Van Morrison has been a darling of the critics, and an influential force at the outskirts of popular music for well over thirty years. Morrison is interesting in the respect that you can not pigeon-hole his music. It’s not quite rock, but it’s not pop either. It’s sort of folk, but it’s also Celtic. And Jazzy. And Soulful. The most common term that I have heard for Morrison’s music is Irish soul. Whatever it is, it’s uniquely Van Morrison. Sometimes Morrison’s music is so good, so cutting edge (such as on Astral Weeks) that it doesn’t do well (financially) because of it’s avant-garde nature. But one time he got it exactly right, where he could be all things to all people. That was on his classic 1970 release Moondance.
The album starts out with the beautiful And It Stoned Me. Beautiful lyrics, soulful horn work, and inspired piano riffs. An aural piece of art. This song still receives airplay on the more enlightened classic rock FM stations to this day.
If track one is a piece of art, then track two, the jazzy title track Moondance is nothing short of musical perfection. Underscored by an airy flute, Morrison’s powerful voice evokes in my mind images of two lovers dancing under a full moon Irish sky at midnight, barefoot in an emerald green meadow with leaves blowing about. Absolutely beautiful. (You will see the word “beautiful” many times in this review. It’s a word I use sparingly. This album is one of those rare instances where the word is somehow inadequate.)
Track three, Crazy Love, makes you think that this album was truly an embarrassment of riches. In it’s own way as strong as the first two tracks, Morrison’s love song feels so genuine that he must have written this song about someone he really loved. A nice female chorus provides a counterpoint to Morrison’s plaintive vocals.
Whenever I hear track four, Caravan, I always think that Morrison can sing La, La, La-La, La-La, La with more meaning and import than most people could by reciting Shakespeare. Another song that gets FM radio rotation time 30 years later. That staying power is the measure of Morrison’s greatness.
Track five, Into The Mystic, is another song that has an ethereal quality that evokes mental imagery to me. I see an ancient Celtic man, rowing a boat across a stretch of fog-clouded water, going where the wind takes him. I honestly can not think of another album that I used to enjoy as much, lights off, laying on my bedroom floor with the headphones on back in my high school days. Every song brings me to another place.
Come Running was maybe the biggest hit on the album. But this song doesn’t have that “played to death” classic rock feel to it. It still sounds as fresh and new as it did back in 1970. As a matter of fact, every song on this album has a timeless feel to it. Not dated at all. And if this album were to be released today for the first time, I have no doubt that it would trounce all newcomers in the pop charts.
These Dreams has a Dylanesque harmonica intro, a cross between blues, folk, and rock. Absolutely beautiful (there’s that word again). These dreams of you, so real and so true… Morrison’s vocals are consistently strong on all tracks (this one being no exception), full of a soulful-ness that most singers can only dream about. Yet It seems so natural to him. Unforced.
Track eight, Brand New Day, is one of slowest songs on the album. Great use of the female chorus in a “call and response” gospel-like passage. This song lyrically, musically and spiritually has the feel of a great rock hymn. More beauty for the collection.
Everyone has a harpsichord entrance that truly makes this song timeless. It could be from old England, or 1967 summer-of-love pop. But Morrison does it better. Even though each song on this album had a different (or several different) musical styles, they could have easily been tied together into one giant 45-minute symphonic opus, and it would not have sounded strange.
Morrison saved the best for last. Glad Tidings is maybe the be strongest song on this album. It is my personal favorite. Another song that still gets airplay even today. Another great use of the Morrison “La-La, La-La”. Soaring horn work. Another piece of art.
I would like to be able to say that one of the songs on this album was marginal or weak, to not make it look like I’m some sort of Morrison apologist who blindly loves everything piece of music the guy creates. But this album is that good! One of the “must have” in any serious musicologist’s library. This is five star stuff. If you have never listened to this album, go out and find it. You deserve the treat.
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