HiRez Poll Mitchell, Joni - THE ASYLUM ALBUMS (1972-1975) [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this brand new box set from Joni Mitchell entitled "The Asylum Albums (1972-1975)".
The box set includes 4 albums from Joni Mitchell on Blu-Ray Audio discs.
The titles include: "For the Roses", "Court and Spark", "Miles of Aisles", and "The Hissing of Summer Lawns".
Each title has been newly remixed in Dolby Atmos, and "For the Roses" has also been newly remixed in Quadraphonic, while the other 3 titles ("Court and Spark", Miles of Aisles", and "The Hissing of Summer Lawns") contain their original Quadraphonic mixes from the 1970s!

 

[jamoke]

This one has to be a 10 in my book. Anything less would be wrong.
The sonics, especially the low end, are superb. It just doesn't get any better than this for Joni Fans. The quad mix of Miles of Aisles is fully immersive and puts you in the middle of the stage while the Atmos mix seats you behind the mixing board in the venue.
The hi-res quads of Court & Spark and Hissing of Summer Lawns absolutely blow away the CD4 versions. The low end of the CD4's just sound like mud in comparison.
Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire in Atmos is a religious experience for me.

I also love the way the discs were authored. No stupid menus or splash screens. Simple and easy.

 

[Quad Linda]

10
Great music & mixes! Need to a/b Court & Hissing to CD-4's.

Thanks, @ForagingRhino

 

[Clement]

This one is a straight-up dream come true! When @ForagingRhino said it would blow our minds, i was hopeful; this release surpasses all of those hopes! Four amazing albums in stereo, Quad, AND Atmos! I already wrote about the power of Court and Spark HERE and The Hissing of Summer Lawns HERE, so let me briefly note that For the Roses sounds wonderful in Quad: yes, some of the tracks are instrumentally sparse, but the Quad mix opens them up and immerses me in the beauty of this release. And for the tracks with more instrumentation, the Quad mix is faithful to the period mixes found on the other three. Although i am over the moon to have CaS and THoSL on Blu-ray, the real joy for me is the previously unreleased Quad of Miles of Aisles: what a treat! Totally discrete, this is no audience-in-the-rears mix; this is a wonderful 1970s Quad mix that is so much fun to listen to! One more shout out to @ForagingRhino for helping to make this happen! This will, no doubt, be my top release of 2024! Please give us MORE!

 

[Bob Romano]

This box is a solid 10 for the music, the packaging and the overall presentation. I'm not listening in ATMOS but the 5.1 down mixes are stellar. This is a dream come true for me as Court and Hissing are on my Top 10 list of all time. Thanks to everyone involved in making this available as a physical release.

 

[ar surround]

Joni...no baloney.

10

 

[Werno]

I also love the way the discs were authored. No stupid menus or splash screens. Simple and easy.

I join with the general Joni in surround rapture, the only niggling complaints I have concern the authoring. Since it's Monday morning, I'll share them.

Being able to seamlessly switch among the three mixes would be nice, but the 'audio' remote button is disabled and using the onscreen menu to change streams restarts the album. I wonder what these colored buttons on my remote do.... okay, nothing. Not a huge deal, but it might have been nice .

The onscreen album covers could just sit there. I'm mostly talking to you, 'For the Roses', which almost does. I'll try to be nice and say that slowly zooming in and out on the cover for the duration of the album isn't as annoying as the 'Waka-Wazoo' blu-ray's random flickering. The other albums' covers cycle through assembling the elements of the image or sliding a background urban skyline up and down. Which is okay but given that the same animation cycles through the whole album I wish they were slowed down to the point that it'd be easier to ignore, or slightly varied to suit the tempo for each song, or..... something.

I'll have another cup of coffee and I'll probably feel better.

 

[ar surround]

I join with the general Joni in surround rapture, the only niggling complaints I have concern the authoring. Since it's Monday morning, I'll share them.

Being able to seamlessly switch among the three mixes would be nice, but the 'audio' remote button is disabled and using the onscreen menu to change streams restarts the album. I wonder what these colored buttons on my remote do.... okay, nothing. Not a huge deal, but it might have been nice .

The onscreen album covers could just sit there. I'm mostly talking to you, 'For the Roses', which almost does. I'll try to be nice and say that slowly zooming in and out on the cover for the duration of the album isn't as annoying as the 'Waka-Wazoo' blu-ray's random flickering. The other albums' covers cycle through assembling the elements of the image or sliding a background urban skyline up and down. Which is okay but given that the same animation cycles through the whole album I wish they were slowed down to the point that it'd be easier to ignore, or slightly varied to suit the tempo for each song, or..... something.

I'll have another cup of coffee and I'll probably feel better.

It's a great day when these are your only complaints about a box set. I would say that you are truly being a PITA, but then again you are from New Jersey.

 

[beerking]

I've never owned any Joni Mitchell music before.
She was never on my radar in my heady musical days in the late 60's through to the eigthties.
So I'm a complete virgin to these albums.

Well I like being a Virgin, hearing these gems purring out of every possible speaker.
I've listened in Dolby Atmos first.
She now has pride of place on my music multichannel shelves.

How lucky are we that we have Steve at Rhino and his fellow enthusiasts, releasing all this glorious Quad and Dolby Atmos music.

A sumptuous 10

 

[halbroome]

I very rarely give 10s -- this box set deserves it! High hopes for an upcoming surround HEJIRA!

 

[cornwall198]

Arrived yesterday, so just digging in for the first time. Quads only so far - using just the four speakers. First impression - these mixes are just sublime. Incredible clarity, beautiful separation, appealing spread of elements, and maximum cohesiveness! Court & Spark is amazing - the songs obviously, but the instrumentation is phenomenal - so much going on, but also a real simple purity of overall impact. With the lovely voice right there, so textured and alive. And the quad mix just sets it all on the table - immersion to the max. No vote yet - but so far so wonderful.

 

[atrocity]

Being able to seamlessly switch among the three mixes would be nice, but the 'audio' remote button is disabled and using the onscreen menu to change streams restarts the album. I wonder what these colored buttons on my remote do.... okay, nothing. Not a huge deal, but it might have been nice .

For whatever reason, the discs are authored with each mix as a separate title instead of as a single title with multiple audio tracks.

 

[Scott M4]

I very rarely give 10s -- this box set deserves it! High hopes for an upcoming surround HEJIRA!

Hejira, Don Juan, Mingus + Shadows and Light would make a very great next box.

 

[BillSamm1]

 

[fizzywiggs41]

Quad 4.0
So far I've listened to most of Miles Of Aisles , contains quite a few of her hit singles btw.
My faves are Both Sides Now and Real Good For Free , a must listen in my opinion. And this is why she is such an Icon.
The quad mix is all encompassing , and puts you right there amongst the band.
I'm very satisfied with the mix , and will give this disc another listen.
Always a Ten when it's an unreleased quad from 50 years ago , and the music moves you.
For The Roses , in quad really works , and a big thanks to Bruce Botnick for this.
Knocked it out of the park , I think.
The music is quite mellow on this album, gotta love You Turn Me On I'm A Radio..some humour there and a great sounding folk jazz mix.
This album has to be listened straight through , and for sure I will be listening again, and again.
And the other two albums I had on CD4 back in the 70's so I know how very good they are..both prize winners in my opinion..and yet I have to listen , but I know I'll adore them.

Anyway thanyou to @ForagingRhino Steve Woolard and all at Rhino , and Bruce Botnick, and finally...

JONI MITCHELL


Keep them coming..This box set of quads is a

 

[mkt]

Any recommendations for magnifying glasses to read the lyrics?

 

[Doug G.]

I have the LPs too, so I can read them there.



Doug

 

[ar surround]

Any recommendations for magnifying glasses to read the lyrics?
View attachment 105089

Yes, we are joking about the minuscule size of the print of the lyrics on the bluray sleeves. But seriously, in the case of Joni Mitchell's lyrics, it would really be helpful if the print was bigger as I want to read them during the songs. I wonder if there are scans of the LPs with the lyrics out there.

 

[Clement]

Yes, we are joking about the minuscule size of the print of the lyrics on the bluray sleeves. But seriously, in the case of Joni Mitchell's lyrics, it would really be helpful if the print was bigger as I want to read them during the songs. I wonder if there are scans of the LPs with the lyrics out there.

https://jonimitchell.com/music/songlist.cfm

 

[JonUrban]

Yes, we are joking about the minuscule size of the print of the lyrics on the bluray sleeves. But seriously, in the case of Joni Mitchell's lyrics, it would really be helpful if the print was bigger as I want to read them during the songs. I wonder if there are scans of the LPs with the lyrics out there.

You could always do the 'old guy' trick like me. Take a picture with your phone of the inset, then you can zoom it on the phone and read it easily. I do that a lot with MAC addresses and Serial Numbers on stuff I need to work on that's hard to get to. Stick the phone in and click.

Ooops! Poll thread. Well, I don't think I've responded in post yet, but of course I voted a 10. To have this amazing box come out of the ether and present us all with not only the two quads we've been longing for in perfect 4 channel quality without adjusting or repairing, but to get a new quad mix of a classic album, and unreleased quad mix of a fantastic double album, plus modern Atmos mixes of them all - I mean, what the hell more could we ask for? I mean, we could wish for a visit from a 1970 Joni Mitchell to come and sing for us in our homes, but that ain't happening, so this is the BEST we can ever expect and get.

Three cheers and a Highland Park salute to ForagingRhino and the entire crew there for getting this thing out to us in such a perfect package. Of course it's a TEN