Hejira

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

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

So lets be clear. Just from the cover you can tell this is definitely going to be some Boomer 70s shit. I'm not going to be able to take that part of it seriously. Let's bracket it out and listen to what else is happenening - some really innovative jazz fusion. Coyote has this wonderful shimmering guitar that feels like its springing out of Mitchell's lyrics. Her lyrics kind of slide across the rythym without a lot of regard for bars. Similar thing with Amelia but this time with a cool vibraphone and steel guitar thing instead of the guitar. Furry Sings the Blues continues the complex meters. Neil Young's harmonica doesn't add much but hey I s'pose ya gotta help a feller out y'know? Hejira finall calls it with a tenor sax. This thing was begging for a tenor sax! Song for Sharon has some wonderful overdubs towards the end. The last three tracks end things strong. Black Crow is the highlight of the second half, shifting gears by adding some tense guitars and removing a lot of the soft focus reverb that characterises the first half. Blue Motel Room is almost a straight blues track and I think Mitchell's lyrics benefit from this approach, they're a bit more grounded with the simpler structure. I really want to like this more, its got amazing rythyms and the players are just so well put together, Mitchell sounds beautiful, Henry Lewy and Mitchell's collaboration in the studio is at its peak - but the lyrics are just super grating, music is for young people! I don't want to hear about your old bones. I want the kind of energy and hope and despair that only young people can feel. I realise this conflicts with my last review (Portishead - Dummy), but I think the difference is how personal Mitchell's work is compared to that. Refuge of the Roads feels like the inverse of Coyote, with Jaco's guitar being sucked back into the bassline.

Cba to read the lyrics I kind of liked it, although logically I shouldn't. She's story telling and I don't even understand it, but it sounds nice

A sound

this was the album where Joni outstayed her welcome for me.

It’s Led Zeppelin. Great sound. Lots of fun. Not ground breaking now but likely was at the time.

Gorgeous instrumentals

Bit dull

not bad! it wanders for awhile lyrically, but it kept me interested, Joni has a nice voice for this type of music and tells a good story. I liked Coyote and A Strange Boy but the rest I could leave behind, its just a bit too unstructured. This gave me shades of a proto Alanis Morissette if anything.

A perfectly fine Joni Mitchell album. A couple of tracks I really dug, mostly good background music. Would be a delightful listen on a fall morning, maybe with a cool rain falling through the open windows

Joni's a rising star. I went from disliking Blue, to tolerating Court and Spark to now seeing the merit in Hejira. The sky is the limit with the next album. Yeah, it's nice. The acoustic guitar is the main saving grace of this album. It's consistently great and bounces between many unusual and distinctive performances. "Coyote", "Furry Sings the Blues" and "Song for Sharon" are especially good because of this. The pitch/tone is also very unique. I can't say that I've heard an album with this kind of sound. I enjoy a good narrative song, though I still think that Joni's vocal performances run contrary to their efficacy. The jumping between pitches and tempos is very disorienting. There are moments where Joni harmonises beautifully with the music, but getting to that point feels like trawling through the megahertz of an FM radio. This is a carried-over experience from my time with Blue, though my experience of this album admittedly wasn't as bad as that one. She's much tamer here and is carried by the instrumentals much more. I may be mistaken, but I didn't feel like there was much going on in these songs. Maybe there's some deep meaning beneath the lyrics, though that isn't really conveyed to someone who was only listening to these songs casually.

I’ve got lots of love and appreciation for Joni Mitchell’s greatness, but I can really only enjoy it in small doses. This is good. It’s not “Blue”, though. Three stars.

After listening through a few times I'm left with a question - why is this album on the list? I'm not saying that it's a bad album, far from it. The issue I have is that this is the fourth Joni album I've had so far and I just can't justify so many inclusions from one artist. There are thousands of albums released each year so there is inevitably deserving artists that have been snubbed. With that said I'm not letting that influence my voting for this album, I'm judging it on its own merits. I loved the previous albums from Joni that I listened to, yet this one didn't quite land quite the same. I didn't connect with it on the same level. It's a good album but I'm not sure I will revisit it.

Joa gut nix dran auszusetzen, bisserl longweilig

Her voice is lovely and the instrumentation is great, but I do find the songs a little meandering and similar to each other

Not a great album, tolerable and able to listen to it but noting super really.

Much of this album strays away from the folk music Mitchell was best known for as she experimented with a decidedly Jazz sound. The bass lines, percussion, vocals all sound more jazz than folk. Still a solid singer-songwriter and I thought the lyrics were deep and meaningful. While I really love Blue, I did not like this sound as much.

Enjoyed it.

I enjoyed Joni's strong vocals and lyricism. The instrumentation was a tad boring for me.

Hey, it’s Joni Mitchell! But not at her best. And I’ve never bern a fan, she doesn't speak to me or for me. But hey! She’s a bucket and a half better even on her off days than much of the dross on this list. 3.

26/02/25 It was just okay.

I have never heard an entire album by Joni Mitchell so I am glad that this project forced me to do that. I go back and forth on this. Her storytelling, poetry type lyrics are beautiful and deep. Sometimes they feel a little to raw and unfinished but I do credit her with creating some deep songs. Coyote was a bit weird. It seemed like a fun diddy, but basically the guy was a predator. Maybe that was the point but then again it just felt way to casual and happy for the content of the song. That theme went a little bit through the album and maybe just a little too casual for some of the themes. Maybe that was her perspective at the time, somewhat the brush it off and act like everything is okay, and maybe it would have hit me better at a different age in my life.

These feel more like stories than songs. I'm really not familiar with Joni Mitchell's music, so I wish I had listened to an earlier album first to get a better idea of how her music evolved to this. She has a pretty voice and is a good storyteller, but as music, nothing really resonated with me. I did do a good amount of reading on her today since she seems like someone I should know more about. Her story and career are absolutely impressive, and she was an incredible influence on so many other artists. I'm gonna assume there's more Joni in this project, so maybe some of her other work will make me a fan. This was almost a 2 for me, but it didn't annoy me in the way that most of the 2s I dole out do.

Beautiful, special voice

Pleasant listen given Mitchell's talent. Nothing stood out in a big way, either positively or negatively. Lyrics range from dark and sad to humorous, lots of story-telling.

3.5/5 so Joni Mitchell but I eat it up every time

Yeah pretty good Easy to listen too A lot of joni on this list. Don't want to hold it against this album If its a 4, it's barely a 4, maybe a high 3

Man, I know people get their pants in a bunch about Joni Mitchell, but I think she’s just ok. The songs are interesting musically, but the melodies are not compelling and the lyrics tend to ramble. To each their own, I guess.

Joni is a very talented singer. However these songs don’t really speak to me and I find them all very similar and boring.

I've never been a Joni guy. I lived with a Joni superfan, and despite the exposure I just never got her. I liked this more than I thought, but it leaves me feeling pretty flat. I wasnt a huge fan of the fretless bass sound on the album. My favorite track was Hejira. I liked the darker palette. Album cover (B-) No strong feelings

It’s loose, jazzy, and kind of meandering. The bass is front and center, making everything feel like it’s floating. The guitar is bright but soft, more like watercolor than sharp lines. The lyrics feel like someone figuring things out in real-time. It has a similar vibe to Paul Simon’s later stuff—folk mixed with jazz, storytelling without a clear ending. It’s not in a hurry to get anywhere.

Lyrically brilliant, beautifully produced. Not exactly what I enjoy, but it's really good

Belíssima voz

Coyote 3.4 Amelia 3 Furry Sings the Blues 3.2 A Strange Boy 3.4 Hejira 3.3 Song for Sharon 3.4 Black Crow 3.2 Blue Hotel Room 3 Refuge of the Roads 3.1 Score: 3.222222222

Lovely vocals and melodies.

Great voice. I wanted to like this more, but it was too monotonous and I couldn’t follow the stories.

Although some of the lyrics are cool and Joni Mitchell's voice is unique, this album isn't a stand-out for me.

Not a fan. Seems like she's got a lovely voice, but I don't like her singing style. All the songs seem very similar to each other. I know she's highly regarded, but I don't get it.

It's ok. Not my jam, really.

Not my favorite (Joni, or this album), but still a solid album

This one feels like it’s for the real Joni heads out there - if you enjoy her writing enough to listen to a stream of consciousness of it. For the casual listener I thought it was fine but kind of tiring. Couldn’t tell you the difference between the songs.

Never been a big Joni Mitchell fan. This album is good but I don’t love it. Coyote is a great opener but nothing else stands out to me.

I probably would have liked this more if I care more about lyrics. The music on here sounded pretty similar track to track and just was not something I loved hearing. I'd be open to hearing why this is a "great album" but it sounds nowhere near as good as Blue to me.

Es impresionante lo sólido que es el catálogo de Joni Mitchell. Habiendo escuchado ya el famoso "Court and Spark" uno podría pensar que la cantautora podría bajar en calidad en sus obras siguientes (ya que Hejira se lanzó dos años después del icónico LP), pero no es el caso. Mucho más fácil de escuchar, en mi opinión, Hejira se adelanta al sonido de "cantautora" que reinó en los años '90s con PJ Harvey, Alanis Morrissette y Tracey Chapman. De la producción solo queda decir que es sorprendentemente buena, haciendo que las largas canciones de más de 5 minutos en promedio se sientan como frescas brisas de los páramos norteamericanos. Las interpretaciones de Mitchell no dejan de sorprender, ya que parecen conversaciones y recuerdos de un relator confiable, poniendo voces, riendo y entrando completamente en los personajes que construyen la totalidad de Hejira. Pistas destacadas: Coyote Furry Sings the Blues Hejira

Love Joni but this is not her best album.

I just don't get Joni Mitchell -- her phrasing is weird, and that takes me so far out of the music that I just can't enjoy it. I know everyone considers her a genius, and this isn't the first time (nor will it be the last time) that I just don't get it.

2nd best album...good

Great voice, gentle singing and on this album she shifted to more enigmatic sounding instrumentals.

I am not a Joni Mitchell fan, but I do think she has a way with writing lyrics. What saves this album for me is the inclusion of the best bassist of the 1970s, Jaco Pastorious. Mitchell appears to have given Pastorious the record and just said, please bass all over this, and the result is glorious! 3⭐️

Wanted to like this way more than I did. It's just not my kind of music. It's good, she's incredibly talented, but this style ain't my jam. 3/5

Wasn't a fan when the album started, but it kind of grew on me. Mostly the rhythm section.

First of all, It's Joni Mitchell. But, then it's also Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell has always been a difficult artist for me. I deeply appreciate what she has done for music, but I find all of her stuff too quiet and sleep inducing to enjoy properly.

I have listened to it before and really didn’t like it. Today it was a different listening experience and I enjoyed parts of it and Pistorius fretless bass in particular. Still not a favourite but I can see why people like it so much.

boh ascoltabile?

The start of her fading star, Ladies Of The Canyon was a long time ago, even Court And Spark released two years before this feels like a lifetime ago. This feels a touch overdone, overindulgent, she's wanting to tell a story in each song but most overstay their welcome... "Coyote" is a great opening song, but it's also too early a peak to fully enjoy the album as a whole.

3.5

It's fine

3.5

Carino, forse un pò ripetitiva la voce dopo un ora di ascolto...alcune parti veramente spettacolari, tuttavia per apprezzarlo al meglio bisogna capire molto bene l'inglese in quanto l'artista sembri raccontare delle storie

I quite like this rambling style of singing she's got going on. It helps with the storytelling and really captures the "roadtrip" vibe. It's a nice, calming album but too samey and gets boring after the first couple of songs. Probably one to listen to a couple tracks from every now and again rather than playing the full album. A generous 3 me thinks

It was okay. A little slow at times but overall super chill vibe.

Impeccable story telling as you’d expect from Joni Mitchell. As a whole album it’s just all a bit samey and far from her best work. 3.4

Pleasant enough.

Vocally not at her best but pleasant enough. Good lyrical content

I don’t see the point having 4 Joni Mitchell albums on a must listen list (at least 4, for I am at 100ish listened albums now) - not bad, OK, but still.

Super mixed feelings about this one. Joni Mitchell is an amazing singer and musician all round, but I struggled with this one a bit. We started off strong with the bongos which set my expectations really high but then as the album went on it died a bit. And maybe that was the point because Blue Motel Room and Refuge of the Roads definitely felt like the end but I'll admit I was a bit happy when the album ended because I was falling asleep. Highlights for me were the jazz elements used in every song and Black Crow had a super fun vibe to it. Definitely a #travelgirl album though and the lyrics in some songs very much had an improvisational feel to them.

meh

Her voice is pretty, but I don’t care for the chatty meandering way that she sings

Another one that probably deserves more attention than I was able to give it yesterday.

It was ok. I needed to listen it more, and with more focus, especially since this is a lyrics-heavy album.

Another JM album, gave the other three 3 stars and this one as well: music is pretty flawless but both vocals and lyrics not conpletely for me. fav songs: amelia, song for sharon

Unique JM signature style, which is ok but slightly monotonous.