Joni Mitchell's first ten album have been brought together as a box set by Rhino according to jonimitchell.com: "Rhino will release a Joni Mitchell box set on 29 October 2012. The Studio Albums 1968-1979 gathers together Joni’s ten albums from that period, including all the classics such as 1971′s Blue and the acclaimed The Hissing Of Summer Lawns from 1975. Expect the albums to be housed in simple card sleeves and held in a lift-off lid box. The design of the packaging is likely to be very similar to the Madonna Complete Studio Albums box that came from the same label a few months back (that box held 11 discs). Indeed, the graphic design for the top of this Joni box with the ‘grid’ of album covers is not dissimilar to Madonna’s box. "
Here is a quick guide to the albums:
• Song To A Seagull (1968) – Renamed "Joni Mitchell" for obvious reasons, her voice is so beautiful here why not put her name front and center and this is such a heavily poetic it migh well be a calling card. Countless women owe their entire career to it (come down Sarah MAcLauchlan) – Grade: B
• Clouds (1969) – "Chelsea Morning" and "Both Sides Now" are here thereby giving Judy Collins a career. Yep, Joni discovers melody – Grade: B+
• Ladies of the Canyon (1970) – The first full fledged masterpiece, almost perfect and the perfect "Woodstock" album. "Big Yello Taxi" easily the greatest environmental song (check the date) plus "The Circle Game" – Grade: A+
• Blue (1971) – This may well be better. Folk trappings are dissolving into jazz and modern pop and these songs of modern love give Carole King a run for her money. And "The River", "A Case Of You"… astounding – Grade: A+
• For The Roses (1972) – Too heavy, the romance weighs itself down. I thought she was happy to be back in L.A> – Grade: B
• Court and Spark (1974) – "Raised On Robbery" and "Free Man In Paris" and by the end she is singing jazz – Grade: A-
• The Hissing Of Summer Lawns (1975) – Art rock, jazz, jungle fever weirdness – Grade: A-
• Hejira (1976) – The songs aren't here here, will they ever be again? – Grade: B
• Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (1977) – I adore this album if only for the cover art, it is a beautiful jazzy art pop groove and almost anti-populist. Didn't sell either but it has been years since "Blue" – Grade: A-
• Mingus (1979) – I couldn't hear this at all when it was first released. Charlie Mingus compositions put to music, man, what a waste of effort. 30 years later and I adore "God Must Be A Boogie Man" and "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – Grade: B+
Incidentally, while not in the box set, the very next album is her 1950s jazz inspired album, the terrific Wild Things Run Free, which answers the question I raise elsewhere in the post.
Joni Mitchell's first ten album have been brought together as a box set by Rhino according to jonimitchell.com: "Rhino will release a Joni Mitchell box set on 29 October 2012. The Studio Albums 1968-1979 gathers together Joni’s ten albums from that period, including all the classics such as 1971′s Blue and the acclaimed The Hissing Of Summer Lawns from 1975. Expect the albums to be housed in simple card sleeves and held in a lift-off lid box. The design of the packaging is likely to be very similar to the Madonna Complete Studio Albums box that came from the same label a few months back (that box held 11 discs). Indeed, the graphic design for the top of this Joni box with the ‘grid’ of album covers is not dissimilar to Madonna’s box. "