Van Morrison: Keep It Simple
By: Cyril Wood
Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: Features
With Van Morrison's astounding 35th album release, he opted to, as the title states, "Keep it Simple," by returning to his roots and for what he is most well-known. Van's music has obvious tones of blues, jazz, folk and soul, and here he blends those together into a web of tunes that span various ages and genres.
The album opens with a hearty blues song, "How Can a Poor Boy?" A steady blues rhythm leads the song, with a slick electric lead and Van playing an authentic old-fashioned harmonica.
Later on the album is another jazzy blues, "Don't Go to Nightclubs Anymore." A soft organ plays Van through the song, with a light guitar and warm backing vocals. The mere tune reminds one of a smoke-filled, half-empty jazz bar, with the entire scene in black-and-white. An easy drumbeat marches throughout the song, and Van repeats over this the numerous things he no longer does since he has grown older.
If any is to be found on this album, "That's Entrainment" is Van's traditional upbeat love song. It is very possible to hear bits of "Brown-Eyed Girl," "Domino" and "Gloria." Yet no matter how many times he sings a song similar to this, he can always make it sound refreshing. His vocals are perhaps at their best on this song, and are relaxed and lulling.
Yet in all honesty, Van's voice is definitely not the high point of the album. There are points in songs where Van Morrison's voice gets too relaxed, or more particularly, lazy, and he sounds much like Bob Dylan singing live: completely incomprehensible. If not for the title of the song "Behind the Ritual" being at my disposal, I would have no idea what any of the words of this song were. At 4:30 into this song, he begins to repeat what very well may be the word "love," yet it sounds like he is continuously singing, "Blah blah blah."
Instead, most of the high points come in the form of the music itself. The organ in "End of the Land" is some of the best I have heard in contemporary rock and folk, and the banjo in "Song of Home," while simple, completely out-does Morrison's lackluster performance. "Soul" also showcases a great saxophone solo.
The album opens with a hearty blues song, "How Can a Poor Boy?" A steady blues rhythm leads the song, with a slick electric lead and Van playing an authentic old-fashioned harmonica.
Later on the album is another jazzy blues, "Don't Go to Nightclubs Anymore." A soft organ plays Van through the song, with a light guitar and warm backing vocals. The mere tune reminds one of a smoke-filled, half-empty jazz bar, with the entire scene in black-and-white. An easy drumbeat marches throughout the song, and Van repeats over this the numerous things he no longer does since he has grown older.
If any is to be found on this album, "That's Entrainment" is Van's traditional upbeat love song. It is very possible to hear bits of "Brown-Eyed Girl," "Domino" and "Gloria." Yet no matter how many times he sings a song similar to this, he can always make it sound refreshing. His vocals are perhaps at their best on this song, and are relaxed and lulling.
Yet in all honesty, Van's voice is definitely not the high point of the album. There are points in songs where Van Morrison's voice gets too relaxed, or more particularly, lazy, and he sounds much like Bob Dylan singing live: completely incomprehensible. If not for the title of the song "Behind the Ritual" being at my disposal, I would have no idea what any of the words of this song were. At 4:30 into this song, he begins to repeat what very well may be the word "love," yet it sounds like he is continuously singing, "Blah blah blah."
Instead, most of the high points come in the form of the music itself. The organ in "End of the Land" is some of the best I have heard in contemporary rock and folk, and the banjo in "Song of Home," while simple, completely out-does Morrison's lackluster performance. "Soul" also showcases a great saxophone solo.
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Hi Cyril / TD,
On behalf of Lost Highway Records, many thanks for reviewing Van Morrison's new album and, if your readers want good quality, non-pirated, preview tracks, full versions of "That's Entrainment" and "Behind The Ritual" (along with album track samplers) are available for fans and bloggers to listen to (and link to) on Lost Highway's web-site at http://www. (Continued…)
Van the Man
posted 5/16/08 @ 6:33 PM EST
I personally liked Van Morrison's latest album, though I must admit his voice is fading. He gave the impression he might be retiring soon it, which would be a real shame. (Continued…)
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