Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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
I liked Blue a lot more
-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
Hissing of summer lawns is an amazing name
Not entirely my cup of tea, but no real complaints about it either
I’ve never been a big Joni fan. While this album didn’t change my mind in that, I did enjoy it more than I was expecting to.
not the mood for today.
Ok nothing special, great voice, ok songs.
A mixing of Folk, Jazz, and Pop. The second half the album is stronger than the first. Sweet Bird, and The Boho Dance are the standout tracks.
Probably very good technically but didn't grab me. Will listen again.
Spotify. Sorry Joni i don’t get it
A little too experimental. This is my least favorite of Joni Mitchell's albums, but it's not as if there isn't good material. Best track: Sweet Bird
Enjoyable and easy listen
Interesting, super jazzy. Not something I'd listen to a lot but glad to have heard it. Favorite tracks: "The Hissing of Summer Lawns", "Harry's House/Centerpiece"
6.5/10 FT: in France they kiss on main street
It's kind of boring in the positive way
3
Nearly a 4.... much better than I thought!
I didn't really care for this. Last week I had hejira, which felt like a better album. Not being a native English speaker really hampers the appreciation probably
Someone there really likes joni haha
This doesn’t do it for me…the jungle line really threw me off and I never recovered
The Hissing Of Summer Lawns Joni Mitchell 1975 Genres: Folk, Jazz Styles: Singer Songwriter, Folk Rock, Acoustic, Fusion, Contemporary Jazz 1. In France They Kiss on Main Street (★★★★☆) -Contexto: Tema de apertura, con aire jazz-rock. Habla del despertar sexual y la adolescencia de clase media en un pueblo chico durante los años 50, en paralelo a la explosión del rock & roll. Fue el único single del álbum. 2. The Jungle Line (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Construida sobre un loop de percusión de los Warrior Drums of Burundi. La letra rinde homenaje a la pintura de Henri Rousseau, mezclando esa imaginería "primitiva" con la vida urbana moderna, la industria musical y la cultura de las drogas. Mitchell contó después que al escribirla sentía que canalizaba a un poeta negro hablando de Harlem, contraponiendo lo primitivo con la maquinaria industrial moderna. 3. Edith and the Kingpin (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Relato en clave jazz sobre la llegada de una nueva mujer (la "moll", la pareja) de un gángster a la ciudad donde él manda. 4. Don't Interrupt the Sorrow (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Base de guitarra acústica y letra de flujo de conciencia. Habla de mujeres plantándose frente al dominio masculino y afirmando su propia existencia como individuas, con imaginería mítica (referencias al Edén, lo femenino como fuerza que se levanta). 5. Shades of Scarlett Conquering (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Pieza orquestal sobre una "belle" sureña moderna que arma su vida y su imagen a partir del estereotipo de Scarlett O'Hara, de "Lo que el viento se llevó". 6. The Hissing of Summer Lawns (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Tema que abre el lado B y le da nombre al disco. Retrata a una mujer que decide quedarse en un matrimonio donde es tratada como una posesión más dentro del patrimonio de su marido. 7. The Boho Dance (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Comentario irónico sobre quienes acusan a los artistas de "vender" su integridad al buscar éxito comercial, con guiño a "The Painted Word" de Tom Wolfe. Se lee también como respuesta de la propia Mitchell a quienes le hicieron ese reproche a ella. 8. Harry's House / Centerpiece (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Habla de un matrimonio que se cae a pedazos como ejemplo de la soledad de la vida moderna, y en la segunda mitad cita el standard de jazz "Centerpiece" (de Harry "Sweets" Edison y Jon Hendricks). 9. Sweet Bird (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Tema acústico más despojado, vuelta parcial al estilo "confesional" de sus primeros discos. Trata sobre la pérdida de la belleza y el poder que viene con la edad; el título parece dialogar con "Sweet Bird of Youth" de Tennessee Williams. 10. Shadows and Light (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Cierre del álbum, construido a puro overdub de voces sobre un ARP String Machine, con estructura casi de himno. Es una meditación filosófica sobre la dualidad humana: ceguera y visión, crueldad y placer, lo correcto y lo incorrecto, apuntando también a la hipocresía política y la rigidez moral/religiosa. -TOTAL = ★★⯨☆☆ (2,95) -Debería ser un 3, pero no me generó nada, mucho menos consistencia en la calidad. Para mí es un 2.
Not really into all the weird jazzy stuff here.
My only exposure to Joni Mitchell before this was the plot point in Love Actually. Listening to this album made me think if this is the kinda music his wife is playing around the house, then I kinda understand why Alan Rickman was tempted by the flirty secretary. Joni has a really nice voice, and the music on most of the tracks is pretty good, but Jesus the vocals are full of rambling nonsense and alot of times don't feel like the even fit the music. All the elements are here, but the final product just doesn't do it for me. 2.25* rounded down to 2*
Great song writer and appreciate her talent but not my favorite group of songs.
La verdad no conecté con la música, pero me parece que tiene una voz increíble
i don't get this at all. joni mitchell is the quintessential "weird old hippie" music to me
The first couple songs are quite interesting and then it gets really boring in the middle
Waaaay too folky.
It's a very creative record, but similar to Leonard Cohen, I don't find her vocal style pleasant unfortunately
Didnt do it for me. Very one dimensional
Sounds like a musical soundtrack. And wow, that vibrato. Not sure it was all entirely necessary.
Easy listening. No song has made me excited.
Сара 1 Марко 3,5
Sounds like Joni brought in Steely Dan as her band. Not what I expected from a Joni Mitchell album, and I didn't like it. Feels like she's trying to modernize her sound, but this doesn't work.
Too avant with no good voice. But what do I know? 4/10
Même en écoutant plus de country grâce à ce projet je n’y prends toujours pas goût Quelques bonnes séquences et mélodies plaisantes malgré tout 5/10
Joni Mitchell sings like someone making fun of musical theater nerds. Usually her song writing really hits for me, but not in this case.
Kuu
Pretty boring if I was going to be honest.
I’m sorry, I just didn’t enjoy this all that much!
Meh
So dissonant and weird. Like a fucked up rollercoaster that just goes up and down really fast for 40 minutes until you puke.
Bland and boring
meh, another average at best album by a folk singer. 1 or maybe 2 for Joni, Neil Young, and Dillan would have been plenty. It's not horrible but there is just nothing interesting or special here.
I'm not a big Joni Mitchell fan. This wasn't terrible. I had it on playing in the background. I don't think it was as bad as the other one that I had recently. I'm sure the lyrics are good. I may dive deeper into some of that. This just isn't for me.
Yep it's Joni Mitchell
......
Vocals ruined it for me, too shrill. really lovely instrumentals
Man i couldnt do it. Its so boring im sorry Joni Michtell fans but man i felt like napping during this album. I couldnt listen to this in a car it be dangerous.
Another day, another Joni Mitchell record. I have nothing against her, but she doesn't make music for me. I will say that the instrumentation on this record is a lot more interesting than the others I've given a listen, but still not enough to keep my attention.
Joni Mitchell is a tricky one for me. She is a great sing and songwriter, hugely creative. But I cannot say I truly like what she makes. It does cool things, but it just doesn't grab me. I find it hard to describe what exactly I don't like about the album.
got bored by the end a bit too jazz for my taste
I really enjoyed the prevs joni record and gave this one multiple chances but for some reason never could quite get into it
Fine
It sounds ahead of its time, like I would have placed it as mid-80s. But still, I think you had to be there to appreciate it?
Fun, but not an album I'll be returning to. Also the engineering for this album did not help her out with the mixing. Her voice sounds disjointed from the production.
With all due respect, I just don't care for Joni Mitchell.
I appreciate that Joni Mitchell is an icon who has influenced countless artists, but her music doesn't do it for me.
4/10 Pretty okay but not my favorite type of music.
I can see how someone would like this. I am not someone.
Very much a mixed bag. I was taken by “Shades of Scarlett Conquering” and “Harry’s House,” but some of these songs sound to me like failed experiments.
2 stars. Couldn’t wait for it to be finished. Only saving grace is that it isn’t that long of an album
She can sing and has some interesting things to say. Musically pretty solid too. My everyday listening or lifestyle really doesnt mesh well with this. Still appreciate Joni a lot.
Nice vocals, but mostly really boring.
It was okay but just kinda boring for me. Felt like a safe album with no risks or interesting sections. Now that it’s the next day, this album was so forgettable that I can’t even recall anything about it.
1: OK track, hope it gets better. Interesting beat to lyrics choices 2: the tribal drums of Jodi Mitchell. Bad 3: jazzy ballad. Kinda sucks 4: folksy eh Bad. Dropped
Awful
Easy listen but no stand outs
Mediokert
Jag har gett Joni ett par lyssningar men hon tilltalar mig inte nämnvärt. Produktionen är tidstypisk murrig. Det blir någon form av skvalig fusionjazz som varken är jazz eller singer-songwriter. Med fyra sjuttitalsalbum av Joni i boken återstår att se om det blir bättre eller mer av samma.
Mitchell continues to evolve from just being another folkie with a guitar and embraces a more jazzy sound. Unfortunately I found this record dull as dishwater. Mitchell's voice is not particularly strong or memorable and I wasn't pulled in by her words. The random flourishes of jazz instrumentation are the strongest parts of the album. Album closer 'Shadows And Light' is the best song on here. Mitchell's usage of a synthesiser gave the song a choral feel. The sampling of African music on the 'Jungle Line' just reminded me of how Mitchell would dress up in blackface for her bizarre alter-ego. I'd recommend googling that story as it is way more interesting than anything you will find on here. This is the type of folk music that I can't vibe with.
More of the jazzy style from Hejira and Court and Spark. Once again the music and the singing exist separately from each other and her vocal delivery ignores the pacing and tempo that the instruments are setting. She has a great voice and the backing tracks aren't too bad, but it doesn't come together into something that's enjoyable for me.
Not a big fan
2/5
Much like anal sex, one must really be in the mood to enjoy Joni Mitchell. Being ordered to engage in such activities by random generator will never quite hit the spot.
The accompanying music didn't do much for me but Joni has an amazing soulful voice which demands attention. Favorite track: The Hissing of Summer Lawns
Ok
Barely okay
JFC another Joni Mitchell. The more I listen to her, the less I respect her.
The thing with Joni Mitchell is, I am sure if you really listen to the words, there is some deep meaning there. But if you just have it playing in the background like I do, it a just sounds the same.
Not at all what I expected. Lots of different sounds and instruments. I didn't like it, but I'm glad I listened to it. I suppose that's the point of this whole thing.
Final Joni Mitchell, and what a ride it's been. I went from hating Blue, to being indifferent towards Court and Spark to then somewhat seeing the merit in Hejira. Hopefully I'll come away liking this album with how my opinion of Mitchell has been trending, but in all fairness she does have three misses to her name. It's been about 340 albums since I listened to Hejira. I don't recall much about the album, though I do remember liking the warm acoustic guitars. Joni's songwriting remained distinctly shitty, however. It wasn't as bad as it was on Blue, but she sure does love that warbling, waffling vocal style. I'm a proud, card-carrying woman respector, BUT that style of music is so incredibly menopausal and has tormented generations of wahmen (i.e., Kate Bush and Bjork). We need to keep women out of the recording studio until they can learn how to behave. Anyways, on with the album of the hour. I guess my Joni Mitchell worst to best ranking is in chronological order. I liked this more than Court and Spark, but Hejira is the more fully-realised body of music. The appeal of this album is contained in just a few bits and pieces for me. Joni Mitchell is at her best when conveying a warm sound through her guitars, and such a strength is rarely given time to shine on this album. The guitars have a near-constant presence, yet they're continuously muddied by the jazz and electronic influence peeking through on this album. What's worse is that none of these components are bad. The jazz and electronic instrumentation occasionally has its moments, yet the music never comes together into a satisfying whole. I know Mitchell is primarily revered for her lyrics, so I hope can be forgiven for not paying any attention to them. I'm more than used to her lyrical style at this point, and said style in incredibly jarring. Mitchell abandons any regard for solid vocal hooks and gripping songwriting, instead zeroing in on these bloviating, platitudinous, arrhythmic messes of songs that are stretched incredibly thin and go absolutely fucking NOWHERE. Her worst eccentricities are more reeled back in the case of this album, but I'm still left scratching my head regardless. Overall, this was a fine album, even if I was left twiddling my thumbs for most of it. Book time. Preceded the popularisation of jazz and world music by over a decade, apparently. "...the artist pigeonholed as a confessional folk star dazzled with an eclectic collection of symphonic-style compositions". A politispergy album that laments "...the spiritual bankruptcy of the U.S. meritocracy", whatever that may mean (I don't speak liberalbabble). The rest of this entry is just about the lyrics. Wikipedia says this album belongs to a period of experimentation in Joni Mitchell's discography, had a good number of collaborators and was initially shunned by critics before receiving a glowing reappraisal in the years following. The album charted well in every Anglosphere country aside from New Zealand and was the 58th best-selling album on the year-end Canadian charts. The album also peaked at No. 16 on the US charts in 2024 when it was re-issued on vinyl. Yeah, I'm favourable to this pick. It's distinct within her discography and four Joni Mitchell albums seems right for an artist of this standing. I cosign this inclusion.
Kinda sounds gospel-y
Soft jazz folk rock isn't for me, but I really liked The Jungle Line. Seemed quite out of place with the rest of the album. If you told me it was a current artist and recorded recently, I'd believe it. 1.5⭐️
Her voice is really nice. I don’t know why I hate it so much!
Songs are lacking
There's some on stuff here, but not much for me.
It sounds like, literally and metaphorically, a rehearsal for Hejira which is vastly superior. Typical overkill by Dimery and his cronies.
70’s Folk ⭐️Shadows and Light
2/5 bof
You know what this will be. Every Joni Mitchell song is the same. Every Joni Mitchell album is the same. No variety whatsoever, I suppose Joni's voice is fine, but when you hear the same thing multiple times, it gets a bit annoying. I won't revisit because I know exactly what I will hear.
I live her voice. It’s just not my style of music.
A huge amount of "not for me" on this album. Just thankful it wasn't a double album, tbh.
⭐⭐+ Lite överraskad av det här albumet, inte direkt det folkalbum jag förväntade mig från Joni Mitchell. Det är en större produktion och inte bara sång/gitarr. Influenser från bla Jazz och adult contemporary. Det är välpolerat och prydligt men jag saknar lite nerv och har svårt att bli engagerad. Bäst är The jungle line.Tycker det är lite för bra för att få en tvåa men ser inte att jag kommer lyssna på det igen så det blir en 2+
Not my cup of tea
Not for me. I suppose there will be many that enjoy this and I can understand that give the stretching of genres, but found it a bit boring.
Probably deserves a higher rating but I cba
Sorry, Joni
I am sorry, it is nice for a song, but after two songs Joni Mitchell just loses her audience.
The little forays into jazz and rock don’t suit Joni Mitchell. She is one of the great American folk artists. This is outside of what she excels at and it’s not good jazz or rock…or folk. Artists experimenting with new styles and sounds can work. But here it doesn’t. And who knew there were songs about pinball that weren’t by The Who? I will say Mitchell is a poet and the lyrics and storytelling are good. But still, I don’t like it.
Not my thing, but I expected worse
Compared to the other Joni Mitchell albums from this list, I find this one quite listenable. Mainly just because her vocals are not that dominant here. But still I wonder what classifies her to have four albums on this selection. worst: "Centerpiece"
Not a fan. It was like lounge music. Light jazz with a female vocal.
Kinda repetitive and some questionable lyrics. Joni has other better music I think
Artists should always be allowed to evolve… but I’m not on board with this.
Too much whining
Boring. Probably deserves another chance, but doubtiful that will happen.
Not my taste
..
Nein, nicht meine Musik.
This is by no means bad. Actually it's pretty good, musically speaking. Some very interesting choices going on. I enjoyed it but not as much as other things on this list. Not exactly my cup of tea that much.
Just boring as hell. Not much more I can say.
Ni fu ni fa
kinda meh
Disappointingly boring.
4.0/10
I’m mostly familiar with Joni Mitchell from her album Blue, so this jazz album was a departure from the folk songstress I was expecting. Her voice is still amazing and her lyrics poetry, but I found the music a little milquetoast under her commanding presence. It’s cool that The Jungle Line was the first commercial track to contain a looping sample. Critically I’m sure this deserves more stars, but personally I just didn’t enjoy it.
I’m sure Joni Mitchell is an important and formative artist for a lot of people, probably even some musicians that I really like. However, I just found this album kind of boring overall. There were a lot of songs where repetition went from feeling artistic and meaningful to just feeling lazy and drawn out. This was another album where I actively felt myself think “this isn’t over yet?” And that’s always a bad sign.
2.0 (42:34, 10 tracks, 7th album, 1975) Soft Rock (Jazz Pop, Folk Jazz) Boring as fuck. Second album on this list I’ve got by Joni (first being Blue, I liked blue more, it was 35 minutes and better music to take a nap to.) This album has more of a jazz infused sound, which, for me, doesn’t work. I really don’t want to hear a Canadian white chick do jazz poorly. She is credited as the first white person to literally steal (sample) black music – certainly nothing new for music but an interesting tidbit. She did jazz better on her previous album (1974) not sure if that’s on this list, kind of hope not as Joni is already WELL represented with two albums, three, at least to me makes her overrepresented. I hate the name (Hissing of Summer Lawns) and the artwork (Joni’s own) is atrocious, this alone turned me off to this album. The solid green, the big snake, just why? So a bunch of men (possibly black) are carrying a big snake past her house? I think in 1975 if I were female, I could have eventually got into it. This is the type of album you eventually grow to love but don’t like much at first. The man-bashing is a bit much as I’m not female, but I respect her for it. I think this definitely needed to be said in 1975 and 50 years later in 2025 it’s not exactly like it’s not still a relevant issue. Meh
Her calling Madonna a whore might be accurate but it’s also a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Nice voice, shame about the music.
I am not a very patriotic Canadian, I find Joni Mitchell boring
Not sure I was in the right mood for this today tbh, especially given her dodge past choices
Wouldn’t rush to listen to it again, but enjoyed it
Found this be very boring - tried to listen twice and there weren’t any that stood out to me
shades of scarlett conquering and the hissing of summer lawns sounded nice. the rest were a difficult listen… very experimental with the lyrics and instrumentals
This is the 4th Joni Mitchell album I've listened to because of this list. The woman has released 19 albums, I pray they are not all on this list. I have not liked a single one yet and I would have been fine with dying before hearing any of them. Here's hoping that a 5th Joni album isn't lurking out there somewhere on the list.
Compared to the previous Joni Mitchell album, Hejira (1976), these songs had more structure and the lyrics were more in cadence. It had more approachable music in my opinion.
Unbearable.
2/5
Jeg synes instrumenterne i alle sangene lød ens så det blev lidt kedeligt.
Strange & kind of same-y, but still enjoyable mid-70s from the mixing/mastering down to the style.
not my jam.. stängde inte av
just not my vibe
This seems like music you play and discuss how to make your vagina smell like a flower. That conversation would be more interesting than these songs.
Ehh, she’s talented for sure, but I just never cared much for Joni Mitchell. Still don’t
Really didn't care for the jazzy soft rock with poetry going on here....call me a dolt if you must.
Very weird. Not my taste at all
I like the cover and the beginning notes of the album's titular track, but I just can't get behind Joni Mitchell's whole workmanship. It doesn't touch me but I can tell there went a lot of effort into creating this album.
This was all a bit flowery for me. I imagine at the time it was a perfectly decent album, but it seems lacking now.
Meh. Boring, background music. Not one memorable song.
I’ve enjoyed some other Joni Mitchell albums but this one didn’t pique my interest much. I may try to revisit this at some point but today 2.25/5
not my thing
Litt kjedelig, men fint
This is #day481 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my penultimate Joni Mitchel record. Funnily enough, I'm getting them in the order they were released. So I only got Hejira left. At least this time around, I found the music occasionally interesting (the first couple of tracks, actually). Still, this is a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day482.
This is two different albums being played at the same time. The vocals and lyrics don’t seem to have anything to do with the accompaniment; separately each might be more enjoyable, but together it just doesn’t work for me.
4/10 Deeply unenjoyable. I strongly dislike Joni's penchant for rambling, jazzy songs. Every so often an actual song threatens to break out, but then it is swamped again by meandering.
The Jungle Line I had heard before, I love the first five seconds and then those pulsing drums just fade into the background. What a waste of an amazing sound. I don't think I've ever listened to the whole song before. This album never really picks up. Glissandos, soft trumpets, similes that are either obvious or nonsensical. Soft jazz, yuck. The spoken-word quotes at the end of Centerpiece were something different, but again a bit obvious and underdone if you wanted quiet suburban desperation.
It's alright, there's a lot of talent involved here but it feels weaker than the sum of the parts. The Jungle Line reminds me we don't always need to fully encourage creativity. Or maybe the fact that I remember it means we do.
I'm not in the mood for this. I kind of like The Jungle Line. Sounds like proto Björk. In the past I have enjoyed her voice, but it was not working for me this time. Also, we don't need this many Joni Mitchell albums on the list.
the ones I like, I really like
Nah. 2 stars
Ich hab' es bei Joni Mitchell schon mit "Blue" und "Court And Spark" versucht, aber ich raffe ihre Musik scheinbar nicht. Dieses Album hat daran auch nichts geändert.
1. In France They Kiss on Main Street - 6 It's lyrically very good. The guitars on it are brilliant and instrumentally it's a massive enjoyment. My issue is with the constant pace change of the lyrics in the verses. It's as if some lines are well paced and great and others have too many words and forced to crash into each other just to fit and not throw the pace of the track completely off. 2. The Jungle Line - 5 Instrumentally this track is very interesting. It's got some heavy drums and the lyrics are good. It's nothing phenomenal but it's still a decent track. 3. Edith and the Kingpin - 8 Lyrically it's very good but the highlight of the track for me is all the different effects on the instrumentals and how they're used to up and down the pitch of the song. It's like they constantly switch the mood through this absolutely perplexing song that is filled with intrigue more and more as you go through it. Solid track. 4. Don't Interrupt the Sorrow - 5 It's an okay song. There's some parts of it that are lyrically masterful and others that are dull enough you'll zone out of the song. 5. Shades of Scarlett Conquering - 6 It's a good song about loving making and a southern girl. Lyrically solid. Nothing over-the-top phenomenal but it's a good track. 6. The Hissing of Summer Lawns - 6 Decent track. Love how well it's lyrically written and there's genuinely a lot to enjoy here. 7. The Boho Dance - 4 Bit boring a track. It's definitely the pass over track of the album. Very slow, lyrics aren't great, and overall the track just feels like it's all over the place. 8. Harry's House / Centerpiece - 2 It's just all over the place. The pace is rushed on the lyrics in Harry's House like they are in In France They Kiss on Main Street. Then the song shifts rather non-seamlessly into Centerpiece which has an incredibly jazz sound on the piano. Honestly, the piano here is the best part of the entire album. It's amazing... but then the bridge into the outro have a completely different sound that just doesn't fit the track. The track is just absolutely all over the place because of it, sounding in the end like just loose noise before Joni Mitchell returns to the same structure and sound that was in Harry's House. Way way too random a track. 9. Sweet Bird - 1 Joni is too quiet on the track and it's overly simple. The piano is back but it's not the jazzy vibe and the pace and tempo of the piano is too quick, throwing the rest of the track completely off before Joni resumes her vocals. 10. Shadows and Light - 2 I'm not a person who enjoys acapella and that is what this is. Average Rating: 4.50 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.25 Rounded Down: 2 Stars
Dull. Not much more needs to be said.
Pretty tedious stuff 💤
Pleasant but didn't connect at all. Mostly lyrical. Too light for me.
2.5
I could not yet into it. The last song “Shadows and Light” was interesting. Recently I heard an interview with some musician that said Joni Mitchell represents femininity and women must accept that to like her and men may never understand and never like her music - or something to that effect. With that in mind I tried listening to Blue and could not get into it. So I had a feeling going in this would not be my thing.
A backing band that sound like Steely Dan noodling over Crosby Stills and Nash make for a surprisingly good sound - warm and loose, jazzy jammy, with a touch of controlled fuzz and something approximating funk - she's getting a little bit wierd with it, incorporating dark synths, dense soundscapes, and lush tropical arrangements. I still don't like her voice though and there's just so much of it.
my disdain of Joni Mitchell grows with each album of hers I have to listen to
Putting me to sleep unfortunately. Think I'd like it more if I was more of a lyrics guy.
5/10 - nice easy listening, you know what you're getting with Joni Mitchell