The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

This album makes me wonder who else from her generation was just as good at lyrically placing you right in the midst of a story or setting. Maybe Billy Joel, Elton John, and…? Surely the list is short. Vintage easy listening that doesn’t tug on the heartstrings as much as it instead functions like a personal favorite fiction novel. Also with a bit of subtle electronic production here and there? I noticed it on “The Jungle Line” song. Loved the horns on “Harry’s House/Centerpiece.” My favorite is probably the closer “Shadows and Light.” Pleasant music to listen to while lounging around

Bra, men ikke helt for meg dessverre. Av det jeg har hørt så er Blue mye bedre.

Hisssssssss

I don’t think I’ll ever understand Joni. Not my thing, but it wasn’t terrible.

chill album

ok I guess, not my style, too lyrical

Nice vocals, lyrics and arrangements. The lyrics are quite interesting and you could easily get lost just reading them. The songs don't really grab me, this album could've done with a few 'singles' as the tracks all have quite a rambling/free-form structure. It's pleasant to listen to, Mitchell's experimentation with jazzier arrangements, strings etc. create some nice songs. But after 2 listens not a lot really stuck in my memory So a mixed bag means 3*

An interesting experimental album. I'm not too big of a fan, but it's interesting at least.

Not bad!

A cool experimental album. Simple yet adventurous

I love the experimental sounds in this album. The electronica in The Jungle Lines is exciting, creating a unique sound. The other tracks are not so distinguishing, but I absolutely recommend this. It's entertaining. Harry's House/Centerpiece is good also. It's somewhere around 3.5/5 for sure. The album cover is pure art. I love it.

Pas mon préféré d'elle, mais reste respectable. 5/10

Eine gute Stimme, die mit Piano Begleitung kraftvolle Balladen singt. Sie wirken irgendwie zeitlos. Es ist schön zu hören, wobei jedoch keine Highlights dabei waren.

Oh, jazzy Joni, I don't love this record as much as some of your others (please never say "shuck and jive" again) but I also can't help but enjoy some of the tracks here. This 49 year old record doesn't sound totally staid like a lot of other music that came out in 1975 so I've got to give Mitchell her due praise as well.

It's not her best work, but I liked the jazz-folk fusion. And let's face it, the woman can sing.

I've never been a great fan of Joni Mitchell's music. It's just that it doesn't really meet my general taste in music. I had never even heard of this album before, or indeed any of the songs. I found the album interesting for some of the musical approaches, but I felt that Mitchell's voice seemed to be somewhat separate from the music.

An unusual recording. I think I need to give it another listen and that it is worth another try. "In France They Kiss on Main Street" was the only song I immediately recognized. Jazzy and adventurous with Joni Mitchell's usual poetic, sometimes obscure lyrics.

Great voice and storytelling. But it’s just not something I really enjoy.

I appreciate Joni's contribution to the genre, but for Canadian folk my preference lies with Ian & Silvia.

In a vulnerable moment I confided in a friend that I didn't quite like Joni Mitchell. He said I was a bad Canadian. I think he might be right, but I still don't really get it.

Joni Mitchell is amazing and about 30% of this record is excellent. Her vocals and phrasing are beautiful and the harmonies are unique to her. But some of it’s just… kinda weird.

I liked this okay, but I think this has been my least favorite of the Joni Mitchell albums so far. Which isn't to say it isn't good, it is. But there has to be one least favorite, right? And since it's my least favorite so far, I'll knock it down a star it probably doesn't deserve to be knocked down.

Joni is great This one is decent, maybe not to the standard of the others I've heard from her, but its good. Bit different, very jazzy at times, great production, enjoyable High 3

Love this Joni

Many interesting and pleasant sounds here but Mitchell's vocals isn't one of them. Edith and the Kingpin is a great track.

Very pretty. Like quite enjoyed it. I will add it to the Sunday afternoon at the cottage with my girlfriend playlist

Meh. Inoffensive, but I'll never listen to it again. 2.8

Lyrically? brilliant Musically? Borderline elevator music Write up says this is jazzy and experimental but it's Muzak with good lyrics

Maybe the lawns are hissing because she sucks

This was a nice relaxing album. I could totally listen to it again, but I doubt I would seek it out of its own accord.

Good

Average album

Fun listen. Not a fan of the genre but this was solid. 3/5.

Meh

Dece

Nice jazzy folk, some really nice and unusual chord progressions. However, it is a bit too easy-listening at times and just breezes by.

I absolutely love Joni Mitchell and her work. I was raised hearing her early work and fell in love with it. I basically made it up to "Court and Spark" and was introduced to this album just recently. This album continues where 1974's masterpiece, "Court and Spark" left off and gives us the jazz-rock sound that was such a departure from her earlier work. Overall, I love this album and can't understand how it was panned when it was first released, but it makes sense because Court and Spark was a masterpiece and a sequel to a masterpiece always falls short. This one has it's highlights too and can be considered an equal. Highlights: "In France They Kiss on Main Street": The only single from this album that gained any popularity, and for good reason. It features Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitar who did a lot of work with Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers and lots of other L.A.-based musicians. Victor Feldman on electric piano (read Rhodes), who also contributed a lot to the Yacht Rock scene of Los Angeles later in the decade. James Taylor, Graham Nash, and David Crosby all provide backing vocals to this song which is catchy and gets you right into the mood. It reminds me a lot of "A Free Man in Paris" and could be considered a sequel to that song although the lyrics have nothing to do with Paris or France. Heh. "Don't Interrupt The Sorrow" - Kinda funky, groovy and I love the guitar work on this one. Lyrics refer to a woman standing up to male dominance, which is just awesome. "Shades of Scarlett Conquering" - I wonder if Taylor Swift has heard this. It's very woman empowering and standing up for women's rights. Great tune. "Harry's House ⁄ Centerpiece" - Really good song, probably the best on this album. Love the bridge to classic jazz moving into the Centerpiece part of this song.

Nice safe album nothing stands out

Jazzy Joni jams

this was okay, songs dragged a bit but i enjoyed some tracks

This cover concerns me, Joni. Update: I was right.

its giving nick drake and also carole king. and yet despite this, its boring highlights: don’t interrupt the sorrow, shades of scarlett conquering, harry’s house/centerpiece (oct 8 2024)

First listen. Ok.

That's probably enough Joni Mitchell now. This was better than the last one we had but not as good as the one before that. She still has a great voice and at least these ones were actual songs but I don't think there were as many stand outs.

This is the first Joni Mitchell record I actually kind of enjoyed listening to. I could stand it and not be annoyed or angry while it was playing. That is a huge achievement for me!

🎧Interesting, ambitious Joni record, but not my favorite.

Good songs, but Joni Mitchell has better work out there

Like her voice

Ok

I don't really have an issue with the music. It's depressing, but some of it sounded like it would've fit right in with early 2000s electronica. I just have an issue with her singing. Every song sounds exactly the same.

I didn't like this as much as Blue. The Jungle Line is fairly irritating. Harry's House is my favorite track on here.

No major complaints here - Joni has a great voice and I thought this was a pleasant listen. I sense she might have better albums?

Joni Mitchell's body of work illustrates a talent not just in music, but in other media. However, I just didn't care much for this album. Maybe it is the synthesizers, which just haven't aged well in some places. It's still a fine album, just not her best work.

I'm sorry, but I don't get Joni. Lovely voice, clearly very important to her generation but it's all pretty underwhelming for me. Pretty enough songs, without really getting the aural juices flowing

A very interesting album. This is not a pop driven album with sing along tracks. I can tell this one is very personal. I jived with about half the tracks while some are more poetry set to music almost. I think this is one that needs multiple listens to really appreciate, but probably not on my rotation.

Avant-pop. Venga, un ni fu ni fa por la voz. Pero he estado por ponerle un 2.

nice singer songwriter album

That was quite a nice listen. Spent some days thinking quite what I’d rate it. Overall I think it doesn’t justify a 4 but it really feels this record gets better with every song.

Oh Joni. You are just fine.

No sneks were harmed in the making of this record 65

I love Joni Mitchell's voice. Her song writing is wonderful but some of these are super dense

Did not enjoy nearly as much as blue, love the voice.

A great title, and I enjoyed the laid-back 70s vibe - probably Harry's House my favourite

It was aight

That's not my taste in musik. But ok

nice mellow music. bland but acceptable. would wag a baby to sleep with this on but I would change the record before putting another one into my wife

Kinda over rated

Good! 3/5

This was a perfectly good album, but there are definitely Joni Mitchell projects out there that I think are better than this. Her iconic folk sound is really hard to go wrong with, but this is definitely one of the most inconsistent albums I have heard of hers.

A bit dated, hippy, spiritual type stuff. Alright though.

I quite enjoyed this, it wasn't as folksy as I was expecting. You can really feel the jazz influences.

At least this one was on Spotify, easy listening

Joni Mitchell has such an amazing voice, she could carry anything. And this CD starts really strong - the first song is fun, fast, and weird in a way that just works. And the rest of it is nice, but the energy level just really loses steam after the first two songs. And that's fine, it's a perfectly nice listen, and she can make whatever CD she wanted to make. But for my taste, this would've been another star or two up if every song had the pacing of "In France They Kiss on Main Street."

Pleasant. 3.5

It was fine.

Ok to start, Joni’s voice is something special, incredibly talented singing aside her sound is so uniquely hers it can be pretty overwhelming, mixed with the excellent story telling she does in her music is fantastic. 3.4

So this one didn't really reach out to me as much as I would have thought with how highly peolt speak of Mitchell's work. While it wasn't bad by any means, it just didn't feel like something that I'd return to in the future, but I am looking forward to more of her work to see where I sit with her. Harry's House was phenomenal though! 3/5

An interesting album. Somehow poppy and very experimental at the same time... Favorite tracks: "In France they kiss on Main Street", "The Jungle Line", "Harry's House/Centrepiece"

Sehr langweilig, dennoch gute Instrumentierung. 2-3

extremely 70s

Prima achtergrondmuziek :)

An intriguing record. I'm most interested in tracks like Don't Interrupt the Sorrow and The Jungle Line.

Not my cup of tea

Strong poetry, but the music just makes me think of my mum after her divorce.

Disenchanted lullabies

Some great songs, folkrock/jazz vibes. Overall not that exciting over a long period of time.

I like her voice but the overall music felt pretty dull

Great songwriter, beautiful music (mostly), but not my favorite album

I don't really get Joni Mitchell, I don't think. A lot of these sounded fine, but extremely aimless and unstructured. Made me bored. Couldn't settle into the right wavelength for it.

I am so biased when it comes to her. I blame "Love Actually".

I just don't get it. I've made a genuine effort throughout this project, but try as I might, Joni Mitchell songs just don't sound like songs to me. I like some jazz noodling but this isn't that, either. This is Jackson Pollock. Sometimes it all comes together into a sublime masterpiece but often you just get a confusing unstructured mess. Love the album title and the cover art.

Joni Mitchell has amazing albums, but this feels skippable in her discography. The best song in my opinion is the opening track and there are beautiful harmonies, but it doesn't match Blue in any way. 3 stars.

Didn't know this one, but enjoyed it.

Ain't my cup of tea, but interesting early use of samples and moog. She was innovating and unafraid to try new things. A true artist.

Can appreciate the vocal ability, but it's not really for me.

3.5/5. Pretty good. It's different, and I can appreciate that. I would not mind owning this.

She has an impressive voice and a truly interesting jazzy delivery.

Not my favourite kind of music, but this was decent with some suprises

The Hissing of Summer Lawns is the seventh studio album by Joni Mitchell, originally released in 1975. I'd say I'm fairly familiar with Joni Mitchell's work. Her early stuff more than her later stuff, but I still know a majority of her albums. That being said, I've never heard of this album before. I don't think I've ever seen it in a record store either. Anyway, this album is both a logical follow-up to Court and Spark as well as a predecessor to Hejira. Joni really leans into the jazz vibe on here, and it sometimes hovers dangerously close to smooth jazz. I did like some of the experimental electronic-based tracks. Her songwriting is on point, but these songs can meander at times. I guess there's a reason why this album is kinda forgotten. It's a weird semi-experimental bridge between Court and Spark and Hejira. Not bad overall, just not a standout when you compare it to giants such as Blue.

2.5

I liked it, would listen again. Certainly had a different vibe to it.

Pleasant. Not entirely sure it's groundbreaking enough to be included in this list, but at least it wasn't crap/annoying. Might listen to a few songs again but the rest were pretty backgrpoundish.

Joni goes jazz, this was really nice

The bizarre sampling & synth-ey elements kept my attention. Otherwise per usual I find it difficult to get into the jazz-folk fusion-ness.

It was nothing remarkable for me. From the name and the looks of the cover it kinda disappointed me? Like I was expecting something more folkloric

Jungle doesn't sound like the Joni Mitchell I expected. I didn't care for it.

this one just ok. i love her early stuff tho a lot

Hadn't heard most of these songs before, but they're lovely.

I am apparently not a Joni type of gal

Rating: 6/10

I respect her unmistakable sound buy why have multiple albums they all sound the same

Her best probably

I've listened to Joni before, Blue and Hejira mostly and this is very much like those albums. I'll have to listen more to find the subtleties between this and other albums from this era.

Joni Mitchell does a lot of interesting instrumentals on this album but none of the songs stood out to me at all. It was fantastically written and performed, but I don't think it was my style. 3.5 if I could.

Just alright to me. I liked the song The Jungle Line. Not much to say about this one.

Her voice is pretty nice but her music doesn't do much for me.

It's okay

I’ve listened to a quite a few Joni Mitchell albums, but not this one. I really enjoyed it. Very clearly still a Joni Mitchell album but with a nice mix of sounds. Mostly I think there are some artists with too many albums on this list, and I question if all the albums actually deserved it. But regardless of whether or not this album should be on this list, it is and I enjoyed it.

I’m not a fan of most folk music. I hear a lot of whining and longing in the music. So I was not looking forward to listening to this album. Once I started it up and heard her voice, I was immediately happy. She does not fit in with the rest of the music i regularly listen to, but I do enjoy her singing very much.

3/5. A folk jazz album. It can work in some songs but I think the lyrics are so sporadic that it gives off a vibe of slam poetry. I think I might be too slow to fully enjoy it. From what I could gather, the themes are empowering and thoughtful but I lose track very easily. The instrumentation is good, including a synth and alternating instruments per song is a great choice. On future listens, has potential to be a 5. Best song: Shades of Scarlet Conquering, Harry's House

I ♥️ Joni. One of my favorite singer-songwriters of an era chock full of 'em, but never heard this one before. She may be the ultimate "musician's musician" - her music can be polarizing, and from what I can tell the fans tend to be musicians. I'm not allowed to listen to her music when my wife is home. Not being familiar with it, I read a little about this album after listening to it fresh. What a strange time 1975 was that a record like this would reach the Top 40! Great album title and cover art. I didn't recognize a single song on here except maybe the first one. The songwriting gets uneven after the first few. However, the deep, rich tones throughout are aural catnip to my ears - begging to be heard loud on a 1970s tube stereo with gigantic speakers that make you feel like you're sitting on the bass player's amp. The hissing (and crackling) of Summer Lawns on vinyl FTW!

Well, I'm not a huge connoisseur or particular fan of Joni Mitchell, so my response isn't all that informed. OK album, I guess, but (at least based on what I read in Wikipedia) it seems like "Court and Spark" might have been a better choice for this period of Joni Mitchell's career? It's interesting that she was experimenting with Moog and ARP synthesizers, and it's conceptually intriguing that "The Jungle Line" features one of the first musical samples, but I found so many songs (and especially "The Jungle Line") kind of cringe-worthy, especially the more world-music oriented songs (in much the same way I find Paul Simon's world music approach kind of painful). I guess I empathize more with the early reviews of the album than the later ones that seem to feel it's both timeless and a masterpiece.

got off to a rough start, esp with the Jungle song but picked up with some nice jazz tones toward the end.

I feel like I would have gotten more out of this if I was reading the lyrics alongside listening

Not my cup of tea

I've always been a fan of Joni's blend of Jazzy, folky scat. It's very stylised but after a while I think it starts to blend together. Still, I'm glad she's back on Spotify.

Listened to this on Youtube because the album was not available on Spotify. It was not half bad! I do wish it were on Spotify but you win some and you lose some I guess.

Original. Hard to follow CCR with this.

This is a 3.5 Don't really know my review of it other than the album felt warm...do with that as you will

Avant-pop. Venga, un ni fu ni fa por la voz. Pero he estado por ponerle un 2.

Hello Youtube. I'm not a big fan of JM (its the voice....Blue does nothing for me) but I feel the jazzier ones fit her style better. (Though the jungle one is a bit grim)

The songs on this album really blend together, which I don't like, but it doesn't sound bad.

I love Joni Mitchell, but not this Joni Mitchell.

Kinda sad and not on Spotify

Pretty good folk music but a bit boring at times. Stand-out: Don't Interrupt the Sorrow

Unable to access in Spotify

OK but dull.

This is unique and new to me! I have heard the name, but I don’t think I’ve heard her stuff before.

Great opener, but Joni has better albums

2.5/5

Enjoyed this way more than expected - but I'm a Yacht Rocker, and some of the musicians on here are LA studio legends. It was all going so well until the final track, which is just painful synth nonsense

Wasn't able to listen to the entire album, because I had to listen to it on YouTube. I enjoyed the few songs I listened to and will give it a proper listen when I have time.

Depressing but solid.

A good album-definitely jazz/improvisational and experimental (for the time) which lends it to feel uneven, I think.

Some interesting moments production-wise, but I think the most important thing I realized is that one reason I've never really had much interest in Joni Mitchell is because her melodies are so damned boring.

Sure, she's using different instruments in a song, but she still uses the same singing style. She uses her whole voice when she sings, but that's not always fun to listen to.

i can see why people like this and if i gave it enough time i’d probably like it more but the smooth jazz vibe sets my teeth on edge and joni’s voice has always bugged me so no

Not a ton stands out for me but I'm still pulled in to Joni's music. Her vocals and lyrics just keep me involved in every song.

Wouldn’t describe myself as a Joni Mitchell fan but this album actually kinda rocks. It’s weird, in a good way.

You know what I thought it weirdly sounded jazzy and steely Dan esque and confirmed by researching steely Dan’s influences that Joni Mitchell was an influence. Unique artist at the intersection of folk Americana and jazz. This one was good I’ll be listening to here more

Joni's Joe Rogan vendetta continues

Liked it better than Court & Spark. 3.5

I’m not a particular fan of Joni Mitchell. This was gentle easy listening but didn’t wow me. 3*

Joni meni täysin uuteen suuntaan, tutkien jazzia, enkä ollut silloin valmis siihen. Se kuitenkin kasvoi minuun ajan myötä, ja muistan päässeeni useisiin kappaleisiin. Valitettavasti se jäi jotenkin hyllylle varmaan vuosikymmeniä, kun vedin häntä kohti aikaisemmin...ja myöhempiä albumeita. Tämä yllätys (minulle) koko albumin julkaiseminen YouTubessa herätti vain nautinnon tästä albumista. Se oli upea albumi! JONI ON MIEHEN NIMI... In France They Kiss On Main Street

Previously rated: Court and Spark (3/5) ************************ I thought the first two tracks were great. The first one reminded me of Schoolhouse Rock for some reason. Again, great voice. Got a bit boring near the end.

The cover is cool. There is jazzy-jazz inside. Synth base is fun

I'm 50/50 on this. I typically like Joni Mitchell, but I definitely liked the tracks that sounded more "classic Joni" than the experimental stuff. Worth a listen though.

This is my second Joni Mitchell album, this one was more interesting than the first. I still probably wouldn't choose to listen to it again, but I feel like I appreciate Mitchell's talent much more after this.

I don't know. It's fine. I guess. Just take the 3 already.

Very soothing, but also a bit boring in the end.

But mweh, but can't pinpoint ehy

It calmed me to the point I almost fell asleep

Ni una sola de las canciones disponibles en Spotify. Inopinable.

És una artista complicada, on la més gran part de l'interés resideix en les seves lletres. Però en els seus millors treballs, i aquest és un d'ells, pots transcendir i disfrutar de la melangia del folk amb tonalitats de jazz i pop regats amb la seva veu tan particular

I listened to this after getting “Court and Spark”. I don’t know what it is but this is lacking something that was on Mitchell’s previous record. Is she phoning it in on this one? Is it the production? Genuinely can’t tell.

6/10

As with so many Joni Mitchell records, this is a masterpiece that isn't actually that fun to listen to. (What a terrible opinion to express! I'm sorry.) She is brilliant, and there is so much brilliance here. I just don't find myself turning to it.

Easy listening. Good songs just don't think k I'd listen to any again, 5/10

vibey in the joni way. good listen for the right day.

Sommige mensen worden kriegel van Joni, daar heb ik niet zo'n last van. Dit album vond ik echter niet veel uitschieters hebben. Relaxte wegluistermuziek, maar weinig dat echt raakt. Zo'n verstild nummer als Sweet bird vind ik dan nog het beste.

Ik heb gewoon niks met Joni Mitchell. Het is mij vaak te experimenteel en te ongemakkelijk om naar te luisteren. Dit album is gelukkig een stuk normaler, met prima liedjes. Het wil nog wel eens wat experimenteren, maar de drang tot gekkigheid en krijsen als een kat heeft ze blijkbaar weten te bedwingen. Het is vrij ingetogen soms zelfs. Hier kan ik een stuk beter naar luisteren dan een eerder werk dat we van haar kregen.

Enjoyed this more than I have done her previous albums - the arrangements are a bit less bare, whilst still giving centre stage to her voice. Lyrics were crisp, clear, and interesting too. Irks me that she's not on Spotify (though for good reason), but it's comfortably a 3.

Not on spotify

Different, but cool. Had some interesting sounds. Didn’t listen to the whole thing.

This was better than expected; not my thing at all but pretty well done. A lot of it sounds like someone distilled the essence of 1970s America into music.

3.75

Solid album great vocals

-Points off AGAIN for not being on spotify(its stupid af) - didnt hate this album but didnt love it. Maybe if we didnt listen to blue a week ago it would hit differently

- Album not on Spotify anymore - listened to it on YouTube - pretty chill - remind me of Sims music (minus the singing) - 3/5?

She has an interesting voice.

Good album. Musically, it's brilliant. There were a couple of songs that I will go back to, and I've saved the album in my YT music Playlist. Its still not something that stood out to me and made me go crazy, but it's nice to listen to while you're driving or jogging etc. I appreciate the musicianship of Joni here, and her vocals. They're brilliantly composed and performed songs.

Great voice. Great artist. This was too one tone for me to get very excited about though. 3/5

Enjoyed it more than the other Joni Mitchell album. More jazzy, more dynamics. Overall okay.

Only got to listen to a few of the songs since it's not on Spotify but I always love her stuff.

First half is good. The 2nd half gets more boring and less good. Great voice but there needs to be more than just that.

good length 3.5

Decently enjoyable

Not bad, but did nothing for me. 2.5/5

Pretty good Joni. Didn't click as much as "Blue" did, but it was still an enjoyable experience. Now put your music back on Spotify, because I feel like a dirty peasant when I have to listen to music on Youtube.

I didn't know what to expect, I knew the name Joni Mitchell and about her, but never actually listened to any of her music. Pleasantly surprised by the album, but not really my thing. 3/5

This is absolutely more deserving of the 4 stars I am giving it. It’s just not an album I’m going to listen to play often, if at all again. But objectively, she is a genius.

Overall, this album was ok. I'd give it another listen. This is the second Joni Mitchell album that I've gotten, and I loved the first one a lot more than this one. I think she is a very talented singer-songwriter.

Pleasant

I know people really love Joni Mitchell, and there is a lot of brilliance here, for sure. But it's just not my personal favorite.

Folk. Un poco aburrido.

Sounds good

Get the hell off my lawn Joni

My third Joni of the challenge, only one left... It's nothing atrocious about her music, it's just boring as hell. She still deserves a 3 from me, but these are stars of influence in the music universe, not for my appreciation.

In general it's a nice comfy feeling, but beyond that it passes over me. The flyover was nice though.

Not on spotify

joni mitchell cannot ever be a bad listen. her voice has such a light, pleasant quality to it, which sure makes for easy listening. she uses jazz for the most part but combines it with pop and rock, which makes for that smooth listen. the second song on the hissing of summer lawns, "the jungle line", is the exception--her voice by itself is lovely, but the discordant sounds here are interesting yet jarring. i'm not mad about it! i definitely noticed the emphasis on women's perspectives. i'm sure it's due to mitchell writing almost the entire album, but i know she chooses her themes carefully. the world was changing in the mid-seventies when this was released, but not enough that her emphasis choice wasn't purposeful. she describes a southern belle's persistence despite difficulties, a woman's decision to stay with an unloving husband, the strength of all women.

I was surprised just how different this album was from the previous Joni album I received on this project. This was definitely unique, and a very interesting blend of singer-songwriter and jazz stylings. Again, Joni comes through with outstanding songwriting, each song playing like nothing less than a sung poem. Not my favorite Joni Mitchell album that I’ve heard, but it was nice, nonetheless!

Nice background music. When I listened intently, she seems like a very good storyteller. I liked the use of percussion in 'The Jungle Line'. 3 / 5 stars.

Enjoyable but boring

I like this album best when I hear Joni do her Steely Dan impersonation (like the title track). But goddamn this music composition is so DENSE - it definitely warrants a slow burn before I ultimately judge it. For now…

Not bad, but shit in places.

I like the band, I could take or leave Joni.

This might be blasphemy but I think this is a boring album. I liked the jazzy parts and the various instrumentals like synthesizers. The songs are a snoozefest and left me fidgety. It was hard to concentrate on the album.

Joni goes Jazz! At least that's what it felt like. There was still a folksy air to the entire thing but songs like Harry's House/ Centerpiece were clearly jazz inspired. Always enjoy listening to Joni and this was a good one to pass the time at work.

I just can't get into Joni Mitchell.... It seems nice and maybe if I was exposed to it when it came out I'd feel differently.... 3/5

I am indifferent

Pretty varied within her genre while definitely, definitely sounding like Joni Mitchell. Favorites were Harry's House/Centerpiece and Don't Interrupt the Sorrow.

The best JM album we have listened to yet. Maybe it was closer to the bridge from her singer songerwriter days to her more jazzy days. 3.5/5

Musically I dig it, I've just never been a fan of Joni Mitchell's voice. Nothing against her, I think she's wildly talented but it's a personal hangup that will always prevent me from truly appreciating her

Couldn't find it to listen

Beautiful voice, enjoyed the listen. Nothing drew me into the songs, but her singing is fantastic

I was underwhelmed with this.

The voice is great. The music a bit too MOR and soft jazz.

I really enjoyed this album, but it's such a pain that she removed all her albums from Spotify and that definitely coloured my view of the album. I liked the jazz more than her follow-up album (Hejira).

Not on spotify

Joni has a great voice, and excellent song writing. Overall decent album

Joni Mitchell's smooth voice leads to an easy listen as record settles into an easy cadence flitting from tone and depth with each track. That being said, there isn't anyone iconic piece instead we are left with a perfectly fine album, just lacking in any pizazz.

Much respect to Joni Mitchell

Another boring folk record, but this one is not only boring, but beautiful also

I have a lot of respect for Joni Mitchell. Her lyricism, the craft of her songwriting, her beautiful and unique voice. The problem is I just don't much enjoy listening to her records. Cout & Spark and Blue are generally enjoyable even Ladies of the Canyon has pop stylings that I enjoy. The only song on Hissing of Summer Lawns that I am familiar with is In France They Kiss On Main Street, and its good but it starts her turn to more jazzy song structures and away from tradional pop song structures. Is it a bad thing.? No Not at all, it just makes the songs less accessible. IThey require more effort to allow them to get into my soul. The lyrics are obviously well crafted and intricate and poetic, but the arrangements keep me at arms length - The Jungle Line is a perfect example. So of course I respect this album and if I allowed it to dig deeper into my concsiousness I might even grow to love it. But that would require many listens and frankly I don't see that happening. 3.5 stars

I guess Joni felt that by '75 she had done all she could with folk and started moving in the direction of jazz and "world". The first song gets your attention. The second, “Jungle Line” is a bit cheesy, but adventurous, using drum sampling and Moog to create a sound way ahead of its time. Also, I like "Harry's House/Centerpiece" with its midstream about-face into a jazz standard. The rest doesn’t really do much for me, though I expect the lyrics are great.

Well this was a pleasant surprise. It seems that Joni has moderated her annoying vocal style here and the jazz accompaniment alongside is very nice. and the record is also superbly produced. Edith and the Kingpin is as smooth as silk and would be perfect background music on a lazy Sunday afternoon by a lake. The best song on the album is the title track IMO featuring a languorous and dreamy chorus. Harry's House is also lovely.

Not on Spotify, not going looking

I think I actually liked this one more than hejira. The songwriting I thought was a little more interesting, and I like that there’s more singing and less of the spoken word stuff. Still not a huge fan of her lyricism. Apparently the jungle line is the first commercially released song with samples used.

Needs another listen.

føler eg burde like joni mitchell men har aldri heilt forstått greia

I've never delved into much of Joni Mitchell's stuff before, I am just familiar with her hits, so going into listening to this album, I didn't know what to expect because I knew none of the songs on the record. I don't know how to categorize this style of music. It is kind of jazzy/folky. Joni has a very unique voice that I didn't much care for at first, but it grew on me as time went on. Upon the first listen to this album, I didn't much care for it, however listening a second time, I grew to like it more. I still don't love it, but I can understand the appeal in certain settings. Even on the first time listening I did like the music. Joni had some experimentation with moog synths and piano, as well as a nice coffeehouse acoustic feel. Something I found odd on The Jungle Line, was the inclusion of an almost 8 bit sound (sounds like the noise heard in 1980s Super Mario Bros on NES when you kill Bowser) throughout the song. That song, however, also featured Drummers of Burundi, which was revolutionary at the time (apparently worldbeat being included in pop music became trendy in the 80s) and sounded great. What took me a while to grasp was Joni's lyrics. She is, for sure, a poet, but one of those poets who have really obscure poems that hipsters like to sit in coffee shops and think about for hours on end trying to make sense of them. It took me two album listens to appreciate what she was saying, and I still don't really know, but some lyrics are so weird that they stood out to me such as: In the song Don't Interrupt the Sorrow, she says "God goes up the chimney like childhood Santa Claus" In the song The Hissing of Summer Lawns she says "he gave her a room full of Chippendale that no one sits in" In the song The Boho Dance she says "like a priest with a pornographic watch, looking and longing on the sly" No idea what any of that means, but the lyrics are neat. I may listen to this album again, but it isn't something I would pull up as a favourite. Favourite songs: Harry's House/Centerpiece (Centerpiece is a fantastic little jazz number), The Boho Dance, Edith and the Kingpin, The Jungle Line Least favourite song: Shadows and Light 3/5

This album was fine

Nice relaxed music.

Pretty cool. I liked the last song,

I still prefer the more folkish albums of Joni's. This one is pretty good though.

Le problème récurrent avec les albums de Joni Mitchell, c'est qu'on est toujours très tenté de cliquer sur les threads horreur de notre ami Squeezie, recommandées à la droite de notre écran. Il faut pourtant tenir.

C'était plutôt pas mal, mais j'ai du mal avec les choix d'enchainements de chansons. Joni Mitchell nous propose en effet plusieurs sons acoustiques des plus agréables, constamment entrecoupés de promotions pour la dernière bière à la mode ou encore la dernière marque de dentifrice. Ceci rend l'écoute des plus désagréables, et se doit d'être sanctionné.

The jungle line is echt een vet nummer. Komt dit uit 1975? Voor de rest niet zo boeiend.

Don't worry Joni, I'll get you one day, if only for my parents. I'm trying...

None of the songs stuck out, but it was nice to listen to.

The Jungle Line and Harry's House / Centrepiece are 5-star songs and I can see the rationale for including this album on the list. I do not care too much about the other songs but overall like the album much better than Blue.

This has a certain beauty.

I'm not sure what to make of this one. I like Joni Mitchell's voice, and I get the feeling that this is somewhat of a proto-"Graceland", where she is incorporating the things Paul Simon later used. But I still think Paul Simon did better. The lyrics were hard to fathom as well, but I think that has always been the way for Joni. You can't have gotten all those accolades without those lyrics meaning something. Still, I think of her more like Bob Dylan in that I like when others do her music (i.e. "Woodstock"). Anyway, this just didn't click for me, and I'm not sure why. Maybe I need to listen to it again or twice more...

Joni Mitchell's style is just so strange. Her lyrics are of course not throwaway but they are also real head-scratchers. Too smart for the rest of us? I got about halfway through the album and was wondering why this album was on the list. Then I restarted it and The Jungle Line really caught my attention - first for the African beat intro and then all the jazz sounds. In retrospect it is an awesome song. And it made me realize she really took some risks, with the jazz arrangements rivalling some of the free jazz or jazz fusion that I've been learning about from this list. Still, In France They Kiss on the Main Street was the only other song that really stuck with me. The album still felt a bit too strange to me.

Not bad

She's a good songwriter. I would have to listen to it again to give it a fair go

some light background music

Joni Mitchell has never been someone I've listened to. Generally, her music does not draw me in. Her voice is absolutely stunning, though

Arty and different I liked this.

Not on streaming

I cannot seem to get into Joni's music. I think it's partially due to here nonchalant delivery which doesn't give much emotion to the songs. I liked the jazz influences incorporated into this record but still not great imo. 5/10

p344. 1975. 3 stars The epitome of 70's singer-songwriter albums. Great voice, sharp lyrics, all sorts of things going on here - burundi beat, jazz, West Coast AOR. Not to everyone's taste, and probably not as good as Blue. 1 star deducted for dated production - dig that electric piano baby! - and some tracks outstay their welcome.

Wistful and melancholic

Not on Spotify - Joe Rogan still sucks! All the songs are pretty similar, and not in a good way. She can really sing, and the lyrics are good, but it didn't quite grab me. Very enjoyable, but not especially memorable

Definitely some good tracks on there, but also some tracks where I felt either too dumb or too sober or too young to appreciate/understand.

I thought I was going to be able to handle about 10 seconds per song but made it thru whole album. Actually had some groove here and there. Thought it would be acoustic guitar with that Muppet voice. I'll have to give her more consideration going forward

Fine 70's hippie folk. Pleasant listening, wouldn't mind if it came on again, but wouldn't likely search for it.

If I was being sung to sleep sure. Did not enjoy.

All of these tracks were new to me, but Joni Mitchell's clear and strong voice was shone through on each track. The album is good, but none of the tracks really stood out to me enough to call me back to the album for a second listen.

Nice.

Jazz/prog folk. It’s just not really my thing

After just listening to Tori Amos, I don't feel that Joni Mitchell carries the same passion... it's feels more like an aloof observer, with a very samey feel throughout the album. It is well written, but doesn't capture my interest very well.

This Joni Mitchell album has way too much Joni Mitchell in it. Less Joni please. I liked a lot of the music and was even surprised by a couple of songs, but less Joni would have made all of them better.

It was really pleasant listening, but very samey, could've been on a very indie advert.

This is my first time really listening to Joni but it was pretty good! I don’t see myself revisiting it though.

Well it's Joni Mitchell so as a Canadian I am required to have mad respect for her, but do I enjoy her music? Some of it! Like this album ... I like the first song; In France they Kiss on Main Street, the 4th and 5th songs; Don't Interrupt the Sorrow and Shades of Scarlet Conquering. Harry's House / Centerpiece is a good song that works for me on many levels, the jazzy motifs and bluesy vocal. The title track isn't bad. The rest is eclectic sounding but ultimately does not connect with me. 3.5 🌟

1975. In France They Miss on Main Street, Edith and the Kingpin, The Hissing of Summer Lawns

I'm not too familiar with Joni Mitchell's music, so I wasn't sure what to expect going into this. To be honest, I didn't find myself enjoying it all that much. There are some really nice moments throughout, but as a whole I don't care for it. I could see something like this growing on me over time, but right now I feel a bit indifferent towards it.

Started out with a pretty low opinion of it, but really warmed up as the album progressed. By the end, I was in the groove. This genre is really not for me, but I found that I really dig Joni's voice. Plus, this kind of music is so incredibly evocative of a specific time and place. I feel like I'm wandering around New York City on an autumn day in the mid-70s. So, again, my 3 star review does not capture my true feelings of the album. I respect the artistry and the singular vision enough to give it a 4, but my enjoyment was probably closer to a 2.

ничем не выделяется, в плане музыки интересно. в плане вокальной партии зачастую скучно, интересные аранжировки

Not heard previously. Have struggled to get into Joni Mitchell albums previously but this engaged me more. Suspect this might grow on me further/reveal more with more listens, so will add it to the rotation.

Joni Mitchell’s lyricism and voice is a talent all it’s own. The album is pretty good and enjoyable to listen to. She does a good job but none of the songs feel like strong hits that stick with you. 6.2/10

Started strong, The Jungle Line is a funky tune. But her voice is just too sickly sweet for me

Thought it would be dull, but a lot of it was quite interesting. Jungle was trippy, I loved it. Must have been pretty crazy to listen to in '75.

Joni shifts more towards experimentation and jazz. This culminates in her fusion effort \"Hejira.\"

En pose blandet bolsjer. Meget folksy med langsomme og følende tekster. Fænger ikke helt. 3,5

Pleasant jazz-laced pop with some musical suprises

Complicated!

ok

Nice vibes and a couple of songs i really liked

Detailed storytelling with pointed lyrics. A few cool experimental tracks. Not overly impressed with the the music.

I typically like Joni Mitchell. Wasn't my favorite, but had some okay tracks.

More than solid side one with side two a little uneven.

A decent melodic folk album. 7.1/10

Beautiful Joni vocals and grown up music. Not as catchy as earlier albums, but much more accessible than later ones.

Joni only has that one song and it’s just ok

Ihan kivaa laulantaa, mutta ei mielestäni taiteelliselta tasoltaan mitenkään järisyttävää, eikä toisaalta myöskään kovin tarttuvia biisejä. Ei häirinnyt, mutta kaksi kuuntelukertaa oli tälle levylle ihan tarpeeksi, tuskin tulee enää palattua tämän pariin.

Also a good listen. 2 Joni’s in a row. I prefer Blue.

mellow

It's a surprising album with some very interesting songs but at the same time, some songs are very boring. I liked to listen to it, but it's not very probable that it will happen again, even with those good songs at the first part of the album. The art cover is very beautiful.

El segundo disco que oigo de esta lista de Joni Mitchell. La primera canción me ha vuelto a recordas a los Carpenters y es bastante buena: "In France they kiss on main street". Luego viene "The jungle line" con samples de percusión africana antes de que Paul Simon hiciera estas cosas y con un sonido que me recuerda más a Björk que al folk, sorprendente para un disco de 1975.

As mentioned, the Jungle song was outrageously annoying but there were some gems on here. Not my fave JM album but overall enjoyable

¿Cuánto Joni Mitchell va a haber? No es queja, quizá solo demuestra un hueco enorme que tenía en mi conocimiento de música popular. Sigue siendo un descubrimiento muy interesante, de verdad que es una artista completa en todos los aspectos, las letras excelentes... pero aquí tuvimos un problema ella y yo... Esa primera canción... y algunas otras del disco; todas esas que suenan a smooth jazz-rock... suenan horribles y se quedan al nivel de música de huevísima de CD de compilación del Starbucks. Las otras canciones de verdad salvan al disco; se sienten por ahí algunos ritmos tipo world music que pegan muy bien así como algunas canciones de pop casi minimalista que inmediatamente suenan a algo que seguramente en su momento influenció a alguien como Björk o algo como Shadows In Light que juega por ahí a experimentar un poco con sonidos de rock progresivo. Estas canciones de verdad salvan y elevan al disco muchísimo, si todo hubiera sido experimentando con ritmos de ese tipo el disco hubiera sido un 4 o 4.5 fácil; por otro lado si todo hubiera sido en la línea en la que empieza, a pesar de lo bien escritas que tienen sus letras no hubiera llegado quizá ni a las 2 estrellas, de verdad así de diametral se siente la calidad musical por esos fondos sosos de jazz.

Pretty good joni album, but didn’t like all the songs

I know she is a musical genius, but I have a hard time connecting with most of her music for some reason. There are some moments of this album that just wowed me but overall it's still not for me. 3 stars.

she's had better albums but her lyricism is always immaculate

Me gustó más que los anteriores. Su timbre es muy agradable pero siento que va de lo mismo en cada disco

Lamento no poder entrarle a este disco sin tener el peso de haber oído ya los demás, porque ahora me suena como más de lo mismo, y quizá sin conocer los otros, este disco me parecería mejor. La voz que usa en "Harry's House / Centerpiece" y los arreglos de piano de la canción hacen que el disco valga la pena y en general su entrada a más jazz lo hacen un disco bonito, como para escuchar en un día de flojera y melancolía.

Meh, not the bomb, no blue