Saturday, 12 May 2018

Joni Mitchell - Clouds


Rating: 5/5

Review:
Still great


Clouds is still a very fine album.  It is Joni Mitchell's second album from 1969 and it already shows her astounding virtuosity and originality as a songwriter, guitarist and singer.  The songs have the depth and beauty to have endured for almost half a century and still shine brightly.

Like a lot of people, I heard Judy Collins's version of Both Sides Now on the radio when I was 15, heard Joni Mitchell's name for the first time in the back-announcement and bought Clouds, which had recently been issued.  Starting with Tin Angel was a bit of a shock to my young, musically naïve ears, with its moody, atmospheric feel, slightly strange-sounding melody and original chord structures.  That applied to a lot of the rest of the album, too, but I'd invested a lot of pocket money in it so I stuck with it and it was the start of a life-long love of Joni Mitchell's music – and of this album.  It's a genuine classic and warmly recommended.

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