I've often said that The Beatles were the geniuses of rock, but it was more of a collective genius with George Martin included. They fed off of each other's individual muse. Joni Mitchell, however, is a genius that stands on her own. Her music and lyrics meld into a seamless, living, breathing whole - taking on a magical essence that's greater than the sum of its parts. And those parts are some of the most brilliantly advanced and artful musings you will find in popular music.

"Clouds" (1969) is a fabulous collection of songs, and one of my favorite albums. It begins with "Tin Angel," about someone (Joni?) with memories of a past love who finds another with a soul as sad as her own. The verses are in a minor mode, so minor-infused they're practically mournful. When she gets to the last line of each chorus, "I found someone to love today," her minor guitar chords still amble, even right through the word "love," but finally resolve to major as she sings "to-day" (and even then there seems to be some hesitation as the chord smiles briefly). The song is pure magic. "Chelsea Morning" awakens us out of the gloom with a burst of sunlight - rhythmically bright, filled with hope and anticipation:

"Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning, and the first thing that I knew

How can I not be moved? The entire album seduces me. Her meaningful lyrics are veritable stories one can become lost in, filled with thought-provoking relevance. The music supports her storytelling, bursting with sensual richness. The sound of her voice alone makes me swoon. I can only describe her vocal harmonies on "The Gallery" as heavenly. On "Songs To Aging Children Come," her lyrics, melodies and chords all soar to celestial heights while the rhythms of her guitar keep the whole thing anchored. One could depict this - like much of the album - as at once both cosmic and earthy. Her unaccompanied vocal on "The Fiddle and the Drum" can give me a lump in my throat, but that's no matter, since the concluding "Both Sides, Now" (which ranks among the most intoxicatingly gorgeous songs I know), is a song that can reduce me to tears.

Joni Mitchell is a genius in the truest sense of the word. She is an artist of the highest order. Words often elude me when attempting to describe what I feel when I listen to her music. She reaches deep inside of me - and I'm never quite the same after listening to one of her albums. If you are new to Joni Mitchell, I suggest starting with "Clouds" or "Song to a Seagull." Get to know her through these two, then continue on.

Major artists (aka not-one-hit-wonders) seem to have two ways of approaching the album thing. One is to record a mammoth of a debut album and then have a "sophomore slump." The other is to have "opening night jitters" the first time around and THEN hit the nail the second time out. 'Clouds' is a great example of the latter. With her debut a somewhat removed experience, Joni strides forward on this release and though the album has a few lesser moments, its overall strengths are wonders to witness. This record, ultimately, shows that she is an artist to be reckoned with, both as a songwriter and a performer.

As a songwriter, she finally gives us her versions of a pair of hits ("Chelsea Morning" and "Both Sides Now" both made gargantuan by Judy Collins)and then hits us over the head with great lesser known material. While it can be said that neither, say, "Tin Angel" (the gorgeous opener) or "That Song About the Midway" have exactly become standards, they certainly stand out. Lyrically she is becoming focused and looking inward as well as outward, and only in a few spots do we suffer through the kind of Freshman Wordglot that slaughtered so many of the debut album's songs.

As an artist, Mitchell shows a big leap in charisma. No longer is she the distant whimsical youth of the first album, now she is bold, forthcoming, and still retaining that VOICE. This time around, though, she's not just playing pyrotechnics. She's learned to save her soprano for when it really counts, and when to fade back to a whisper to allow a song to build. Also, her instrumentation is improving, though she still clings exclusively to acoustic guitar here, and hasn't begun utilizing her ear for alternate tunings yet.

So what these events taken together tell us is that Mitchell was emerging not just as a fine songwriter but as a talent to be reckoned with on a par with few. What's more, the album's true center may lie in its potential...in the budding of this young woman not quite yet in bloom. Where you can see the colors taking shape, giving anticipation of what might come next. From here, Joni would not look back for six solid years, producing an output almost unequaled in modern music, critics, fans, lovers, and sales be damned. And here, on 'Clouds', she takes the first tenutive steps on that journey.

Whenever I hear the phrase "singer/songwriter", one of the first names that comes to mind is that of the incredibly talented, creative, and prolific Joni Mitchell. This is one of her first efforts, and one that contains a terrific number of well written, masterfully executed, and quite memorable songs on it. No one sings popular sixties type folk music better than Joni, and here she is approaching her genius with such wonderful tunes as "Tin Angel", "Chelsea Morning", and "Both Sides Now". I love all the songs on this CD, from "I Don't Know Where I Stand" about a lover too new in a relationship to say those three little words that will launch her into a momentous situation where turning back is going to be painful to "I Think I Understand", a philosophic ballad about the sources and consequences of fear and courage, and finding one's pathway of the wilderness of tears and terror we all create for ourselves. This album provides a unique early look at one of best and most popular folk superstars of the last half century, who burst onto the stage with songs from this and several other early albums to enchant a generation with her wisdom, wistfulness, and wonderful talents. Enjoy.

Joni Mitchell starts to show her musical genius in her second album. It includes one of her best songs, "Both Sides Now". There is a lot here for everyone to enjoy including, "The Gallery" and "The Song About the Midway". Her albums continue to get better, as they should, but this really is a classic album with a great album cover by Joni.

Joni Mitchell's "Clouds" album is just beautiful. It combines simple yet thoughtful melodies with very personal, moving lyrics. In my opinion, although all of the songs on the album are exquisite, "Tin Angel" and "Roses Blue" definitely stand out. They are sad and utterly beautiful. I would recommend any Joni Mitchell album, especially this one and Blue.