Album Reviews5.5/10
‘Mingus’ Set Out to Honor a Jazz Giant and Fell Short of the Man Himself
Joni Mitchell's 1979 Mingus album, a tribute to Charles Mingus, blends jazz melodies with spoken-word fragments. A flawed but fascinating memorial.
CLAY TRIBUNE / THE ARCHIVE
Tag: album review
Album Reviews7/10
The Sprawling Double Album Where Joni Mitchell Bet Her Pop Audience on Jazz — and 49 Years Later Listeners Still Can’t Agree
Joni Mitchell's 1977 double album is a sprawling, defiant fusion of jazz and folk that demands patience—and mostly pays off. A polarizing classic.
Album Reviews7/10
Joni Mitchell’s ‘Taming the Tiger’: A Quiet Record That Rewards Patience
Joni Mitchell's 1998 album Taming the Tiger is a quiet, mature work that rewards patience with intricate detail and subtle melodies. Our review rates it 7/10.
Album Reviews8/10
Joni Mitchell’s ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’: The Beautiful Cage She Built to Burn Down
Joni Mitchell's 1975 album is a daring, difficult masterpiece—a jazz-infused critique of American comfort that rewards patient listeners.
Album Reviews7/10
Before Motown Made Him a Legend, Marvin Gaye Was Still Figuring Out Who He Was
Marvin Gaye's 1961 debut shows a remarkable voice still searching for identity. A solid standards record worth hearing for its best ballads.
Album Reviews9.1/10
Between Blue and Court and Spark, For the Roses Caught Joni Mitchell Wanting Out of Fame While Writing Straight at It
Joni Mitchell's 1972 album trades wide-open horizons for intimate confession. A track-by-track review of her quiet masterpiece, from fame's cost to the radio hit.
Album Reviews7.7/10
Nineteen Years On, Joni Mitchell’s ‘Shine’ Sounds Less Like a Comeback and More Like a Prophecy
Joni Mitchell's 2007 album Shine is a serene, assured late-career statement — a quiet warning about war, greed, and time, delivered with new authority.
Album Reviews7/10
Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells’ ‘Together’ Is a Short, Charming Duet Record — 7/10
A review of Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells' 1964 duet album Together, a charming 27-minute set of love songs built on their chemistry.
Album Reviews4/10
Marvin Gaye Plays Supper-Club Crooner on When I’m Alone I Cry, and the Ballads Sink It — 4/10
A review of Marvin Gaye's 1964 jazz standards album, a curious detour that shows the singer out of his lane, with uneven results and a few bright spots.
Album Reviews4/10
Posthumous ‘Dream of a Lifetime’ Scrapes the Vault and Lets Filler Drown Its Few Great Songs — 4/10
Marvin Gaye's 1985 posthumous album 'Dream of a Lifetime' mixes unfinished funk experiments with classic soul, a fragmented document of a brilliant artist.