Joni Mitchell announces ‘The Asylum Albums (1972-1975)’ Quadio Blu-ray box set

The archives series returns as a 4 Blu-ray set in Quadrophonic, Hi-Res Stereo & Dolby Atmos

After making four acclaimed albums with Reprise Records, including her 1971 masterpiece Blue, Joni Mitchell left the label to join the new Asylum Records in 1972. Over the next seven years, Mitchell would record some of the most acclaimed music of her career while changing her musical direction by adding more jazz elements into her songwriting. The evolution culminated in 1979 with Mingus, her collaboration with jazz titan Charles Mingus, and her last studio album for Asylum.

Rhino’s acclaimed The Asylum Albums (1972-1975) boxed set from 2022 returns as part of the ongoing Quadio series. The Asylum Albums (1972-1975) [Quadio] features remastered Hi-Res Stereo, Dolby Atmos mixes by Grammy Award-winning producer Ken Caillat and Claus Trelby, and Quad Mixes of For The Roses (1972), Court And Spark (1974), Miles Of Aisles (1974), and The Hissing Of Summer Lawns (1975). A new 2023 Quad Mix of For The Roses was done by Bruce Botnick. The collection is available on April 18th as a 4 Blu-ray box set.

The cover art for The Asylum Albums (1972-1975) [Quadio] features a painting by Mitchell. The set also includes an essay by friend and fellow Canadian Neil Young. He writes: “Joni’s music is so deep and transporting. She comes right from the source. There is no mistaking it…For The Roses, Court And Spark, Miles Of Aisles, and The Hissing Of Summer Lawns…are all classics in my book. I listened to every album as it came out. The musicians she played with were always above my abilities. She had grown from folk to jazz and in between, creating a unique kind of sound that I loved to listen to over and over.”

The Asylum Albums (1972-1975) [Quadio] follows Mitchell’s musical evolution over four albums as she embraced more jazz-inspired pieces and moved away from the folk and pop of her early years. It includes essential tracks like her first Top 40 hit, “You Turn Me On, I’m A Radio,” and her highest-charting (No. 7) single, “Help Me,” plus favorites like “Free Man In Paris,” “Raised On Robbery” and “In France They Kiss On Main Street.”

For The Roses was certified gold and added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2007. Court And Spark topped the US album chart and was certified double platinum, making it the best-selling album of Mitchell’s career. It was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and won Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist for “Down To You.”

Miles Of Aisles is a double live album that spotlights the tour for Court And Spark. It reached No. 2 on the album chart and was certified gold. The Hissing Of Summer Lawns was also certified gold, peaking at No. 4 on the album chart and earning a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Rhino introduced the Quadio Series in June 2023, with Alice Cooper’s Billion Dollar Babies, Black Sabbath’s Paranoid, The J. Geils Band’s Nightmares…, and Jefferson Starship’s Red Octopus. This series follows the success of the sold-out Chicago and Doobie Brothers’ Quadio sets. Quadraphonic sound, also known as 4.0 surround sound, uses four audio channels connected to four speakers placed at the corners of a listening area. This type of audio provides an immersive listening experience by dimensionally mixing multi-tracked audio, creating an expansive soundscape for the listener. Rhino’s recordings are transferred from the original half-inch four-channel masters at a high resolution of 192/24 for a pristine sound.

BD 1: For The Roses (1972) – 2022 Remastered Hi-Res Stereo, 2023 Quad Mix by Bruce Botnick, 2023 Dolby Atmos Mix

1. Banquet
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
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)

BD 2: Court And Spark (1974) – 2022 Remaster Hi-Res Stereo, 1974 Quad Mix, 2023 Dolby Atmos

1. Court And Spark
2. Help Me
3. Free Man In Paris
4. People’s Parties
5. Same Situation
6. Car On A Hill
7. Down To You
8. Just Like This Train
9. Raised On Robbery
10. Trouble Child
11. Twisted

BD 3: Miles Of Aisles (1974) – 2022 Remastered Hi-Res Stereo, 1974 Quad Mix, 2023 Dolby Atmos

1. You Turn Me On I’m A Radio
2. Big Yellow Taxi
3. Rainy Night House
4. Woodstock
5. Cactus Tree
6. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire
7. Woman Of Heart And Mind
8. A Case Of You
9. Blue
10. Circle Game
11. People’s Parties
12. All I Want
13. Real Good For Free
14. Both Sides Now
15. Carey
16. The Last Time I Saw Richard
17. Jericho
18. Love Or Money

BD 4: The Hissing Of Summer Lawns (1975) – 2022 Remastered Hi-Res Stereo, 1975 Quad Mix, 2023 Dolby Atmos

1. In France They Kiss On Main Street
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
7. The Boho Dance
8. Harry’s House/Centerpiece
9. Sweet Bird
10. Shadows And Light

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn