Reviews (page 4 of 7)
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.
Its not terrible but I didnt like it
Soothing but average album, quite a lot of long songs which can make it a slog on some songs
Fine
잔잔하고 평범한 느낌의 앨범이었다. It was an album with a calm and ordinary feel.
It's fine - kinda meandering but I don't hate it.
I knew a couple of these songs from The Last Waltz, which I enjoyed. Overall this was pretty good.
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.
Man neparāk nesaktoties uz to, ka viņai ir ļoti skaista blass. Pirmā dziesma ir vienīga, kas man patika
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 !
Not for me
Low key folk rock
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
Not my kind of Joni Mitchell.
5/10
Really solid, I enjoyed it.
Furry Sings the Blues and Blue Motel Room stood out. Impartial on this album. It's fine. 2.5/5
звучит как и любой другой альбом митчелл - приятно, но не цепляет, потому 3
This was a pleasant enough road album. I'm not sure that I would come back and listen again.
I don't know some of it was cool but I am terminal brain rooted
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.
Middle of the road stuff, was fine!
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 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
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.
🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 (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.
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"
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
achja. werd mich morgen nicht mehr an das Album erinnern
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
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.
A great storyteller songwriter with a really distinctive style
Always pleasant to listen to
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.
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.
Pas nul, juste plat
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
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
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
It’s not my favorite. This is very pretty. She sounds amazing. Production, all of that is excellent.
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
3.5
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.
Narrative pop music, pretty interesting
First listen
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.
suzanne vegas vibebi aqvs. like magram playlitshi ar minda
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.
This was fine as background music. I didn't hate it.
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.
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.
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
2.78
pleasant, jazzy, relaxing. this was a great album to have in the background while doing other things.
I don't know what she's singing about but I like how she sings and plays.
okay chill old stuff
Nice voice; wanted to like this more than I did.
I love Joni Mitchell but "Twisted" is a stark dividing line for me. Some of "Ladies of the Canyon" can be a bit too folky for me, but I essentially love everything she did up until "Twisted" and like almost nothing she did from that song on. "Coyote" and "Amelia" and "Blue Motel" are all okay but I just don't like the way this album sounds. The music is too sparse for me. I want real songs not jazz fusion background noodling. Even Joni Mitchell's always compelling lyrics can't save the way the music on this album hits my ears.
Coyote Amelia Refuge of the Roads
An all-time talent moving in a direction here that makes the songs feel more like jazz riffs than carefully completed compositions. That may be good or bad for you, depending on your tastes. Personally, it leaves me a bit "Meh?" What no one can deny, I think, is that Joni's singing here is sublime. She just pulls you in and has her way with you!
I have never enjoyed Joni Mitchell but I liked this. Her voice kid of glides over the music, which is enjoyable in its own right.
folksy, acoustic guitars and harmonica. consistently good, but not my bag
we get it, you're a hippy
A bit more variety with this one
My hopes were high here after my introduction to Joni Mitchell earlier in this list. Unfortunately, this album never quite reaches the highs that Blue did for me. Joni is still good here, but something is missing from the equation. The lyrics sound wandering, which is not a detriment on its own, but it misses the melodical hooks that caught me in Blue. The songs just kind of go on, all of them a little too long, that they tend to lose me. Hate to say it, but it was pretty nice, easy-going background music if I'm being honest. Highlight: Blue Motel Room Lowlight: Black Crow
A reflective, rambling, pleasant road album. Memorable for a feeling rather than a hook. Mitchell is excellent at musical narration.
We love Joni here, since a generation (my generation) was introduced to her work in the form of Both Sides Now in that scene in Love Actually her work has been loaded for us with heartache, poetry, and emotional catharsis. Because of the immediacy of the songs on that album, Hejira poses a bit of a challenge. It's lyrically roaming, structurally it feels deliberately evasive, and musically it's drifting and beautiful, but it doesn't hang on impossibly memorable hooks like Both Sides Now. This is a record which I have a feeling will only be truly appreciated on a 5th or 6th listen. Coyote is the most famous track on the record, and it tells a tale, it carried the hallmarks of Joni's most characteristic writing and it's a gorgeous song. It's all about a real player, an irresistible dog of the world. In todays parlance, from what I gather, he's meant for the streets. The rest of the album contains some beautiful songwriting, Hejira in particular is memorably ethereal, but all I'm saying is don't expect to come away from the record humming any of the tunes. I know there's some gold in this here sieve, but I'm going to have to run it through a few more times before I really see it shine.
Canadian folk driving without licence.
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? 🤔 Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
not my favorite of her work, honestly don't see myself revisiting this one even though i enjoy some of her other work -- 2.5 stars rounded to 3?
Not bad
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Coyote, Furry Sings the Blues I think my opinions of Joni are improving as I listen to her. This is solid 3 material for me, and not something I really plan to listen to once the day is over, but its nice. I probably said a similar thing for Court and Spark. I had less good things to say for Blue, which is amusing in hindsight considering its widely considered her best work. I like the storytelling that happens in Coyote and Furry Plays the Blues. "A prisoner of the the white lines on the freeway" is some damn good imagery... or expression; it's a damn good something. I would give this album a 3.5 if do half-points on this platform.
Nice little jaunt, loved the close out of the album but not a fan of the opening track
It sounded out of place for a 70s album (in a good way!). Also sounds out of place for an 80s, 90s or 00s album (in a good way!)
6/10… singer-songwriter / folk / *1976 The 4th in a row…🥱
I like the lyrics at least.
I don’t meant to sound misogynist, but has any woman ever looked good in a beret. I think for women the beret is the equivalent of a leather jacket for men. Everyone thinks they’ll be the one person who can pull it off. We’re all mistaken. Anyway, Joni Mitchell just isn’t for me. I get bored three songs into every one of her albums.
Fine, but something about Joni Mitchell just doesn’t connect with me
Solid album… didn’t blow me away, but enjoyed it. Solid 3.
On the one hand, she has a beautiful voice. But I can’t decide how I feel about the talk singing. The snippets that actually sunk in tell me that there are stories to be told. But the style doesn’t do a lot for me. But the album does have beautiful moments. And the backing musicians are excellent. I expect I would like it more on a close listen. Perhaps I’ll come back someday. 6/10 Pretty Good
I would rate this 3.5 instead. I like the song amelia, but some of the songs didnt have much direction and were a bit arbitrary. I do love the vibe though.
I likeJoni, but this album wasn’t a standout. Nice background music.
good voice. interesting enough for a folk album but a little too long
Travel themed singer-songwriter album. It was fine but I’m not sure any of the songs stood out for me.
Chilliä folk rokkia ja jazziakin. Ja muitakin jazz vaikutteita kuultavissa. Kivoja kappaleita. Parhaat: Hejira, Coyote, Refuge of the Roads
A lot to like, but she has better albums.
Great sound. I think one thing that bothers me about Joni Mitchell is that though she has a lot to say, and her songs have great grooves and arrangements, her melodies just aren’t that interesting or memorable most of the time. The songs on this album are no exception - the instrumentation and overall sound, including her voice, are great, and there’s a lot to digest lyrically. However, for the lyrics to matter to me the melodies have to draw me in, and they’re just not catchy enough to do so.
Generally a good listen. A little samey after a while, but good.
Not as good [[Court and Spark]].
I like Joni Mitchell but I wasn’t feeling this one. My favourite thing she does is set a groove before telling us a story in her cool poetry. The lyrics here are still great but the overall sound of this record is too 70s California for me. Too smooth. Not enough groove.
Folky with a modern touch. The engineering and production has a polished finish, but the vocals and some of the instrumentation is a bit simple. I'm not the biggest fan of her voice or range, but I understand the impact Joni had on the industry, especially for the female singers that came after her. It's an okay record.
I find her storytelling annoying at times, but the music is pleasant enough.
I like it, but feel the need to switch it up after a couple of songs
Not my thing. Although, I do like her voice. It’s just too talking singing and too melancholy
Stand-out tracks: Coyote, A Strange Boy, Refuge of the Roads From the first track I was already questioning if I will like this album or not because there are things I like about this kind of style and things I don't. The instrumentals are soothing and at times jazzy, but they drag on in many tracks to the point where I kind of just got tired midway through a track as there wasn't much variety. The same can be said for the vocals as well, they feel tacked on at times and like they aren't even following the rhythm of the song (this is a popular singing style, but not something that I personally enjoy). With all that said, there are things to like on this one and it is a soothing record, but I can't say it deserves better than an average rating from me, considering how little of the tracks I actually liked.
This was ok. I thought when I was listening to this that I’m not liking it as much as other folk albums, such as Nick Drake’s. It’s manly because I like the music and I like Joni Mitchell’s singing, but the two never meet.
Quite pleasant, great to listen to at work for some ambience. Nothing to write home about tho.
I recently watched The Last Waltz for the first time, and i do like Joni Mitchell a bit more now. But still not all that much.
3.5. Beautiful songs but nothing stood out a lot.
Love her voice, but never loved her stuff
Antras albumas, kurį jos klausau, šitas man labiau patiko, gražus tekstas ir balsas
I have to give Joni some credit for being an original. If you look up her supposed influences and contemporaries, none of them really sound like her (with the exception of CSN). There are also not a lot of singer-songwriter albums in this vein that are considered classics like this one without any standout tracks. I don’t mean that in a negative way, it’s just clearly meant to be a full, complete album and not just a compendium of songs that happened to be recorded at the same time. That said, I still don’t like her style as a lyricist and it sometimes feels like she is in a bubble and the rest of the band is [gestures] over there somewhere. I listened to this twice, and there were times I thought I could give is a two and times when I thought I could give it a four.
GOING IN: Not fussed really LISTENED WHILE: Afternoon, relaxing FAMILIARITY: Know the artist, not the album SKIP RATE: Played it straight through REPLAY VALUE: Might come back to it DISCOVERY CURVE: Slow burner this one ALBUM ARC: Pretty even, consistent VERDICT: Fair enough BODY'S VERDICT: Sitting nicely - Motionless appreciation My Rating: 3
Great singer songwriter. I like her voice and most tracks on this album were good.
6/10
kind of like a less rock-y heart? not bad
Poetic lyrics, beautiful voice, some important themes and messages in there, but it was hard to get into the rhythm of it. Love Joni Mitchell, but this was a more difficult album to get into for me.
meh
Occasionally kind of repetitive. I enjoyed “A Strange Boy” a lot, apparently a song needs few guitar chords and I’m hooked.
A pretty good album, I liked Black Crow the most.
*sigh* Joni’s good, I get it. Let’s move on please?
We've had a lot of Jonie in this challenge. I'm not able to pick up on significant musical shifts between the 3 so not sure why there are so many. This is a fine album but generally not my fave genre
On first listen I prefer the music to the meandering vocals and lyrics throughout the album. I sort of imagine enjoying this at 'an evening with Joni" event where she interlaces the songs with anecdotes.
Some high highs (coyote and refuge of the roads are both great) but a few of the jazzier tracks grate on me.
Solid 3
She's good but this also got boring.
kinda boring
Its a good folky album. Easy listening album but no wow factor. Feels plain and boring.
not gonna lie, this was beautiful but its not my type of beauty
Some gems no doubt, but doesn't hold together as an album as well as was hoping. Some over synthetic guitar takes away from the definitive Joni sound. Lyrics are killer though... from the forceps to the stone etc...
I liked, but it’s not her best work.
Nice to know this is the last of the four Joni Mitchell albums in the collection. I've never been much of a fan of her style, and although I appreciate being exposed to her music through this project I haven't really warmed up to her any more as a result. I found myself constantly wondering as I listened if this is one of her best albums or one of her more forgettable ones; I also thought the album cover was a little too pretentious, although the inadvertent effect of her left wrist looking for all the world like a dildo emerging from the airbrushed highway is pretty entertaining, especially given how dramatic she's trying to look. In some ways the highlight of this album is the variety of luminary musicians playing as her backing band, especially Jaco Pastorius on bass and Larry Carlton on lead guitar on several tracks, although it feels like they weren't really challenged *or* unleashed the way they could have been. Songwise, "Amelia" and the title track were the better of the lot, largely because they better captured the road-weary theme of the album and because they didn't sound quite as cookie-cutter Joni Mitchell as most others on the album (e.g. "Coyote", "Furry sings the blues", etc.).
Coyote and Black Crow are the only songs I really like on this album. The others feel either a little "talky" or the music isn't as interesting, or a little of both.
Kinda what you'd expect
I like Joni. One of the distinctive voices. Hejira is not one of her albums I was too familiar with. I did like it. I did I did. I didn’t really hear many tracks standing out much though, and really not sure it will get much more play around y house.
Joni Mitchell feels like someone I should be more into. I liked this and it was beautifully written but felt a bit... samey? Idk after five or six songs I kind of wanted a bit of a shake up in musical style. That said, it was still enjoyable.
Ósköp ljúft og fínt. Ekki mikill Joni aðdáandi en hún er flottur listamaður.
furry sings the blues is a favorite, but i wasn’t super fond of the album
Not impressed, probably just not my genre...
You can tell that these lyrics came from journals; they're super meandering without being particularly clever. Mitchell's a great vocalist per usual and the music is pretty tight.
uneventful
Nice instrumentals, questionable vocals. Songs don't take me anywhere and stay in one spot.
I like Joni Mitchell’s voice but this less structured sound is not my thing. A good album to listen to if you’re a huge Joni Mitchell fan but otherwise there are albums of her that are so much better.
This was pretty, but somewhat boring.
The Hissing of Summer Lawns Part 2, but luckily I still vibe with this
Ambivalent. C'est pas mauvais mais ça n'éveille rien en moi non plus.
Diiferrbt but cool
Everything is samesy and bland. But, it's not offensively bland. So good job, Joni.
Lyrically very strong with the occasional burst of musical flourish. But simultaneously it feels a bit like slam poetry/storytime. Interesting but probably won't revisit.
OK, plätschert dahin
Best Song: Coyote I have a confused history with Joni Mitchell. On one hand, she has some great folk songs but, on the other hand, it is one song out of ten that falls into the great folk song category. The rest are mid, at best, and can be skipped. This is ok. It makes for decent background music but if I were to put on folk music, this wouldn't be in the top ten I would put on - it wouldn't even be the top five of Joni Mitchell. The first half is better than the second half. 3/5.
I love Joni Mitchell—Blue is an all time favorite record. But Hejira just doesn’t maintain my attention for long. Perhaps it’s just my general disinterest in jazz, but most of these songs feel rather samey and lack the playfulness when Joni is at her best. I imagine I’d like it more if I spent more time with the lyrics, and perhaps I’ll reconsider this rating in the future.
One star for the line “boom boom pachyderm.” Two stars for the rest
Unique voice and lyric cadence that sounded more soothing the more I listened. Great voice control, but no song that was instantly catchy.
Was a nice change to what I have been listening to. A great story teller
I respect it, but don't enjoy it that much Will I listen to again: 2%
This is my third Joni Mitchell album and I get why people like her but she just isn’t for me. I think it’s the syncopation between the lyrics and music. It’s like listening to spoken word. Also, I don’t think I’ve heard the phaser guitar effect used so much in one album since the last time I listened to George Harrison’s self-titled album (which is criminally underrated btw)
This deserves more listening time. Certainly not as immediate as Blue. I'm giving a 3 based on one listen.
Lovely storytelling, I just found the songs a bit “meh” in places. Preferred the more uptempo numbers. A solid, even upper end 3.
Decent album. Miss Mitchell is one hell of a song writer.
3.5 Coyote is an all timer, also liked Hejira and the final track. I bumped against the bass in some of the songs, too magoo
Not my favorite, but certainly interesting. I immediately had my attention grabbed when I noticed Jaco playing on the first track. Interesting arrangements, interesting vocals. Not my thing, but pretty decent.
Joni
Beautiful voice! Absolutely stunning.
Great lyrics. Like ear catching. Songs are laid out very similarly so they are hard to tell apart. She can really sing.
If you like Joni Mitchell, you’ll like this album.
Some good songs. Some meh songs. Lots of Jaco Pastorius. Overall, fine.
Not my fave of hers…and still, it is Joni. 3.7
This album has a very distinct mood and her voice is very smooth and calming. I enjoyed a lot of these songs. Highlights: "Coyote" and "Refuge of the Roads"
She's just telling a story about her road trip
Bueno
okay
chill, medio country, nada q me pondria a escuchar pero esta lindo
The songwriting and storytelling are really good but the pacing and spaced out instrumentation kills me, the songs sound so much more dragged out than they needed to be. I can understand why it could be a revered album but i don’t really enjoy it. Top songs Refuge of the Roads Hejira Coyote 6.0-6.3
Bit hippy dippy. Could grow on me though, with many many listens.
Very lovely album by a musical icon.
Another Joni album. Still not bad, but I'm not in love with it either.
Kinda appreciate what she does, but she just doesn’t grab me. Dont particularly enjoy her phrasing, and unlike Dylan whose lyrics grab you, after the song by Joni I couldn’t say what a song was even about. Again that’s on me I know but it is what it is. Know it’s kind of sacrilegious, but even though I like 70s singer songwriters I find it just a little bit boring. Know she is musically talented people with much greater grasp of musical theory tell me, but it just leaves me flat. 3 Star.
The stories are interesting to listen to, but the music is so monotonous it's hard to get through the entire album in one go without getting bored. It lacks the dynamics and melodies that make Blue great.
I know I should like Joni Mitchell records better than I do but I like them exactly as much as I like them
Listened to this four times because I had no familiarity with this album, and I wanted to like it but... alas....
The very forward in the mix bass makes it hard to see these as original pop songs and not jazz vocals. Strange record.
Baustelle, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Schönes Album.
Will always adore Joni’s voice and the poetry is something to be admired but as a whole I didn’t overly enjoy this. Nothing particularly stood out either positively or negatively so it kind of faded into the background a bit. That’s nice too in its own way but yeah probably wouldn’t revisit. (2.5 stars)
I couldn't work out why I didn't enjoy this the way I adored the last Joni Mitchell album. Then I read the Wikipedia page and realised it's a jazz influenced album. Ah-hah, mystery solved. It's so beautiful, but I just can't handle the same-sameyness of it all.
Неплохо, напомнило Небраску
var bra men helt ok vibe
I thought this was nice. Joni’s lyrics are pretty good and it’s overall a really nice album to vibe to. It’s not mind blowing though, it’s just fine.
Lots of lyrical poetry, which is a given with Joni. Full disclosure: I've never been able to stomach Joni's voice, which gets way to warbly for my taste. Color me surprised, then, that the moments where it hits those "fingernails on a chalkboard" tone are relatively few on this one. Substitute the over-emphasized exploratory bass lines as the element of this one that I can't stomach. So close, Joni.
There's something unsettling with a majority of her songs, where it feels like she's constantly building up to a chorus that never comes. Third verse, same as the first. I recognize Joni Mitchell's talent, and just like her other albums, it has a very chill vibe, but I just don't really dig her style.
Vocal-forward music is not for me, and folk rock is far from my favorite style of instrumentation. I don't care about vocals or lyrics all that much, and the instruments in these album tend to be in the background, which I also don't like. But in this album the vocals are not that monotonous and the instruments are a bit more present, so I through it was fine. I enjoyed Coyote and Song for Sharon quite a bit actually, but the rest were forgettable. This album is not boring but also not exciting. Just fairly enjoyable background music that is not really my thing.
Moins fort que ses autres, ça reste du Joni donc on se plaint pas
It was ok, I’ve rounded it up to a 3
This one is much more disjointed and meandering than Blue. Although those songs didn’t have a ton of structure, they still were easy to follow. This one was still beautiful, but a bit more of a ramble than an album
Lovely album listening to it on Sunday morning was perfect
My mom loved Joni Mitchell, but I was dreading this. That said, it wasn't bad at all. It had the right 70s acoustic vibe, and it was at least great music for me while working.
She has a beautiful voice, the songs are well written and emotional, but something about it feels slightly off in a too similar to itself way.
some songs way better than others
Solid outing by Joni here, but weighed down a bit by the album droning on a bit too long. Started contemplating more and more about when the album would end as it went on.
All very samey. Lovely voice and bass though. I was intrigued by the chords and did some looking into it, then went round for one more go.
As expected.
Such a talented songwriter.
the great Canadians have come to me one by one. First its rush at aug 16, than its neil at aug 19, and today, at sep 9, its joni. don't tell me that leonard cohen is on his way to torture me. david byrne was talking about his fondness of Blue in an interview i was just listening to and yesterday i got a jazz album. so? i think its good but not that consistant. 3/5
Not a fan of the singing style but I liked the instruments used. Some songs had that same old school electric guitar tone like the solo in I Want To Break Free by Queen.
It's pretty good, but I don't remember anything distinct about any song in particular.
Mitchell's previous two albums incorporated jazz into a mix of folk and pop. On this one the jazz is the centerpiece, and it's a sparse collection of guitar, bass, and drums. It sounds good, but it leads to a collection of songs that end up blending together a bit, as it lacks memorable choruses of instrumental lines. I like Mitchell's vocals on this a lot; it has a reputation of coming out at a point where she had ruined her voice a bit but it fits the music well even if it's not as technically impressive as her earlier work. The lyrics I've heard are quite good, but I find it a bit hard to focus on them given the subtlety of the music. This is definitely an album I want to like more than I do, but I've found it difficult to crack so far.
achtergrond muziek. rustige zang
It sounds like if you flipped to a random page in a book and had to read it while making up a rhythm to go with it on the spot
***An ok album, easy listening. Most tracks sound alike
Absolutely incredible lyricism paired with an excellent voice that paints the picture of being on the road, isolation and love as clear as day. I just wish each song was trimmed by a few minutes since they can drag on for quite a while, which overall hampers my impression of this album. Still a great listen nonetheless, Hejira the song is absolutely a standout too!
This sounds very proto yacht rock, Joni and the meandering bass guitar of Hejira. It's a very pleasant album but it sounds like background music and doesn't inspire me to listen again.
Standout Songs: Furry Sings The Blues A Strange Boy Black Crow Decent folk album but a few of the songs were waaay too long. Having multiple 6+ minute songs in a row makes it drag a little. I do love Joni’s voice.
I didn't hugely enjoy this. I love Joni Mitchell for the soaring emotional highs and lows of Both Sides Now and Big Yellow Taxi. This was more of a stream of consciousness album with mild psychadelic tones. I think if I had been in a specific mood when I listened to this, I would have loved it. The music was enjoyable even without the correct mood, and I'm sure I would like the lyrics more if I was looking for a continuous story. I will have to see if I ever get in that mood and go from there. I'm glad I listened to it, regardless. It is very good music even if I didn't like it that much.
2.8 I can't really do Joni Mitchell's vocal style to be honest. The background music is pleasant, but nothing more. Not really a lot going for it. Overall bland, with some songs slightly grating due to her vocals.
As always with Joni Mitchell: I like it, I'm not crazy about it.
Might be the most I’ve appreciated Joni from all the albums on the list. Production sounds great and lyrics are usually pretty intriguing, although I found it easy to space out with more melody or flow to the singing. 6/10
kinda underwheling sadly, but will to it listen again some time
Coyote - amazing. Never reaches that height again.
This is another difficult review. Mainly because Joni is so wildly talented and it’s very clear. But if I’m being honest I didn’t save very many songs off the album but I had a lot of appreciation for almost every song. The big songs off this album for me are Coyote, Hejira, and Black Crow. I always struggle with slower songs and the vast majority of the album are slower songs that had my attention but I didn’t feel that inherent need to save them. The real standout that made me wish Joni only made psychedelic music was Black Crow. That song fucking rips. It’s so good and it made the whole album more worth my time cause I’d say that’s definitely my favorite Joni Mitchell song ever. Seriously this album is totally worth your time. Don’t let my number review discourage you. This album wasn’t made for me specifically, that is ok.
3 stars
Off the cuff remark: Blue is still my favourite Joni album. This was better than I anticipated mind. It's got less warbling (a good thing) and although it feels a little directionless that and the production gave a mellow feel I quite liked, or maybe it's the heat? Standout track: well there isn't really one, some rather lengthy tracks that merge a little Revisit?: hmm, perhaps, but it doesn't have A Case of You does it...
I like this. very nice voice and reminded me of the time in the 90's when we had some really interesting female vocalists around...before the x factor 16 octaves per note warble became standard
Never been a huge fan
Joni Mitchell is one of the artists I’ve been dying to explore more. I’ve never heard any of the songs off this album. I love the imagery from the songwriting and felt she has the perfect voice to carry the story through. A dash quirky, I enjoyed it.
p357. 1976. 3 stars. A prime example of 70s West Coast singer/song writing. Fabulous lyrics and an achingly lovely voice, let down by sleek over production, 6+ minute tracks and a lack of standout tunes.
Feels like she’s generating random chord sequences then doing karaoke over that. Meandering to the tenth power, not for me 2.9
Для спокойного фона пойдёт, но вообще не вижу большого смысла слушать эту пластинку без знания языка. 6 из 10.
There's a point where one I don't know what to say anymore about these kinds of albums. Did I like it? Uhmm, could be. Is there any difference between it and most of the soft jazzy folk records of the list? No, sir, no. Maybe I'll add it to my "Songs for driving" list, who knows.
Not really my thing
Mitchell sings with absolute confidence and is in total control of her remarkable voice on this record but her jazz-inflected vocal melodies here are so elaborate and complex that they render the songs hard to relate to. "Song For Sharon", perhaps the best track on this album, is not coincidentally one of the most melodically straightforward tracks. More power to Mitchell for following her muse but keeping up with her on this trip down narrow and winding roads is a rough ride.
I'm torn on this one. Joni is a legendary songwriter that deserves every iota of praise sent her way. Incredible voice and wonderfully written songs, but very simple and bare arrangements for the whole album. If I was to hear any of these songs by itself, I'm stopping whatever I'm doing and just enjoying the pleasantness, but a whole album becomes almost chore-like. The songs are beautiful but can kinda drag on a bit and if you have the album set to continue to replay, then it's hard to tell when you're back to the first track. Realistically, this is probably at least a 4+, but I'm not sure I can give it that over the monotony, but it's a very high 3 for me
Didn't like it like the one below, still good.
Really liked the tone and atmosphere throughout. Vocals were less up and down, which I prefer. Didn't find any real stand out tracks though so more background music for me
I wish these songs had choruses. They're very nice, but I barely remember them as they go by because it's just a stream of lyrics. I'm something of a song idiot, and I need a hook. It's a lot like Astral Weeks. Enjoyed myself, but the absence of the traditional song structure is a challenge for me.
A good album
Coyote was a strong opening song, but not a lot else stood out. Don't think I liked this as much as the last Joni album we had. I'll put this as a mid-3 and keep it moving.
Joni Mitchell is one of those artists that I appreciate, but I don't get excited to listen to. I think of the several albums we've had on this list, I've mostly reviewed her at a 4. She has a beautiful, intriguing voice and her arrangements are well thought through and interesting. And yet, when I'm listening I'm not often excited. Now this could be because I'm listening to it in the wrong context -- after all I'm mostly playing this in the background while working. But I also think there is a part of this that I find, if not boring, then uninspiring. This album in particular was a wash for me. Pretty songs, pretty singing, but I had little care for it and was happy to hear it conclude so I could move on. I think as a reflection of all of this, I'll call this a 3 and move on.
Another 3 for the girl.
Not my favorite of Joni to come up something about the whole way she was singing was a little strange. Still very good musically though so can't complain. Didn't know we would have this many Joni albums though. Coyote is such a weird song and was extra weird when she did it live with The Band at Last Waltz
Another iconic 70’s singer. Great voice, and music.
Sounded like any other Joni Mitchell album. Nothing really stood out
I did not use a private spotify session for this one. It's a Joni Mitchell album, sweet voice, nice melodies, but won't be on steady rotation in my house.
I remember enjoying “Court and Spark” whenever I received that album some time ago. The songwriting and storytelling is just as prominent here, almost to an exhausting degree though. Mitchell was mostly inspired during her travels with bands or other men (was Joni a player?) or going solo. These tracks certainly give the sense of adventurous experiences, but don’t really stand out on their own.
Fine but boring.
Pretty chill tunes but it never captured me. The lyrics really help paint a picture but the music lacks in my opinion. Like the uncool Patti Smith.
So this is Mitchell's album where she got more experimental. That's all fair and square and I do like that more her folk stuff. She still has a delivery style that can drift into some meandering. Which then overshadows her talent as lyricist. Not sure what to make of it yet.
Joni's got a delightful voice, just wish it was always singing 'Big Yellow Taxi'.
A little less structured and poppy than I prefer. Maybe I’d like it if I was in a different mood.
I liked this.
3,1/5
Pretty good
Meh
I appreciate her lyricism, but stylistically it reminds me of the muzak I used to have to listen to at work.
Listenable