The Asylum Albums (1976-1980) [5CD]

«ليست القطعة الفنية – الموسيقى والكلمات – هي ما تقدمه لنا جوني. فنها يتركنا، نحن أنفسنا، متغيرين. لقد حركت شيئًا بداخلنا. وهكذا يغير الفنانون العالم.» - ميريل ستريب

بعد جولة ألبوم THE HISSING OF SUMMER Lawns، اعتزلت جوني ميتشل في منزل نيل يونغ الشاطئي للتعافي. كانت تتوق إلى السفر لكنها لم تحسم وجهتها، وقد تلقت دعوة غير متوقعة لرحلة برية عبر البلاد مع أصدقائها. كانت هذه واحدة من ثلاث رحلات برية قامت بها بين عامي 1975 و1976، وبداية فترة اتسمت بحب الترحال، سواء في أسفارها أو استكشافها الموسيقي. هذه المرحلة التحولية هي محور مجموعة THE ASYLUM ALBUMS (1976-1980)، الإصدار التالي في سلسلة أرشيف جوني ميتشل.

تعرض المجموعة الجديدة ميتشل في أكثر حالاتها جرأة عبر ألبومات HEJIRA (1976)، وDON JUAN'S RECKLESS DAUGHTER (1977)، وMINGUS (1979)، والألبوم الحي SHADOWS AND LIGHT (1980). قام مهندس الصوت الشهير بيرني جروندمان بإعادة إتقان جميع الإصدارات الأربعة المضمنة في هذه المجموعة الصندوقية من الأشرطة التناظرية الأصلية المسطحة.

خلال هذه الفترة، أعلنت ميتشل بجرأة انتقالها من

HEJIRA stands out as a testament to Mitchell’s artistic evolution. Its subdued instrumentation, coupled with her introspective lyrics, resulted in timeless tracks like “Coyote” and “Furry Sings The Blues” with Young on harmonica. Mitchell once said: “I suppose a lot of people could have written a lot of my other songs, but I feel the songs on Hejira could only have come from me.”

Her journey continued with DON JUAN’S RECKLESS DAUGHTER, a double album of largely experimental music. It included “Paprika Plains,” a side-long piano piece with orchestral arrangements. It found a receptive audience in musical seekers like Bjork, who said the album’s fearless approach later inspired her music.

Ultimately, Mitchell’s path led to Mingus, her collaboration with jazz titan Charles Mingus, who wrote several songs for the project. Mingus died shortly before the album was complete, and Mitchell dedicated it to him. Four songs by Mingus with lyrics written by Mitchell appeared on the album, including a version of “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” Mingus’ tribute to saxophonist Lester Young, and one of his most famous compositions. In the album’s liner notes, Mitchell said she felt fully immersed in jazz for the first time while making the record. “It was as if I had been standing by a river – one toe in the water – feeling it out – and Charlie came by and pushed me in – ‘sink or swim’…”

The final entry in THE ASYLUM ALBUMS (1976-1980) is the double live album Shadows and Light. It was Mitchell’s second live album and her last release with Asylum Records. She recorded it during the tour for Mingus in September 1979 at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Except for the performance of her classic song “Woodstock,” the album focused on songs from her most recent albums, like “Amelia,” “Dreamland,” and “The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines.” The Persuasions, a vocal group popular in the 1960s, also appeared on two songs: the title track and a cover of “Why Do Fools Fall In Love.”

The cover art for THE ASYLUM ALBUMS (1976-1980) includes a portion of one of Mitchell’s original paintings. Fans will enjoy a full version of the whimsically abstract landscape as an accompanying insert included in the album packaging for both the CD and LP configurations. Accompanying the set is a heartfelt essay penned by Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep, a lifelong fan of Mitchell’s work.