"The Asylum Albums (1972-1975)" by JONI MITCHELL – Including Three Studio Sets and One Live Double Album - "For The Roses" (November 1972 USA, December 1972 UK), "Court And Spark" (February 1974 USA, March 1974 UK), "Miles Of Aisles" (November 1974 USA 2LP Live Set, January 1975 2LP Live Set in the UK) and "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" (November 1975 USA and UK) – featured Guest Musicians include Larry Carlton, Wilton Felder and Joe Sample of The Crusaders, Guitarists James Burton, Jose Feliciano, Wayne Perkins, Dennis Budimir of The Wrecking Crew, Robbie Robertson of The Band and Robben Ford with Graham Nash and David Crosby of Crosby Stills Nash & Young with Susan Webb on Backing Vocals, Tom Scott, Chuck Findley on Horns and Vibes and many more (September 2022 USA/UK/EU Asylum/Rhino 4CD Brick-Block Box Set in the Joni Mitchell Archive Series with Mini LP Card Sleeve Repro Artwork and New Bernie Grundman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Asylum-Albums-1972-1975-Joni-Mitchell/dp/B0B7W62QW4?crid=7P3PH8MYPFA1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QL5XRE0mPFuAX8QatyuI6DrNtOI71CO13V8i5KhR8U_GjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.RhX-Jf9auaj8Wgm0tqBjYxhk0eEc9YBmEj1ECY_iczI&dib_tag=se&keywords=603497840960&qid=1726831571&sprefix=603497840960%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=b465785cc920eff1f6fbedb26d1fe0d9&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

"…Coming To People's Parties…Falling Deaf, Dumb And Blind…"

Oh-yea verily-yea combined with oh-no you twats! Glory and mistakes – we get both - read on…

25 June 2021 gave us Volume 1 in this Joni Mitchell Archive Series - her first four studio albums on Reprise Records from 1968 to 1971 - "Song For A Seagull" (March 1968), "Clouds" (May 1969), "Ladies Of The Canyon" (April 1970) and the mighty "Blue" (June 1971) – all presented in a tasty logo-monikered brick-block box set. 

Well here comes the second magic bus which for me is the real beginning of her beautiful Seventies output. Volume 2 offers The Asylum Years (1972-1975) with the same gorgeous Bernie Grundman Remasters and oversized repro card sleeves – gatefolds, flaps and all. And when you take in that both her stunning studio sets "Court And Spark" (February 1974 USA, March 1974 UK) and "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" (November 1975 USA and UK) that saw her finally expand the constricting Folk-only sound of old are included – then I'm a very happy Radio and am indeed turned on. To the petrified wood process…(details in other words)

USA/EU/UK released September 2022 - "The Asylum Albums (1972-1975)" by JONI MITCHELL on Asylum/Rhino R2 680935 – 603497840960 (Barcode 603497840960) is a 4CD Brick-Block Box Set in the Joni Mitchell Archive Series with Mini LP Card Sleeve Repro Artwork and New Bernie Grundman Remasters. It plays out as follows:

CD1 "For The Roses" (40:44 minutes):
1. Banquet [Side 1]
2. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire
3. Barangrill
4. Lesson In Survival
5. Let The Wind Carry Me
6. For The Roses
7. See You Sometime [Side 2]
8. Electricity
9. You Turn Me On I'm A Radio
10. Blonde In The Bleachers
11. Woman Of Heart And Mind
12. Judgement Of The Moon And Stars (Ludwig's Tune)
Tracks 1 to 12 are the LP "For The Roses" – released November 1972 in the USA on Asylum SD 5057 and December 1972 in the UK on Asylum SYLA 8753. Wilton Felder of The Crusaders played Bass, Russ Kunkel was on Drums, Bobbye Hall on Percussion with Woodwinds and Reeds played by Tom Scott. Graham Nash played Harmonica on "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", Stephen Stills was the band on "Blonde In The Bleachers" while the legendary sessionman James Burton played Guitar on "Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire". 

CD2 "Court And Spark" (39:55 minutes – see NOTES below re Mastering Error):
1. Court And Spark [Side 1]
2. Help Me
3. Free Man In Paris
4. People's Parties
5. The Same Situation
6. Car On A Hill [Side 2]
7. Down To You
8. Just Like This Train
9. Raised On Robbery
10. Trouble Child
11. Twisted
Tracks 1 to 11 are the LP "Court And Spark" – released February 1974 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1001 and March 1974 in the UK on Asylum SYLA 8756.
Guest musicians include Robbie Robertson of The Band playing guitar on "Raised On Robbery", Joes Feliciano on Guitar for "Free Man In Paris" with David Crosby and Graham Nash of CSNY on Backing Vocals with Wilton Felder of The Crusaders on Bass (all on the same track) - Felder also plays Bass on "People's Parties". Wayne Perkins of Smith Perkins Smith plays guitar on "Car On A Hill", Jazz Guitarist David Budimir plays on "Trouble Child". Chuck Findley plays Trumpet on "Twisted" and "Trouble Child". David Crosby of The Byrds and CSNY and Susan Webb (Jimmy Webb's sister) sing Backing Vocals on "Down To You", Comedians and Actors Cheech and Chong sing Backing Vocals on "Twisted", Double Bass Player Jim Hughart played on "Trouble Child" with Tom Scott arranging both "The Same Situation" and "Down To You". John Guerin of The L.A. Express (the band she would credit on Miles Of Aisles) plays Synth on "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns"

NOTES on CD2: 
Track 4 on this CD plays two songs segueing into one another - "People's Parties" and "The Same Situation". Track 5 however mistakenly repeats "The Same Situation" immediately after – hence the playing time on old CD ran to 36:58 minutes, this one mistakenly runs to 39:55 minutes. However, in April 2023, via their support section on their website, Rhino Records are offering properly mastered CDs to replace the faulty ones (an indefinite offer apparently should you purchase in the future). I have received this in the post (see photos) and the replacement CD removes Track 5 as an extra and only leaves 4 and 5 segued together as one – as it was on the original LP. The facia of the replacement CD is exactly as per the first CD, but the CD matrix on the playing side is 58292244/0603497840960-2-2 21 (extra -2) while the faulty CD has a matrix that ends in …960-2 21 (photos below). 

 
The gatefold artwork for the CD Mini LP Sleeve to "Court And Spark" mimics the US embossed original – it was not embossed in the UK – so fans get that as an extra.

Distinguishing CDs

Faulty "Court And Spark" Disc Pictured Above (Playing Surface)

Replacement CD from Rhino Pictured Below

Note the Matrix Numbers are Different

CD3 "Miles Of Aisles" (2LP Live Set onto 1CD, 78:03 minutes):
1. You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio [Side 1]
2. Big Yellow Taxi
3. Rainy Night House
4. Woodstock
5. Cactus Tree [Side 2]
6. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire
7. Woman Of Heart And Mind
8. A Case Of You
9. Blue
10. The Circle Game [Side 3]
11. People's Parties
12. All I Want
13. Real Good For Free
14. Both Sides Now
15. Carey [Side 4]
16. The Last Time I Saw Richard
17. Jericho
18. Love Or Money
Tracks 1 to 18 are by JONI MITCHELL and THE L.A. EXPRESS and are her first live album – a 2LP set released November 1974 in the USA on Asylum AB 202 and January 1975 in the UK on Asylum SYSP 902. "Jericho" and "Love Or Money" were new songs at the time and exclusive to this set. While there is still no studio variant of "Love Or Money", a more expanded version of "Jericho" would turn in studio form on the "Hejira" album in 1976. The Mini LP Repro Card Sleeve artwork reflects the gatefold flap sleeve of the original which prints lyrics to the two new songs.

CD4 "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns" (42:35 minutes):
1. In France They Kiss On Main Street [Side 1]
2. The Jungle Line
3. Edith And The Kingpin
4. Don't Interrupt The Sorrow
5. Shades Of Scarlett Conquering
6. The Hissing Of Summer Lawns [Side 2]
7. The Boho Dance
8. Harry's House/Centerpiece
9. Sweet Bird
10. Shadows And Light
Tracks 1 to 10 are the LP "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns" – released November 1975 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1051 and Asylum K 53018 in the UK. 
Guest Musicians included David Crosby, Graham Nash and James Taylor on Backing Vocals, Jeff Baxter of Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers on Guitar, Joe Sample of The Crusaders on Piano, Horn Players Chuck Findley and Bud Shank, Guitarist Robben Ford, Keyboards and Percussion by Victor Feldman and The Warrior Drums of Burundi ("In The Jungle" only). John Guerin of The L.A. Express (the band she would credit on "Miles Of Aisles" and who would have albums of their own from 1974 onwards) plays Synth on "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns".

The squat Brick-Block boxes for this series are all the same – four repro Mini LP Sleeves based on the US artwork – a foldout inlay with words from some celeb or artist (in this case Neil Young) and an advert insert for the JMA Series. The big bug-bear for me would be that there are no lyrics. The card sleeves are of course so small as to be impossible to read and even standard CD booklets have the all-important words. If ever an artist (like Dylan) was connected to her powerhouse lyrics – it is Joni Mitchell. Then there's the Sloppy Joe mastering error on Court And Spark which had me waiting weeks for a replacement CD (both pictured). Rhino did send one and dealt with the request promptly and efficiently – but it was still an unnecessary hassle for a catalogue this prestigious. The Box Set is pretty for sure, but you feel more could have been done by way of period memorabilia on a poster – interview input from the legendary players (still alive) in a booklet – lyrics – etc.

But – and I say this without hesitation – all that irration-in-the-nation is small beer to the musical magnificence of this stretch of albums – and more importantly – the subtle but real improvement in the audio. BERNIE GRUNDMAN is legend in them-there Remaster hills and you can so hear why. These were well-produced albums anyway - "For The Roses" is all but Acoustic Guitar and Piano with some sessionman interludes and the clarity is fabulous – so clean and clear and yet with air enough not to be sterile. But the band-density and instrument uptake on both "Court And Spark" and especially "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns" with its 1975 compression techniques – needed a deft hand at unravelling and revealing - and BG has done that. In truth – I love these albums and have had HDCD and AAD versions etc – but these 2022 Remasters are my new go-to-point of entry from now on. To the music…

I can't help but feel that "For The Roses" may be someit of a lost masterpiece in a canon of work so scrutinised and almost biblically revered. After 50-years playing the damn thing, here with this 2022 Remaster I finally seem to be giving it the awed eye it deserves. While songs like the gorgeous single "You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio" and the double female-empowerment tunes "Blonde In The Bleachers" and "Woman Of Heart And Mind" have always impressed and moved me - tracks like the James Taylor heroin-years song "Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire" and "Electricity" have a muscle that now subtly kicks you in the emotional proverbials. 

"Court And Spark" changed everything - a band of sorts coming on board - adding so much to her sound that suddenly she sounds like the generational spokes woman critics have always claimed she was. There is the honesty in the lyrics, the cagey almost too-deep subject matters but "Help Me" and the stunning "People's Parties" - she reached new heights (it's always been a song I hoped would go on more or that I could sequence on its own without segueing into "The Same Situation"). I kind of wish the replacement CD had actually placed both songs "People's Parties" and "The Same Situation" as separate entities at the end of the disc - that way I could sequence the album with a gap between songs. "Car On The Hill" and "Trouble Child" and even the Cheech and Chong whimsy to "Twisted" all rock with new clarity. It's a fabulous job done in Remaster Transfer on an album I know many fans cherish.

The November 1994 US Live Double "Miles Of Aisles" (January 1975 in the UK) benefitted from the momentum 'Court And Spark' had produced earlier in February of that year pinching an impressive No.2 position on the Billboard LP charts. But as it was earlier gigs, to my ears it was a sort of too-retro move going with the old when she'd just debuted the new sound. Re-listening to it after all these decades, I'm thinking I missed something back then. Given the different venues and sound systems, the audio fluctuates from good to great - but on some songs Grundman has brought a clarity that whacks you in the face and makes you hear the greatness. "A Case Of You" as she strums her Dulcimer then follows with "Blue" on Piano - tuning the guitar, crowd heckles and the Van Gogh talk that precedes "The Circle Game" - gorgeous stuff. The new songs disappointed initially but re-listening to "Jericho" - I'm loving that shimmering band Joni vibe and there's a funkiness to "Love Or Money" - lots of forty-watt successes. I'm kind of shocked at how I'm loving this forgotten live splurge.

When I think of "The Hissing Of The Summer Lawns" in 1975 and "Hejira" that followed it in 1976 - I think of brilliance - of Steely Dan who whomped us nerds with "Katy Lied" in 1975 and "The Royal Scam" in 1976 - undeniable greatness complete with audio and technical know-how. If I'm truthful I skip the discordant Burundi Warriors song "In The Jungle" but I am forever enthralled by the sophomore jive of "Edith And The Kingpin" (astonishing clarity on every instrument), the darn right acoustic guitar strums in "Don't Interrupt The Sorrow" (prophet witches aflame) and the one that brings tears to my eyes - "Shades Of Scarlett Conquering" - the keyboards and strings meshing into a wall of musical emotion (sweeping ballroom gowns take your breath away). Over on Side 2 huge Bass will knock out your speakers as you begin "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns" (barbed wire fences keeping out the unknown) - but then we get the big one - "The Boho Dance". Another hardtime band in the cellar - an old romance - Jesus the Beggar and Glorious Solomon trading graces - ladies with runs in their nylons - gorgeous brass arrangements lifting the melody to the sublime. A wall of fabulous audio awaits as "Sweet Bird" fades in and it ends with the ethereal "Shadows And Light" which she would name her second double live album after in 1980. 

The four albums are so damn good and given these Remasters - now allowed to shine as never before. There goes my bank balance...

JONI MITCHELL ARCHIVES Series (30 October 2020 to 4 October 2024)

UK & EU CD and VINYL Issues - Release Date Order

Bernie Grundman Masters on All

1. Archives – Volume 1: The Early Years 1963-1967
30 October 2020 on Rhino R2 604555 – 603497849963 (Barcode 603497849963)
5CD Box Set with FM Broadcasts, Live Shows, Early Demos – All Unreleased

2. Live At Canterbury House - 1967
30 October 2020 on Rhino 643343 – 603497846672 (Barcode 603497846672)
3LP VINYL Set with 3 Different Music Sets recorded 27 October 1967 – Limited Edition of 10,000 - Includes Nine Previously Unreleased Songs not on her first album

3. Early Joni – 1963
30 October 2020 on Rhino 643344 – 603497846665 (Barcode 603497846665)
Single 180-Grams VINYL LP – First Known Recordings Aged 19 – Previously Unreleased
Copies in both Black and Crystal-Clear Vinyl with the same catalogue numbers

4. Archives – Volume 1: The Early Years (1963-1967): Highlights
12 June 2021 on Rhino R1 645871 – 603497844982
UK/EU Record Store Day Exclusive Release – 180-Grams Limited Edition Single VINYL LP – Limited Edition of 15,000

5. The Reprise Albums (1968-1971)
New Remasters of the albums "Song To A Seagull", "Clouds", "Ladies Of The Canyon" and "Blue"
25 June 2021 on Rhino R2 653984 – 603497844548 (Barcode 0603497844548)
4CD Brick-Block Box Set with Mini LP Repro Card Sleeves faithful to the US first editions
2 July 2021 on Rhino R1 653984 – 603497844531 (Barcode 603497844531)
Limited Edition to 10,000 Copies 4LP VINYL BOX Set
Originally produced by David Crosby but felt to be sonically inferior, both sets debut a New Mix of her first LP "Song To A Seagull" (aka "Joni Mitchell") overseen by Mitchell

6. Archives – Volume 2: The Reprise Years 1968-1971
5 November 2021 on Rhino R2 653989 – 603497844524
5CD Box Set with Previously Unreleased Material covering her first four studio albums "Song To A Seagull", "Clouds", "Ladies Of The Canyon" and "Blue"
18 February 2022 in the USA saw a 10LP Box Set Version on Rhino R1 653989 – 603497844555 (Barcode 603497844555) – A Limited Edition of 3,000 Copies

7. Live At Carnegie Hall - 1969
12 November 2021 on Rhino R1 654024 – 603497844517 (Barcode 603497844517)
Limited Edition of 15,000 Copies 3LP BLACK VINYL Set with all tracks unreleased except "My American Skirt" and "Spoony's Wonderful Adventure" which were first released 1969 on the US 2LP set "The 1969 Warner/Reprise Record Show" on Warner Brothers PRO 336
Also issued as a 3LP WHITE VINYL Version issued 12 Nov 2021 on Rhino RCV1 654024 – 603497844517 (Barcode 081227890940) – Limited Edition of 3,000 Copies

8. The Asylum Years (1972-1975)
New Remasters of the albums "For The Roses", "Court And Spark", "Miles Of Aisles (Live)" and "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns"
23 September 2022 on Rhino R2 680935 – 603497840960 (Barcode 603497840960)
4CD Brick-Block Box Set with Mini LP Repro Card Sleeves faithful to the US first editions including embossed sleeves for "Court And Spark" and "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns". Note: the CD of "Court And Spark" (Disc 3) contained a mastering error that played the song "The Same Situation" twice in error. In April 2023 Rhino offered correctly mastered CDs as replacements. With identical catalogue numbers and label facias, the replacement CD is only identifiable by the matrix number on the playing side which reads -2-2 21 at the end of the number when the faulty disc read -2 21.
There is also a 23 Sep 2022 5LP VINYL BOX SET on Rhino R1 680935 – 603497841356 (Barcode 603497841356) – a Limited Edition of 20,000 copies. The live album "Miles Of Aisles" was a 2LP set with Two New Songs On It - "Jericho" and "Love Or Money" – it fits entirely onto 1CD hence the 4CD and 5LP Box Sets number variants.

9. Joni Mitchell featuring The Joni Jam – At Newport
28 July 2023 CD Album on Rhino R2 725115 – 603497832071 (Barcode 603497832071)
2LP VINYL set on Rhino R1 725115 – 603497832088 (Barcode 603497832088)
NOTE: in the USA only, 28 July 2023 also saw the release of Rhino RCV1 725115 – 603497832088 (Barcode 081227820817) – a 2LP VINYL Set on CRYSTAL-CLEAR VINYL – a Limited Edition of Undetermined Number

10. Archives – Volume 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975)
6 October 2023 on Rhino R2 717547 – 603497834303 (Barcode 603497834303)
5CD Box Set covering the albums "For The Roses", "Court And Spark", "Miles Of Aisles (Live)" and "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns"
4LP VINYL Set on Rhino 603497834310 (Barcode 603497834310) – 180-Grams LPs – Limited Edition of Undetermined Number

11. The Court And Spark Demos
24 November 2023 on Rhino R1 712517 – 603497834686 (Barcode 603497834686)
Record Store Day Black Friday VINYL LP Exclusive pressed on 180-Grams Vinyl – Limited Edition of 6,300 Copies – Demos from her 1973 classic album 

12. The Asylum Albums (1976-1980)
New Remasters of the albums "Hejira", "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter", "Mingus" and "Shadows And Light (Live)"
21 June 2024 on Rhino R2 726169 – 603497827015 (Barcode 603497827015)
4CD Brick-Block Box Set with Mini LP Repro Card Sleeves. The artwork to the 2LP set "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" has been changed at the artists behest. 
The 21 June 2024 6LP Box Set variant is US-only on Rhino R1 726169 – 603497827022 – both "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" and "Shadows And Light" are 2LP sets – the first a studio set, the second a Live set.

13. Archives – Volume 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980)
Previously Unreleased material covering the albums "Hejira", "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter", "Mingus" and "Shadows And Light (Live)"
4 October 2024 on Rhino 0603497823680 (Barcode 0603497823680)
6CD Box Set with Previously Unreleased
4LP VINYL Set on Rhino 0603497823697 (Barcode 0603497823697)