"Like Veils Said Lorraine" Released: September 7, 2023
Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975) is a five-disc box set by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released on October 6, 2023, by Rhino Records. The box set is the eleventh overall release and third offering of unreleased material from the Joni Mitchell Archives, a planned series of releases containing remastered material from the singer's personal archives. Formatted in chronological order, the third volume of the series consists of the archived material that was recorded during the first half of Mitchell's tenure at Asylum Records, which includes the years between the release of her fifth studio album, For the Roses (1972) and her seventh studio album, The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975).[1][2]
Background and release
On September 10, 2020, Rhino Records announced the creation of the Joni Mitchell Archives, a planned years-long effort by Mitchell and her late manager Elliot Roberts to finally release and remaster previously unreleased recordings in Mitchell's archives.[3][4][5] The first round of releases featured a box set of previously unreleased material (Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963–1967)), a condensed version subtitled Highlights, an auxiliary compilation album of the earliest material in the box set (Early Joni – 1963), and a separate release of the live sets featured on the box's last two discs (Live at Canterbury House – 1967). The press release announcing the archive's creation indicated a similar release structure would be followed on a yearly basis, with each release round moving through Mitchell's career in chronological order.[5] On April 8, 2021, an alteration to the yearly release schedule was disclosed in the press release announcing Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968–1971), saying "future releases in the archive series will arrive in a similar manner, with a box set focused on studio albums from a specific era, followed by an official 'Archives' release looking at unreleased audio from the same period."[6][7][8]
The second box set of remasters to be released under the 'Archives' banner, The Asylum Albums (1972–1975), was released on September 23, 2022.[9][10][11] Following the cadence laid out in the Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968–1971) press release, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975) was the next 'Archives' boxset to be released. However, approximately two months before the release of The Asylum Albums (1972–1975), Mitchell appeared unannounced as a special guest in the closing performance of the final day of the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island as part of a set billed as "Brandi Carlile and Friends".[12][13] After her successful return to the stage, Mitchell indicated that she wanted to perform live again, and later announced a headline concert, billed as "Joni Jam 2", which took place at Washington State's Gorge Amphitheatre on June 9–10, 2023. She also performed live at a concert on March 2, 2023, in Washington D.C. to celebrate being awarded the 2023 Gershwin Prize for her lifetime contributions to popular music.[14] Mitchell's yearlong return to performing live was bookended by the release of her surprise Newport set as a live album, titled Joni Mitchell at Newport, on July 28, 2023.[15] One month after, on August 17, 2023, it was announced that Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975) was scheduled to be released on October 6, 2023.[2]
Upon release, Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975) received critical acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 90 based on 11 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[16]
Andy Cush of Pitchfork wrote that "as demonstrated on Archives, Vol. 3, the excellent latest entry in a series of releases that collect previously unreleased demos and alternate versions from her back catalog, [Mitchell] already had a germ of the Court and Spark sound in mind when she began recording its predecessor" and Mitchell's "commitment to simple truth [...] was already firmly in place by the period covered by Asylum Years, which is marked primarily by her development as a musician rather than a writer".[17]
^Kreps, Daniel (August 17, 2023). "Joni Mitchell Announces Third Volume in 'Archives' Series". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
^ a bBrodsky, Rachel (August 17, 2023). "Hear Joni Mitchell's "Help Me" Demo From New Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) Box Set". Stereogum. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
^Martoccio, Angie (September 10, 2020). "Joni Mitchell Announces Archive Series, Shares Earliest-Known Recording". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
^Strauss, Matthew (September 10, 2020). "Joni Mitchell Launches Archival Series, Shares First Known Recording: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
^ a b"Now Streaming: Joni Mitchell, "House of the Rising Sun" (from THE JONI MITCHELL ARCHIVES)". Rhino Records. September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
^"Joni Mitchell The Reprise Albums (1968–1971) Available June 25 In Celebration Of Blue 50th Anniversary". Rhino Records. April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
^Martoccio, Angie (June 21, 2021). "Joni Mitchell Surprise-Releases 'Blue' EP, Preps 50th-Anniversary Box Set". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
^"Announcing 'Archives Volume 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971)' available October 29". jonimitchell.com. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
^"Joni Mitchell Announces THE ASYLUM ALBUMS (1972-1975)". Rhino Records. July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
^Martoccio, Angie (July 28, 2022). "New Joni Mitchell Box Set Chronicles the Turn She Took After 'Blue'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
^Moreland, Quinn (July 28, 2022). "Joni Mitchell Announces New Asylum Albums (1972-1975) Box Set". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
^Powers, Ann (July 25, 2022). "Joni Mitchell sings, steals show with surprise Newport Folk Festival concert". NPR. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
^"Joni Mitchell makes triumphant surprise return to Newport Folk Festival". CBS News. July 25, 2022. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
^"Joni Mitchell to receive Gershwin Prize for Popular Song". CTVNews. 2023-01-12. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
^"Joni Mitchell At Newport". jonimitchell.com. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
^ a b"Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years 1972-1975 [Box Set] by Joni Mitchell". Metacritic. United States. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
^ a bCush, Andy (October 13, 2023). "Joni Mitchell: Archives, Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975) Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
^"Ultratop.be – Joni Mitchell – Archives - Volume 3 - The Asylum Years (1972-1975)" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
^"Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2023. 41. hét". MAHASZ. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
^"Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of November 1, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 1, 2023.
^"Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
^"Official Album Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 13 October 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
^"Joni Mitchell Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2023.