Joni Mitchell: Ladies of the Canyon

Mobile Fidelity UDSACD2267
Stereo Hybrid
Pop/Rock
Joni Mitchell
Sourced from the Original Analog Master Tapes: Hybrid SACD Plays with Organic Warmth, Superb Clarity, and Effortless Naturalism
Ladies of the Canyon can be viewed as Joni Mitchell's coming-out party. Having recently moved to Lookout Mountain in Los Angeles' Laurel Canyon area — her house is depicted in a watercolor painting she made for the record's cover — the Canadian icon turned to her immediate surroundings for inspiration the while taking the pulse of national affairs, corporate enterprise, celebrity, and her relationship with Graham Nash. The 1970 album finds the singer-songwriter morphing into the groundbreaker who would shed folk music's constructs and wade into pop, jazz, soul, and poetry with a combination of depth, sophistication, self-examination, and acumen no one had ever heard.
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Comment by Downunderman - May 5, 2025 (1 of 1)
Not too much to grumble about here.
An excellent mastering by Neal Harris, assisted by Krieg Wunderlich. It is quite spacious and detailed with lots of separation. It does not sound particularly analog as it is quite crisp and clean in the overall sonic presentation. Average dynamic range is also at 11 and that is what it has been historically in the digital realm.
I would have preferred a bit more analog warmth, but all in all that's a minor quibble.
It's certainly the best I have heard the album.