Van Morrison comes full circle
Too Long In Exile
Van Morrison
Polydor
Reviewed by Bernie Brian
Van Morrison fans do not need reviews to tell them to buy one of his albums since he never fails to produce quality music. But if there are any people out there who still need convincing that Morrison is one of the finest singer/songwriters of our time then this is the album to get. A bit over the top? No, I don't believe so. Morrison has established this reputation after three decades and 25 unique albums which all feature Morrison's trademark voice. It is the power and range of this voice that drives Morrisons music and any instrumentation is purely secondary.
In many ways there is an autobiographical element to his new album. For a renowned perfectionist, there is a sense of self satisfaction as this 48 year old Belfast born exile looks back over his career battling the "big time operators of the music business scene" and proudly claiming "no more wasted years today". It is interesting that he has included a reworking of the classic "Gloria" that he recorded in the '60s with his first band Them. Morrison was never happy with the manipulation of the sound of Them by Decca records. Nearly 30 years on, with full control over his art, Morrison can record "Gloria" any way he likes, and he does it in real style in a duet with blues great John Lee Hooker .
While this album is Morrisons most blues oriented album for some time, and even includes classic covers like Sonny Boy Williamsons "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", it also reveals many of the other faces of this multi talented artist. The two tracks "In the Forest" and "Till We Get the Healing Done" reveal the mystic in Morrison and "Moody's Mood For Love" reflect his enthusiasm for jazz. My favourite on the album would have to be the slow blues "Lonely Avenue", previously recorded by Ray Charles in the late 50s. On Morrison's last album, "Hymns to the Silence" he also recorded the Ray Charles classic "I Can't Stop Loving You" with support from The Chieftains".
Morrison also continues his tradition of using many talented musicians as support. Apart from Hooker, the legendary British keyboardist Georgie Fame plays Hammond organ on most tracks. Morrison, himself an accomplished musician, plays a variety of instruments, including harmonica alto sax, accoustic and electric guitar (he could play them all by the time he was 13). After such a long career, it is an indication of Morrison's talent that he can remain not only so creative but also so refreshing. This album would have to be one of the finest blues inspired albums to appear in some time. A must for any collection.