01 May 2011

Joni Mitchell "Clouds" (1969)

Clouds
release date: May 1, 1969
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,07]
producer: Joni Mitchell, Paul A. Rothchild
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 3. "I Don't Know Where I Stand" - 4. "That Song About the Midway" - 8. "Songs to Aging Children Come" (3,5 / 5) - 10. "Both Sides, Now"

2nd studio album by Joni Mitchell is a fine acoustic folk and singer / songwriter album. The arrangements to Joni's singing voice are with little or no other additional instrumentation but her acoustic guitar like was the case on her debut album. I find this a more introvert and gloomier album than her acclaimed debut. This seems like the weaker difficult follow-up to a strong first album. However, the album was well-received, reaching number #22 in Canada and number #31 in the US and Mitchell was awarded a Grammy for Best Folk Performance in 1969.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]