Joni Mitchell "Blue" (1971)

Blue
release date: Jun. 22, 1971
format: digital
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,55]
producer: Joni Mitchell
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "All I Want" - 2. "My Old Man" - 3. "Little Green" - 4. "Carey" (5 / 5) (live) - 5. "Blue" - 6. "California" - 7. "This Flight Tonight" - 8. "River" - 9. "A Case of You" - 10. "The Last Time I Saw Richard"

4th studio album by Joni Mitchell is not only a step up and her so far best album, it's simply one of the most awarded and critically acclaimed genuine folk and singer / songwriter albums... ever. This is where everything came together in the right way - her slightly introvert solo compositions have been lifted and arranged with adequate accompanying musicians in great mix with either guitar, piano, vocal harmonies, or with strings as a foundation, or a mix of everything she has so far showed on her previous albums that worked. AND on top of that, this album simply contains great songs. The album was met by positive reviews, then, but time has put this very album among the absolute best of all popular albums - be it rock, pop, funk, soul... you name it. It's simply there, among the best of the best, and the best of all times. Naturally, it's enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". This particular album is one of those rare albums that will endure and always be mentioned in sentences with the word: great.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone Magazine (among others) all hand it 5 / 5 stars ]

1971 Favourite releases: 1. Deep Purple Fireball - 2. Joni Mitchell Blue - 3. T. Rex Electric Warrior

Joni Mitchell "Ladies of the Canyon" (1970)

Ladies of the Canyon
release date: Apr. 1970
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,45]
producer: Joni Mitchell
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Morning Morgantown" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Conversation" - 4. "Ladies of the Canyon" - 7. "Rainy Night House" - 9. "Blue Boy" - 10. "Big Yellow Taxi" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "The Circle Game" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Joni Mitchell originally released on Reprise Records is another fine classic singer / songwriter and folk album characterized by lyrics focusing on environmental, social and political issues - stories about peace love and understanding. Also, the album is change of sound more than a stylistic change. It's the same folk music as on her first two albums, but what really has changed are the arrangements now featuring strings and percussion both for amplifying and a widening of the soundscape. The album is clearly bettering Clouds from '69, and her debut album from '68, in so far this is more uptempo, lighter, and with a more positive sound. It's not folk rock but it surely hints to that, but in essence it's her so far best album, imho.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

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 ]

Joni Mitchell "Song to a Seagull" (1968)

Song to a Seagull [debut]
release date: Mar. 1968
format: digital / vinyl (2023 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: David Crosby
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "I Had a King" - 3. "Night in the City" - 5. "Nathan La Franeer" - 6. "Sisotowbell Lane" - 10. "Cactus Tree" (live)

Studio album debut by Canadian folk and singer / songwriter Joni Mitchell [aka Roberta Joan Anderson]. The original vinyl album's A-side is labelled "I Came to the City" (tracks 1-5), and the B-side: "Out of the City and Down to the Seaside" (tracks #6-10). Mitchell wrote all songs herself, and she is only accompanied by few others on just a couple of tracks.
Apparently, the album was released somewhat unnoticed despite the fact that Mitchell was already a familiar name for having written songs for other artist including Judy Collins, Fairport Convention, and Tom Rush, and the album just made it to the US Billboard 200 peaking at number #189.
I do find it more than ordinarily interesting, it may be slightly narrow in its sound, production, reflecting scarse arrangements, but it's definitely a fine album.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]