Joni Mitchell has more for you at her main page ... big boy ... Song to a Seagull Overall Album Score: 9.4 out of 10 You might need patience to enjoy this album properly ... allow time for these songs to properly sink in ... because there's a lot of people who find Joni Mitchell boring. And, I can imagine that if there's one album that they would find boring, it would be this one in particular!!! These aren't songs in the Beatles sense of the word. This is more like poetry set to song ... and the music shapes the words without distracting attention away from the words, if that makes any sense. She wants her poetry to be experienced by the listener ... not just put them to a song. Heck, I'm probably thinking to hard about this. But I do know one thing: I like this album. I like it a lot. Sitting down, listening to this album is a very pleasant experience. Precisely three of these songs, I'd characterize as breathtaking. "I Had a King," "Michael From the Mountains" and particularly "Cactus Tree" are utterly superb. ... The rest of the songs aren't quite "breathtaking," but they're quite lovely just the same. "Night in the City," however, seems a little out of place here ... although, it points toward the direction Mitchell would take in her following album (and commercial breakthrough) Clouds. In conclusion, Joni Mitchell is awesome! Overall Album Score: 9.4 out of 10 (A spellbinding debut from rock's foremost singer/songwriter...) Average Song Score: 9.2 (Every song on here is excellent. ... And a few of them are just special.) Album Tilt: 9.5 (Just a pleasure to sit through from opening to close whether you're actively or passively listening to it.) Artist Rating: 9.5 (Some lovely compositions that's made even better because Mitchell not only sings the songs, but sounds like she's living them.) Track Reviews I Had a King 10/10 This song is YUMMY!!!! Automatically, the first song of her first album, Joni Mitchell's ready to show you what a great singer/songwriter/person she is. This song automatically puts me in a great mood ... as if I never actually had anything important to worry about in my stupid life. The tune has a good melody. More importantly, however, is Mitchell's presentation of the song! She's like a freaking siren!! And that's not to mention the poetry, which is just as beautiful as the song. Michael From the Mountains 10/10 Oh, geezzzzz, she did it again! Joni Mitchell is freaking LOVELY!!! Another beautiful song. Very low-key and serene ... I just want to sit back, listen to this forever, and then die. Night in the City 8.5/10 Joni Mitchell's more upbeat with this song. It's more poppy, but the melody isn't too catchy. Also, the utter beauty that existed in the opening two tracks are missing here, even though this is a pretty lovely song in its own right. Marcie 9/10 Much closer to the same style as "I Had a King" and "Michael From the Mountains" and the utterly alluring aura of perfection returns for the most part ... but does anyone else feel that the melody is a little trite? This doesn't quite give me that "I want to die in this song feeling." Nathan La Franeer 9/10 The only thing starkly interesting in this song is that screaming horn that pipes up in the middle of this ... but is that annoying, or what??? Other than that, this is another beautiful song. The melody is beautiful ... doesn't draw attention to itself ... and this makes yet another excellent listen. Mitchell's voice is the best. Sisotowbell Lane 8.5/10 I'm really starting to feel the whole 'boringness' argument a lot of people like to give Joni Mitchell. This isn't a song I feel too immersed in, even though I still very much enjoy the song's calmness, and ... again Mitchell's voice is great. But, yeah. I don't want to die in this song, either. The Dawntreader 9/10 A little better this time ... The crescendos in this song really manage to capture my attention and really make this song work for me! ... This is yet another LOVELY song that's quite tasty. The Pirate of Penance 9.5/10 This song is rather brief (at under three minutes) and ... whoah ... this song is freaking EMOTIONAL!!!! It gets all loud and threatening and stuff! ... It makes me all ... threatened. ... It's not that serene beauty that I hailed in the first two tracks in the album, but ... this is excellent all the same. And it does fit in the album. Song to a Seagull 8/10 Weirdly enough, I find this to be the most distancing song on the album, even though it's certainly lovely to sit through! ... I can't really explain why ... perhaps it's the melody that isn't too special ... I don't know. Mitchell's performance is as strong as it ever was on this album, though. Cactus Tree 10/10 Oh geez ... Now this song is utterly GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!! Nearly a 10plus, methinks ... very, very nearly. It's my pick for the best song on the album, though; it's easily the best and most memorable melody on the album. Yet another song I just want to listen to until I die ... I'm going to go through a lot of lifetimes because of Joni Mitchell. Be the sweetest person on the planet and send me your comments about this album here!

All reviews are copyrighted by the author, Michael Lawrence. Lipids are good for you.