"The Hissing of Summer Lawns" is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in 1975, this album marks a departure from her previous folk and pop rock-based sound, integrating jazz and world music elements, which were later continued within Mitchell's repertoire.
This record presents a critical examination of the American Dream, particularly as it pertains to suburban living. Each song on the album is a vignette of a different character with different stories in suburban, affluent America. The album's title reportedly came from a sound that cicadas made in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles.
"The Hissing of Summer Lawns" received mixed reviews upon initial release but has since been reevaluated with many critics now viewing it as a seminal and influential piece of work. The album is not only musically ambitious but also lyrically dense, dealing with different forms of longing and disillusionment.
Themes running through the record include music industry exploitation, escapism in romantic love, the capitulation of long-held dreams, and the tedium and undersurface disillusionment of privileged suburban life, contrasted with the grit of city life, the latter notably in the song "Harry's House/Centerpiece".
In terms of musical style and composition, Mitchell experimented with synthesizers and direct choral arrangements. This album represents the growing complexity and sophistication of her music that would continue to flower in the later albums.
The album cover is a painting created by Mitchell, showcasing the Ojibwe people taking a 'dream journey'. The artwork complemented the album's ethereal and perplexing ambiance. However, the cover art also triggered accusations of evangelism among some observers.
The Hissing of Summer Lawns was ranked No. 283 in Rolling Stone's 2012 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
