. Joni's a new treasure for me from this list, I only knew of her and maybe one or two hits. What a guitarist she is too!

I liked this one a lot. Joni is great here and has amazing lyrics. That with the folky jazz makes a great combo. Maybe I’ll return to it.

Interesting album with hypnotic textures and engaging themes. Hejira is an untamable work product of Joni and Jaco during their peak. Love it!

Lovely Joni Mitchell

Nice and relaxing

Enjoyed this, love Joni, but not sure if I love it as much as her earlier stuff, idk if that's controversial or not but I generally prefer late 60s/early 70s for most musicians of this genre and era. I do love that this album has a lot of cool bass lines!

very chill vibes. love me a folksy melancholy tone

Very well produced, but the meandering lyrics and limited instrumentation (while lovely) make it difficult to follow along unless listening very intently. The follow up to 1975's Hissing of Summer Lawns, I'd argue that 'Hissing' is more accessible than this album, but this album wonderfully encapsulates the meandering feeling of living life on the road - as Joni was doing at the time of 'Hejira'. Plus one extra star for album art penis. Nice.

Fine music, top artist, but I don't listen often to her music.

More good Joni Mitchell, but not quite at the level of Blue and especially The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

One loves the cool, mature and uncompromising nature of this record – it’s distinctly non-pop sensibility. But it's also just dreamy and delightful, subtle and sweet, with each cut a shade different but producing similar almost Lanois-ian effects (more than a decade in advance). Yes, the songs are long, but patience with them pays off profusely. First two cuts set a very high bar. And Jaco just rules, doesn’t he? One loves how "A Strange Boy" takes its time in playing out so reflectively. So does "Song for Sharon." Title cut works well – the suggestive insertions of bass make the cut. "Black Crow" is at once the jazziest and the most rock-and-roll track, totally cool in its restraint. “Blue Motel Room” is wan, languorous and lovely. "Refuge of the Road" is a fitting end to this near perfect soundtrack for quiet afternoons.

A subtley beautiful album that deserves a second listen. I feel like I missed the point of the A side on my first listen, and I didn't start to connect with the songs until the end of the A side. B side is excellent and heartfelt, with some truly sublime bass playing as well. This definitely feels like an album that takes a bit to click, but once it does is amazing. Top tracks: Hejira, Song for Sharon, Refugee of the Roads

Lovely stuff from Joni once again

Not as good as her earlier magnum opi "Court and Spark" and "Blue", but Hejira has its merits. The lyricism is complex and thought-provoking (though to be honest, I didn't really follow what they meant) but this was the music's greatest strength. Mitchell's melodies, which I've criticised before for being hard to follow and incongruous with the harmonies/chords, are noticeably more rambly and even less accessible than her earlier works. In fact, the melodies are so odd and (dare I say it) "incorrect" that it kind of forces the listener to engage fully with the lyrics. Interesting strategy – after all, lyrics are Mitchell's strong point – but it does negatively impact the listening experience. Interestingly, this also has the effect of making the simpler tracks more enjoyable than the more complex ones. Black Crow, a stripped-down tune with a simple chord progression on the acoustic guitar, is a standout for this reason. A Strange Boy and Coyote are also fairly simplistic and have reasonably catchy melodies. The instrumentation is fantastic, always complementing each song as well as it can. I like the basslines, particularly in the two opening tracks, Coyote and Amelia. The drumming is done lightly and tastefully. I'll raise it to a 4 because Joni Mitchell is cool. 4/5 Key tracks: Coyote, A Strange Boy, Black Crow

Joni in her prime. Mellow, folksy ballads with dense lyricism. Gorgeous.

Possibly Joni’s best album. More mature evolved songwriting and arrangements. Jack Pastorius’ contribution on bass is other worldly. Can help but notice that apart from Coyote (an all time great) many of the songs sound the same.

2021: I got Blue, 2022: Court & Spark, 2023: The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Now Hejira, on July 31, 2024 ooh I'm liking the echoey, dark, desert landscape this evokes so far The less conventional song structures are back, last heard in Hissing. Though this album is a lot more consistent sounding than that one, it lacks Hissing's element of surprise (insert African drum loop here). The interplay between Mitchell & Pastorius's guitars may be the best thing about Hejira. I suspect this might be numero uno for Mitchell albums on this website, but I also thought that about the last 3. This & Court & Spark are the two I have a physical copy of, so maybe they can fight for the top? HL: "Coyote", "Amelia", title track, "Black Crow"

I absolutely adore Joni Mitchell and Blue is in my Top 10 albums of all time. This one doesn’t quite hit that mark, but is still classic Joni none-the-less.

Joni Mitchell never lies. Great album, I love the vibe of it so much, I could have it serenade me slightly in the background all day long. That being said I don't think it's perfect, after the first few tracks it kinda lacks some punch, I probably wouldn't seek out any of the second half tracks for individual relistening. Fave Tracks: Coyote, Furry Sings the Blues 4.2/5

Is everything she did that pristine?!

Joni Mitchel is one of my favorite songwriters. She's such an effective storyteller in her lyrics, and vocal melodies. One of my favorite things about her style, which shines really strong is this record, is how she uses her voice as an instrument. It bounces up and down in her vocal melodies, and influxes interestingly. Its very non-traditional, but fits well with her storytelling and songwriting style. I also really like how she stepped away from her traditional guitar / singer style and mixed in more electric instruments. Guitars with lot of reverb, really fun harmonicas and interesting natural sounding percussion. I think this is a really cool direction for singer songwriters. It still sounds like Joni Mitchell and highlights what she's good at, but sounds new and interesting.

Not my favorite Joni Mitchell album, but I need to read the lyrics sometime. It's got a weird stream of consciousness thing going on, almost like she's rapping more than singing. Can you imagine Joni Mitchell rapping her lyrics? "Between the forceps and the stone." These songs seemed much moodier than other Joni Mitchell songs I've heard. And apparently she was kicking her cocaine addiction around this time. Apparently she was also sleeping around a lot. Wild woman Joni Mitchell. I'm not sure how to describe the first few songs other than stream of consciousness singing, and they give me major Sun Kil Moon vibes (but now I feel like Joni and Mark Kozelek may have been the same type of person at one time...). Conflicted a bit on this one but I think the lyricism saved it. Need to try it again someday and I'm sure I will. Can't digest Joni all at once.

I hadn't heard this particular Joni Mitchell album but I had heard a lot about how good it was I wasn't disappointed. I do however prefer some of her previous albums but she was in a purple patch in the 70s as far as her music and songwriting. If you like Joni Mitchell or the 60's & 70's introspective acoustic singer songwriter genre this is an album you will enjoy.

A prisoner of the white lines on the freeway 🔥

Significantly better than blue

I liked this a lot, very chill with that awesome bass to back up her vocals. Reminded me of John Martyn a lot. BUT it looks like there's a random floating penis on the cover and I can't unsee it.

Enjoyed this - wistful, a bit bluesy, thoughtful

My favorite lineup of Mitchell's backing musicians. Larry Carlton, John Guerin, and Jaco Pastorius bring just enough Jazz to keep it interesting, yet accessible.

It’s crazy how much more I enjoy Joni Mitchell now that she’s back on Spotify and I can use my phone while still listening to her music ad-free. This is one of her more upbeat albums I’ve gotten and is well written as usual. Think I’m gonna relisten to blue since I remember (probably unfairly) shitting on that album when I got it.

It might be the headspace I'm in today, but sometimes albums just click with you. I've been feeling listless and lost, and I can feel that in the writing on this record. The free-jazz stylings of Jaco Pastorius really add to that sense as well, and just make for a beautiful compliment to the album. Favorite tracks: "Coyote", "A Strange Boy", "Song For Sharon"

Not really my style, but I can still appreciate it. Very chill

Perfect for walking around on a grey springtime afternoon, the mountains ahead, lake in the distance. Joni Mitchell has SUCH A GREAT voice, but she's pretty horny, isn't she? And why not? When a dude is horny and singing about it no one bats an eye. Joni Mitchell does it and EVERYONE LOSES THEIR MINDS. God damn Jaco Pastorious kills it. Fantastic record.

Pleasing to listen I guess

Just so damn good. “Coyote”, “Amelia”, “Furry Sings the Blues”, “Blue Motel Room”…perfect songs. I’m honestly not a huge Jaco fan, but his presence here doesn’t even bother me. Probably only my 4th favorite Joni record, which speaks to her complete excellence. 4.5/5

Very chill and songwritery for the most part which isn't my style. But some awesome Jaco bass parts and song arrangements.

Har ikke hørt den her før, har hørt et par andre Mitchell albums fra de sene 70ere og de skuffer aldrig!

interesting story in lyrics 4/5

Really liked this, but I don’t think it’s her best

Joni Mitchell's music is breezy and relaxing to listen to, I like her poetic songwriting and especially the instrumentation.

Beautiful storytelling through lyrics, fun basslines and tones. Lots of swirly guitars that kinda got tiresome. But Joni’s lyrics are beautiful and override that. Not my style but a great album.

Great record, but not as easy to listen to as her other records on the list. Favorite song: Coyote.

Musically very cool, but I'm really not a fan of her singing style.

Fave: Hejira, Coyote Least fave: Amelia, Strange Boy I'm not a huge fan of folk story songs, but obvs Joni Mitchell is amazing

I've heard nothing but incredible things about this singer-songwriter legend Joni Mitchell, so I was certainly both intimidated and excited to dive into her catalog for the first time here with one of her "mid-era" albums. And honestly, I got exactly what I expected out of this. To start, the instrumentation here is incredibly restrained (say for maybe the song "Black Crow"). The instrumentation is very textured and doesn't take any tangible form, it's more of a mix of gorgeous and serene bass, guitar, minimal percussion, and synth. There are hints of folk and country-inspired instrumentation scattered across a few of these songs (like the harmonica hanging in the background on "Furry Sings the Blues", courtesy of Neil Young). I can't overstate how genuinely pleasant and calming the sound of this album is, there's a hint of coldness but that only makes everything else feel like a warm blanket made to shield you from said coldness. The best example of this is "Amelia". I know Mitchell does the guitar herself on this album, and she does an incredible job. As for Mitchell herself, on first listen, I certainly enjoy her performances as a singer. I love how off-kilter her melodic flow is in the opening "Cayote". Her melodies tend to be all over the place in a good way, but she still often returns to a common motif in many of these songs. As for the lyrics here, on first listen, I find there's a lot to take in. Albums this dense in meaning need many listens but I can still say I enjoyed most of it. Songs like "Blue Motel Room" and "Cayote" take me to particularly dream-like places. Many of the songs here tend to be story-driven in one way or another. Joni seems to be retelling the events that unfolded at certain points in her life vicariously through a character or fictional person or just anecdotally. The songs are loosely tied together through themes of separation and isolation, likely related to Joni's relationships, but I haven't taken the time to dive too deep into her personal life; I mainly took the lyrics at face value. I do enjoy the second half slightly less than the first, finding a lot of the sounds to get repetitive, but I can attune that to the fact that this is a first listen, and on subsequent listens, I assume I'll enjoy it far more. This was a very pleasant first experience with Joni's music and I'm certainly looking forward to listening to more.

I've needed to listen to this for ages, so thanks for the kick up the arse! Love version on Spotify is cool. I'll find the studio version and listen again.

My parents were anomalies. They started their adult lives in the 1970s and we had records like James Taylor and Carole King in our house. For some reason, Joni Mitchell never got played. In fact, this is the first real experience I have had in actively listening to her music. I’m not sure why some singer songwriters of this era made it into our collection and she did not. But this is not an artist that shaped my musical education. I really wish she had. I loved this album. I understand why she is such an important figure to so many artist and musicians that I love. The poetry and storytelling are one of a kind. I love the sound of the guitar on this album too. Unfortunately, this album was not on Spotify so I had to listen on YouTube which is not my favorite method of music consumption. We’re not for that. I would guess that this album would be on regular replay in my house from this point on.

Another great Joni album. I'm going to have to go back through and listen to all of hers again. Really feels like something that is going to grow with me over time. Kind of felt jazzy at times, and folksy. Sounds like she wrote a lot of this on road trips which is cool. And a totally rad album cover too. Song for Sharon was my fav I think, but I enjoyed them all.

Joni is always welcome here! This is a bit later in her catalog, and it's got a road-weary feel to it, she's veering into that jazzy, jaded territory, and overall it works really well. The opening track is such classic for me, I first heard it when I watched that Scorcese-directed Dylan documentary, truly a road dog anthem. She may not have the bright-eyed youth here, but it was replaced by further wisdom. I really dig this one too, so many tracks I'll be saving that I don't know how I could give it less than 4.5. Favorite tracks: Coyote, Amelia, A Strange Boy, Hejira, Song for Sharon, Blue Motel Room. Album art: A wispy shot of Joni in all black, holding a cigarette. Part of her body is a cloudy road, pretty perfect for this music if you ask me. Great cover. 4.5/5

Very relaxing… maybe the best of her jazz works. Always a treat hearing some Jaco Pastorius too

De hä va rätt kova. Cool cover också

Girl can SING and make me FEEL

I’ve only heard Hejira a couple of times, as I find myself revisiting albums like Blue a lot more than Mitchell’s later more abstract work, but it is really beautiful. Her songwriting and vocals are next level, and my god the bass playing on this is incredible. The songs do begin to blend into one for me a bit, but that’s really down to my lack of familiarity with their more complex structures and the absence of any real hooks - it’s a 4 for now but one that could easily grow to a 5 after a few more listens

This one has a bit of a strange duality with jazz-oriented instrumentation but Mitchell's voice which sounds better suited for standard country pop music. Applying that voice to jazz song structures makes everything sound a bit sing-songy and meandering. Nonetheless, the album grew on me during it's spin. It's soothing, pleasant and warm. Probably a great fit for a cozy indoors-afternoon while it's heavily raining outside. 3.5 rounded up.

Some amazingly deep tunes, little one note but for a folk album she has great range 3.8

Lovely instrumentation. Creates sweeping landscapes with its sound and really captures the open road feeling she intended. Beautiful lyrics as well. The delivery however often plays fast and loose with the meter which this album made me realize is important to me, only part i dont love, just feels a bit slam poetry-y. 3.5 rounded up

Mellow, feels like background music for a rainy day drinking coffee. Not overly exciting, but worth another listen.

Very easy to listen to. I like Joni. sad she’s not on Spotify.

I was surprised by this album. I can't say I have heard anything by Joni before, unless it was top charts at one point. The storytelling here is quite elaborate and thought out. It's kind of spoken word, which I am not the biggest fan of, but this is well-executed with a great voice and backing instrumentals. I will likely be back again when I am in the zone for some ballads. Best Track: Coyote. 4/5 I will be back

I think the only material I've ever heard by Joni Mitchell is her song about paving over paradise. I had slightly less than zero interest in hearing anything else she had produced during her long career, imagining it would be lightweight fluff. Now I know where Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega, Carly Simon, and probably a whole load of others got their inspiration from. If this hadn't been a mid 70s album, I would have probably assumed it was a direct rip-off from one or more of those other artists. I really liked the musical arrangements here, sort of poppy jazz with a lot of strange bass sounds which was hard to tie down. The lyrics were interesting, although songs about road trips and relationships did begin to drag a little towards the end. The main weak point was probably Joni's voice, which was great, but I just don't enjoy female vocalists, not her fault I guess. I'm going with 4 stars for this one, as it was definitely above average, but not quite good enough for that last star.

This was my first Joni Mitchell album and I found it and her voice really relaxing to listen to, especially loved Song for Sharon.

What can I say? Joni Mitchell is iconic. She directly influenced much of my favorite music. Some great fretless tones on the album

Una voz excepcional y potente....

proper songs and texture - earmarking it that future me will like it a bit more than current me

4.

super mellow - nice hanging out or relaxing music

love her voice

Meandering, ethereal, and beautiful. Gonna call it a 4 with room to grow.

Need to finish. I think 4 stars. Not available on spotify

Relaxing album, nostalgic, great voice

It’s Joni Mitchell, the soft acoustic poet. Either you already know, or you’re about to.

Very nice album overall. I'm just not a fan of the spoken word she does sometimes. Thankfully for me it's not too much. I thought the harmonica didn't fit Furry Sings The Blues. I thought Song For Sharon drags on a bit. I love the addition of Jaco Pastorius on this album. The timbre of his bass is so cool.

Muy agradable. Cantautora. Folk jazzjazz-popjazz fusion

Favorite Tracks: Coyote, Amelia, Hejira, A Strange Boy, Song for Sharon, Black Crow, Blue Motel Room

Such a dreamy, magical album. I love the jazzy vibe and Joni’s lyrics are beautiful. Coyote, Song for Sharon and Blue Motel Room are all such good songs, but really liked the whole thing.

Not available to listen to at Spotify :-(

gostoso que só

A diverse and dreamlike record from a truly great folk singer-songwriter who stretches on this one. Not her catchiest work, but a good example of her jazzier stuff if you're uncertain.

Was pretty pissed I had to sit thru youtube ads for this album (no adblocker on phone). But honestly the album kinda slapped. Def wish it was on spotify. Id listen to it more if so

Great, soothing

Dásemd.

I like poetry set to music sometimes I guess?

JACO PASTORIUS on Fretless Bass <3 (on "Coyote", "Hejira", "Black Crow" and "Refuge of the Roads") Ascoltate anche il suo album "Mingus", ben più complesso di questo da ascoltare.

Class

This is so lovely. Such a great voice, such wonderfully intricate stories. Fave tracks: Coyote, Song for Sharon.

I love you and your conviction Joni Mitchell but I’m too lazy to find this record online (I’ll go by what I remember of it for the rating)

Cool record. I was familiar with a few of the tracks, but hadn't listened to this album before. I'll definitely have to give it another listen.

She has a unique voice

Liked this one! Very even, high quality throughout the record.

Was not looking forward to this listen as I always though Joni Mitchell as pretentious and not for me. I actually really enjoyed this album. The chords progressions are fresh and guitar sound different. The bass has some really lovely licks too. Just a really great mood album with some beautiful lyrics.

First the speaker tried to play me 'Hey Shearer' by Newcastle United. Eventually listened on my phone, would like to listen again properly, think I liked it. Lots of motels.

Joni is a living legend! Just a great album top front to back. I had to listen to this one on YouTube and so of course there were comments. And many were rightly praising the talent of Jaco Pastorius, but Max Bennett's bass work on this album is equally impressive and deserves to be noted. Great bass players deserve their props and he earned them on this. Back to Joni though, her lyricism and vocal work is great on this album! I would return to this much more often if it was on Spotify still, but I also respect her decision and wish the jackass was gone instead of her and Neil. Great album!

I hate that I have to use YouTube to listen to this. I was so annoyed that I wanted to hate it, but I did not at all. The opener "Coyote" really drew me in. This album ahas a relaxing/hypnotic quality to it. In retrospect I feel bad that I really didn't like the other album I had from her (Blue?) I know I didn't like it at the time. I'm wondering if maybe I should go back because this was so good. Really good album. Will probably revisit again.

really enjoyed this one. although i prefer joni mitchell's blue more this album is more musically intersting and has many instruments and the title track was amazing.

Very chill, but there's a lot going on when you pay attention

pretty good stuff

Great album and love the different direction she was taking with her music on this. Jaco on bass works so well, folk jazz!!

Mitchell is a top shelf songwriter and her phrasing works perfectly with this band and the direction she’s taken her music. One of my favorite Joni Mitchell records (with Blue and Ladies of the Canyon).

I like Blue a bit more. This was good but not as seamless as Blue.

I liked it. Blue is better, this is more of a 3.5 but I'll round up.

Really good

I could understand the sprawling lyrics (cocaine can do that to you). But besides that, I enjoyed this a lot. Jaco's bass work really added new dimensions to Mitchell's poetic lyrics. I wish I hadn't first read what the lyrics were in reference to because it colored my interpretation of the songs. I have to wonder if something like this would be made today, because it's not something you would her on the radio or streaming to get millions of hits on youtube (not on spotify, so...). Definitely one I would like to come back to.

I struggled with where to rate this album. It's got some real cool, simple instrumentals - sleepy jazz almost. And Joni is at her lyrical best - she really is an amazing writer. But it felt a little repetitive at times. And I couldn't stand her half-singing half-speaking some of the lyrics, like in Coyote, Furry Sings the Blues (channeling her Furry voice apparently), and Blue Motel Room (German measles, ugh). The first two songs aren't bad though, just some cringeworthy parts. Amelia is a standout to me; her despairing motif, the wicked sound, it all comes together so well. I could listen to that one on repeat forever. The title track and Song for Sharon also had a great sound and of course poignant lyrics. A Strange Boy was solid too, so that was a pretty good 3-song middle sequence to the album. Black Crow felt like a departure, almost like Big Yellow Taxi was about to break out. Still I dug the crunchier sound. Refuge of the Roads ended the album on a high note. So I guess if I'm looking back, that's 6 out of 9 that I appreciated, which feels worthy of a 4.

On my first few listens, I felt this album makes for pleasant background music. I missed out by not listening closely. When I finally focused on it, I found depth and layers worth exploring. Jaco's bass playing certainly impressed right up front, but I appreciated the interplay of his bass and Joni's guitar much better when I focused (e.g., Coyote, Hejira, Refuge of the Roads). Her lyrics are always worth paying attention to. A couple of lines that hit me regarded life and death: "the granite markers / those tribute to finality to eternity / and then I looked at myself here / chicken scratching for my immortality" (Hejira); "It seems we all live so close to that line and so far from satisfaction" (Song for Sharon - after singing about a suicide). Refuge of the Roads made me want to drop everything and go drive aimlessly, even though there's a negative side to travel in this album. Overall, there's lots to like about this album, but I'm giving it a 4 mainly because the music itself was a bit repetitive in style. That said, I definitely will return to this album. Favorite tracks: Coyote (great bass!), Furry Sings the Blues (the background was interesting - seems she ticked off blues musician Furry Lewis by writing about their encounter without his ok), Hejira (this was one well worth focusing on), Song for Sharon, Refuge of the Roads.

8/10. muy weno joni mitchel te tkm. nose pq pero siento q blue es 10 veces mejor. este no tiene canciones malas ni nada pero el otro hits different

Why you gotta be like that Spotify/Joni? As of today, I can only stream Coyote there. Good thing my partner owns this album and I'm familiar with it through numerous listens. In my opinion, this is the most pleasant recording of Jaco Pastorius we have. His furious fusion finger work being awesome in a very different way. The restrained but virtuoso fretless is a wonderful, graceful compliment to Joni Mitchell's vocals. This isn't my favorite Joni record but it's up there.

For some reason Spotify only has the first track and all the others are greyed out so I had to look it up on YouTube. I really loved the harmonica Neil Young does in "Furry Sings the Blues." I think my favorite song was "Black Crow" it's the closest to something that I'd personally listen to of all the songs. This feels like something my mom would really like listening to if she was a bigger fan of female artists.

I am not a huge Joni Mitchell fan this album is an important listen as she expands her sound and it is her version of a "road album." I do think it's a must-hear.

Le style de musique était vraiment intéressant, super belle production, très envoutant. La voix de Joni MItchell est vraiment belle et les textes semblent tellement personnel que ça rajoute beaucoup à l'appréciation. Je ne suis toujours pas sûr d'aimer sa façon de chanter qui change constamment de rythme, mais définitivement mieux aimé que Blue. 8/10

She's got such a beautiful and soothing voice

Electric not acoustic

Skittery and gorgeous.

what an absolutely beautiful voice joni mitchell has. the style of music in hejira (soothing, folk, story telling lyrics) compliments her voice. most of the album is relatively slow, though the album opener "coyote" has her playing and singing at a faster pace. there's a fair amount happening in each song, but it's easy to listen whether focused or not. like a lot of singer songwriters, mitchell's lyrics aren't overwhelmed by the music. her voice is so clear. and every song contains such expansive lyrics! she creates such vivid pictures. pulling from her own life, mitchell touches on variety of experiences, but travel and journeys are the biggest recurring theme. i feel like i'm with mitchell in her "blue motel room". all of this together allows hejira to come off as effortless, though i know it was anything but. a lovely, calming listen, especially for a friday.

I didn't get fully through it but it was really nice from what I heard !

She is an amazing writer and performer.

Songs blend together in a lovely and smooth way. A very nice jazzy folk record.

Poetic lyrics, smooth guitar.

A jazz-kissed odyssey to find the world, and find oneself. Jaco Pastorius does phenomenal understated work here.

One of the greatest songwriters that ever lived. Bless this woman<3

really sublime, and this is the album that brought me around to JM. Blue is fine, polished and good - but this has the delightful mixture of simplicity (both in the form of lyrics as well as vocals) tinged with an intricate layer of composition - which makes it heads and shoulders above Blue.

Listening to this album this morning my teenage son said, "She didn't really write songs, she's just telling stories in a singing voice." I don't think he was wrong, as confirmed by descriptions in the Wikipedia article: "Mitchell had abandoned melodies and memorable tunes in favour of "new, seductive rhythms" and "lush guitars,"" as well as "characterized by lyrically dense, sprawling songs." This is another album that needs time to absorb and discover new bits each time. I haven't yet connected with it like I did with the two earlier albums we've listened to. I completely lost track of what was going on in "Song for Sharon" for example, but this time that made me want to hear it again.

Great album, even if I had to search elsewhere for it because it's not on Spotify.

There's a popular thought that says if Joni Mitchell had possessed a cock she'd have been bigger than Dylan. There's probably a lot of truth to it. While the back end of this album never quite matches up with the staggering loveliness of the first half, I feel like rockist bores would put this up there with Blood on the Tracks were it not for Joni being a woman.

very good

Great album

Great finding.

Feel like with all Joni, no one song stands out, but somehow the whole thing is just...excellent

This album flows like a river; very pleasant to listen to. Maybe laying on the romanticism a bit too thick in the lyrics.

Beautifully intertwining ruminations on travel, relationships, and independence. Mitchell's elegance as a lyricist remains untouched on this album. She spins these intimate, highly detailed tales that are so relatable but also make me long for a Cliff's notes version of her writing. She moves quickly, and you have to keep up. It really is like peering into someone's private thoughts, which is so lovely. Fave Songs: Coyote, Amelia, Blue Motel Room, Hejira, Blue Motel Room, Song for Sharon

Beautiful

One of her best

My brain is racked with anxiety over putting in my notice at work tomorrow. This record is calming that storm, at least temporarily. It’s beautiful, relaxing and Jaco Pastorius’ bass is amazing. 4/5 would recommend for helping to calm an anxiety attack.

26th December 2022 Listened in the morning of the 27th while getting ready to drive to Norfolk. Had to listen on YouTube cos Joni hates Spotify. Sounded like I was sat next to her in a car as she drove across America telling me everything.

I’ve heard JM’s big songs but I’ve never really heard more than that. I was very surprised I liked this album as much as I did. Great vocals, strong voice, so clear in her singing, interesting lyrics, great music (bass and guitar especially)

Oh yeah it's Joni!! I do prefer her more melodical less jazzy music for sure, but I also enjoy this more jazzy album. Amelia is stunning and it's such a beautiful relaxing sound across this whole album. It really does reflect the feeling of travel for me and she wrote it while travelling. Really cool album.

I like her voice and I like her style. It's like one continuous stream of consciousness road trip without hooks or choruses. Quite jazzy which is a departure from her previous folksy origins. There is only one Joni.

Hot take: This is better than Blue. Somewhat related: I haven't listened to Blue yet. Props to Joni for the dig at Jackson Browne, cryptically implying that his wife killed himself because he was abusive towards her. That's some fucking shade. Carly Simon and Alanis Morrissette get universal props for their digs at exes, but Joni's are LEGENDARY. It helps that she's got a catalog of famous exes, and that she's five times the songwriter of Carly and Alanis.

7/10 relaxing vibe, i second what JJ said about how the lyrics are a bit densely packed in there.

7/10. Very pleasant, didn't get the opportunity to pay close attention to the lyrics unfortunately, may be worth revisiting for that reason.

I like the music but she really tries to fit so many lyrics into tight spaces when I’d prefer to let it breathe. 7/10

I'm blown away by her songwriting every time I sit down to listen. Best track: Amelia

Great album

her voice is nice!

It's not on Spotify! I'm so glad this came up, I've been meaning to properly listen to Joni Mitchell for ages but for some reason never got round to it. Such a beautiful voice. Favourite track: Hejira - haunting guitar and the lyrics are poetry, the 'comfort in melancholy'. The sadness of a breakup leads her to realise that love is the purpose of life, and also teaches her to cope with solitude

Þetta er töff og skemmtilegt. Kannski fá lög utan Coyote sem grípa mann strax, en platan vinnur á við frekari hlustun, eins og góðar plötur gera.

Very good, with great lyrics, but all felt a bit restrained. Clearly very influential, especially on female singer songwriters, but not quite 5 🌟 for me.

Some good tunes on here, love the jazz mashup

Intriguing that this was written amidst a period of lots of travel. The songs feel like that - some of them seem to be stuck in a state of waiting, thinking, the way you might feel if you were stuck at an airport or on a long train ride. It seems to make sense that this album didn't initially perform as well as her previous works, but became one of her most beloved. It's like a journal that you can keep reading and discovering new things each time.

Joni Mitchell Isn't what I would normally listen to but I respect her as a songwriter and musician. She always does things with alternate guitar tuning's in the bass on this album is very pronounced which I always like.

Folk raro... envolvente. Un 4.

Muy agradable. Cantautora. Folk jazzjazz-popjazz fusion

Not really my thing but there's no doubt this is some good stuff. It's probably a 5 star album but I can't give it more than 4 stars when I balance my enjoyment of this kind of music (low) with how good it actually is (high).

The album gets off to a very good star with Coyote. I like that her music developed beyond folk. The rhythm section is very competent and she  lets them wander. They end up miles away from where folk music rhythms usually hang out. The guitars are very loose and continue to float all over the place even during the verses. In theory, loose wandering guitars shouldn't work with folk, but they do. Kinda the way Keith Moon's drumming isn't supposed to work, but it does. 

Coyote is so gorgeous. All of it is gorgeous. I think I start to lose interest towards the end around Black Crow.

This has been on repeat all day as I try to solve the mysteries of this album. This is truly music as story telling.

Musically, this is good but a bit past her peak (sorry Jaco). Lyrically, however, she is at the absolute top of her game. I just wish I cared about lyrics more.

Never heard this one before. Not my favourite album of hers musically, but I really enjoy the writing. Ok I take it back it's got Jaco and it's starting to grow on me. 4 stars

I gotta be in the right mood to listen to something like this. And I was! I can't name a list of songs from this album that I'd say are incredible, or even pulling me back in to listen to them again immediately, but there was something about the overall tone and timbre of the record that I really enjoyed. It's moody and nothing but stories that unfold through Joni doing her Joni thing. Hell, it's almost spoken word. If you asked me to name a song on the album that has a repeated chorus, I'm not sure I could do it. But it worked. I also quite liked the clean guitar tones throughout. Here's a little exchange that stuck out to me from "Song of Sharon:" Well, there's a wide wide world of noble causes And lovely landscapes to discover But all i really want right now Is to find another lover That's my kind of poetry right there. Plus there's a dick on the cover?? Thanks for pointing that out, Andy. Irrefutable fact.

Jaco! Amelia and coyote are fantastic

Love her long rambling vignettes The music rambles with her Triggers my wanderlust Beautiful voice Captured by the cover art

Interesting concept from Joni that speaks for itself. I mean, it's Joni Mitchell. This album gets bonus points for having Jaco Pastorius on some of the tracks. While not her more familiar work, definitely a must listen. 4/5.

Joni makes me cry

Another stunning album from Joni Mitchell. If less catchy then Blue or Court and Spark, this is still an exhibition of the songwriter’s craft. Beautiful singing, gorgeous guitar work, poetic and evocative, it’s is a delight to hear the artist create works like this.

Love the guitar tone and the bass playing especially on this one.

Very soothing listen. Mitchell is an excellent songwriter and I know I'll be back for more. I might need a couple more listens of this to get a better grasp on it, but unfortunately YouTube is not my preferred way to listen to music...

Tydzien powtarzanych artystow, tym razem kolejny krazek od Joni Mitchell, Hejira bedaca jej osmym studyjnym albumem z 76, tak jak poprzedni pick jest to solidnie napisane i zaspiewane, czuc ze jest to material artystki ktora stara sie wyrzucic na papier swoje przezycia, a nie wyciskane na sile sztampowe zawodzenia byle by sie dobrze sluchalo, a przeciez najlepiej slucha sie czegos za czym artysta naprawde stoi i tym zyje, w tym przypadku motywami przewodnimi sa doswiadczenia z podrozowania lub zycia w podrozy, bo taki tryb zycia prowadzila w latach 70 pani Joni, ale nie bedzie jedynie o celach podrozy a raczej o drodze i rzeczach oraz ludziach przy niej spotkanych, a jak spotkania to musza byc rowniez rozstania, no i walenie po kablach, instrumentalnie jest to folkowy rock z influencjalmi jazzowymi w zaleznosci od utworu, w nagrania bylo zangazowanych bylo 10 muzykow sesyjnych, na uwage zasluguja zwlaszcza Jaco Pastorius na basie oraz Larry Carlton ktory gral gitarki elektrokowe oraz akustykowe, w zalenosci od tego na czym szarpala pani Mitchell, calosc sklada sie z 9 trakow na 52 minutach, o ile poprzedni album od niej urzekl mnie wokalnie i przyjemnymi dla ucha instrumentalami, tak ten robi to jeszcze lepiej, a dodatkowo trafia lirycznie w moja wagabondowa dusze, na plejke spotifajowa nie dodam nic, bo pani Joni zaraz obok Neila Younga wycofala swoja dyskografie, gdy dodali podkasty tego buca do biblioteki serwisu, ale chyba najbardziej zapadajacymi w pamiec trakami beda dla mnie openingowy coyote, z ktorego sampel slyszalem w jakims muryznskim traku oraz a strange boy

This album very much felt like a natural progression for Joni: as time does by, she (had to?) evolve a bit away from the stripped down, guitar-only music and this album proved that she could pull it off as well. A overall enjoyable album full of nice songs that maybe have a bit less storytelling quality but make it up with ncie but subtle background arrangements

In love with the lyricism on "Furry Sings the Blues", and "Refuge of the Roads" is pretty dang groovy!

I'm not sure who is playing that guitar, but there is a lot of emotions behind those strings

Really cool guitar tones on this one. Blue Motel Room is a sweet low swung song. totally worth a revisit.

Classic Mitchell

J'adore joni mitchell, un bon album mais pas extra comme d'autres du memem artiste 4

This is the follow-up to my favorite Joni Mitchell record "Hissing of Summer Lawns." It sounds a lot like that record, only the bass is more prominent (Jaco plays on this one). I'm not a huge fan of the overwrought fretless bass work. But, that's Jaco. And, it isn't enough of a distraction to diminish this record for me. And and, for most people I realize Jaco is an asset here. I just gotta say that Joni's mid-70s run of records is criminally underrated. I could take or leave the early folk stuff (sorry), but this era is her finest.

WOW! A beautiful album, with stunning vocals. Tired from travelling, so this will be short, but truly I loved this. Loved the bass so much, didn't know Jaco was on this album until I looked into it more, and he really added a lot on the songs he played in. Anyways, stellar STELLAR album. Favorite song was probably Black Crow.

listened to before great work

Absolutely love Joni Mitchell - Coyote is in my all time top 10 and Amelia isn't far behind.

I didn't know Joni Mitchell did sophi-pop a decade before it was a thing. Reminds me of a lot of indie folk from the area, especially Tim Buckley and Nick Drake. Guitars envelop you, and there are jazz and country influences to relax you. All songs start with Joni in some random setting in the country taking in the sights, feels like a drive on Route 66, although Memphis is a bit off the beaten path. Few complaints, maybe a little long overall but the songs were fine. Excellent songwriting, voice, and fitting instrumentals. Favorites: Coyote, Hejira, Song for Sharon

joni pucette remets les albums sur spotify je t’en prie

Gives dreamy vibes, that kind of sleepy awakeness of lying on the couch on a Sunday while trying to read a book. Enjoyed it and would probably listen again.

This is such an improvement over "Blue" This one is a keeper.

I love Joni Mitchell. I need to listen to more of her work, but I love her.

There's not much folky jazzy goodness that's not here. An excellent road album. Jaco does his thing and at times shines out. The cores of the songs are dead simple classic, though: Voice, guitar, the language of the West.

Cet album extrêmement mystérieux a très vite attisé ma curiosité et s'est soldé par une découverte assez surprenante. Le point de départ de tout ceci est la non-disponibilité de cet album sur l'application Spotify, qui nous amène très vite sur une autre application : YouTube. L'album y figure bel et bien sous forme d'une playlist. Chaque morceau du projet est décrit dans l'onglet prévu à cet effet de la même façon : « Provided to YouTube by Rhino ». Très intrigant n'est-ce pas ? Après de longues recherches, voici ce que j'ai trouvé : le dénommé Rhino est en réalité un véritable rhinocéros blanc et possède l'intégralité des droits de la discographie de Joni Mitchell. Une fois tous ces faits vérifiés par deux fois, j'appelai donc Robert pour l'alerter sur la situation de la chanteuse. En quelques coups de fil, celui-ci parvint à faire capturer le rhino et à organiser sa réintroduction dans une réserve naturelle ougandaise.

Folk raro... envolvente.

Hejira is an album of explorations. Joni Mitchell created big lyrics for long songs, just like the road trips that inspired the record. The jazzy feeling of the album makes every listening an oportunity to discover something new. Tracks like "Coyote", "Furry Sings the Blues" and "Song for Sharon" becomes prettier every time you listen to them.

Joni slowly but surely found her inner sophisticated lounge singer. It's a folk jazz album. Deal with it (8/10) FT: Coyote

This was a really beautiful album, with some incredible vocal work.

‘Hejira’ is a bit less immediate than some of Joni Mitchell’s other work. It has a restless nature in sound and storytelling, with complex chords and strong jazz overtones. It’s a slow burn, but it’s also possibly her most rewarding album.

Absolutely gorgeous album lyrically. Complex and nuanced. Musically it sure isn't straight ahead pop. Jazzy with complex melodies that are not always accessible. Favourite song; Coyote. 4 🌟

Relaxed hippy sound

Joni Mitchell on a quest for love, meaning and the next bingo game. Here is an insightful "modern" review of the songstress by Rob Moura. https://www.popmatters.com/joni-mitchell-hejira-atr4

Ah Joni, a Canadian national treasure! Always a pleasure listening to her. She's a powerful storyteller and wonderful musician.

Dec 16 2021. Album #1. Calming and great storytelling in lyrics but feels dissonant with current life.

Not bad. Pretty jazzy

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

🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 (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

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

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

Good but not her best.

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

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.

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.

Enjoyed the road trip with Joni baloney.

nice bass

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.

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

Not great, her other albums are better.