Music Banter - View Single Post - The Complete Discography thread Van Morrison

Son of JayJamJah · 06-02-2008, 12:15 AM

Combining my love for the Music with my determination to complete a thread of significance and to be satisfied with the content in the end I present a labor of love with "Van Morrison: 30 Albums I can't live without" A chronological quest to review and discuss the majority of Van's body of work from 1967 to present as well as introduce or produce interesting insights, websites and highlights at a snappy and diligent pace. Here Goes...

Van Morrison began his career as a teenage front man for the appropriately named Northern Irish rock band "Them" in 1964. Van was one of six original members of what would become a revolving door of musicians across the board. Morrison recorded two albums with the group before departing to launch his solo career late in 1966.

The result of nine months of intense self examination and what Van would later call "self sacrifice of integrity and concept" to satisfy the bosses, was Van's solo debut and swan song with Bang Records. In the end Morrison tried to stop the albums release and still does not embrace the album, despite many fans doing so.

Blowin’ Your Mind (1967)

Obviously best known for the lead track “Brown eyed Girl” Van’s solo debut and final album with Bang Records is an inconsistent effort, but one that clearly demonstrates his talent and potential and foreshadows the haunting masterpiece lying in wake (“Astral Weeks”) which would be released 18 months later following a switch to the Warner Brothers label. Album was produced to have a gritty and humble feel, which while aprapo of Van's nature as a person, seems to lack sincerity in it's production. Highlights of the album include a number of relatively poppy numbers and the more unrefined free form compositions like ‘Who drove the Red Sports car” and “T.B Sheets”. On the whole album is good but nothing sensational by Van standards...(continued at end)

1. Brown Eyed Girl – My Beef with this song is only that is what everyone knows Van for, it’s a fine pop song, but Van did not write pop songs. I won’t bother describing the song; you already know how it goes. Personally I like it, but it's the only Van song I'll ever cahnge when it comes on the radio or random play on my ipod or pc. 8\10

2. He Ain’t Give you None – Has a slightly psychedelic nature to it; an avenue Van rarely ventured down. Elements of the freelance style he would fully unveil in Astral Weeks abound, but never fully surfaces. Electric in nature it collides rock with r&b in casual and cool style. More young love and inevitable angst amongst the lyrics which are clever from end to end. As good a song as Brown eyed girl, maybe played 1\1000 the amount of times on FM radio.8\10

3. T.B Sheets – A song so out of place and time it’s unreal. This song is creepy good, from the blistering harmonica fills and interludes to the already grown and grizzled vocals of the barely two decade old phenomenon; it’s a gripping, emotional stumble of a song. Organ, acoustic guitar and percussion layer the song elegantly. It’s hard to place where Van got this one from, it would stick out amongst any of his albums during his first and most prolific decade of music making. Like walking into a bar and instantly becoming the coolest guy there. Daring and devoted a classic amongst many hardcore fans. 9\10

4. Spanish Rose – A Latin style ditty if ever Van had one. A simple and pleasurable song, somewhat predictable but not to the point of distraction. Undeniably catchy although probably equally campy. Nothing to report on lyrically it just progresses the song, the bridge is the songs highlight, it takes the song to the brink of honesty but ultimatley loops back to the refrain. Overall: Rather plain and does not stand out for me. 6.5\10

5. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) - Van's first foray into his eventual blues heavy r&b staple. Featuring, in a capacity rarely seen since, back up vocals proclaiming the 8 bar chorus are used as a backdrop to Van's improvisational stream of feeling build as the song escalates and departs at a grueling pace. 7\10

6. Ro Ro Rosey – Hard driving blues number that’s more in the way and style of the album overall. Vocally driven Chorus and blues harmonica interludes are a nice touch and were clearly isolated as Van's strengths by the albums producer. Still lacks the originality and creativity present throughout a lot of Van’s stuff with Warner. A worthwhile listen most times through, but nothing I seek out. 6.5\10

7. Who drove the Red sports Car – Slowest jazziest\blues number of the album. Pounding piano and crying guitar are the dueling harmony of man and woman.Van's vocals act as mediator with partiality relative to the perspective of the narrative. As gentle a track as the album contains but not without a pounding presence of emotion explding through the vocals and lyrics at just the necessary points. 7\10

8. Midnight Special – Cover track, blues style standard. A creative but not unique take on it with another visit from the back-up vocals which while not of poor quality don't fit the puzzle just right. Deliberate and structured Van gives a great effort that sounds more like a 50 some year old man then a 20 some year old one. His voice is a natural for the blues, but his heart is not limited to one genre. 6.5\10

...This album takes a while to find it's identity and probably misses the mark when it does, settling for what was working at the time instead of what was working for the artist. Eclectic out of the gate with a lot of quality but no direction, it's at least a compelling mystery. Later it becomes a careless presentation of several above average but unspectacular blues numbers that lack the creativity Van so clearly thrives on. Still it's like a young star athlete playing on a par team. He stands out despite what's going on around him.

First Time I Listened to it: 1976
Defining Track(s): Brown eyed Girl for the obvious reasons and T.B Sheets for the not so obvious ones.
Line in my head: "I can almost smell your T.B Sheets"

Star rating: (1-5) (from my personal catalog) ***1\2
How it made me feel today: (1-10): 7
Overall Ranking: TBD

Songs from Blowin' Your Mind

Brown Eyed Girl

Live in London 1973

Next up: Astral Weeks - 1968

06-02-2008, 12:15 AM	#1 (permalink)
Son of JayJamJah Occams Razor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: End of the Earth Posts: 2,472	The Complete Discography thread Van Morrison Combining my love for the Music with my determination to complete a thread of significance and to be satisfied with the content in the end I present a labor of love with "Van Morrison: 30 Albums I can't live without" A chronological quest to review and discuss the majority of Van's body of work from 1967 to present as well as introduce or produce interesting insights, websites and highlights at a snappy and diligent pace. Here Goes... Van Morrison began his career as a teenage front man for the appropriately named Northern Irish rock band "Them" in 1964. Van was one of six original members of what would become a revolving door of musicians across the board. Morrison recorded two albums with the group before departing to launch his solo career late in 1966. The result of nine months of intense self examination and what Van would later call "self sacrifice of integrity and concept" to satisfy the bosses, was Van's solo debut and swan song with Bang Records. In the end Morrison tried to stop the albums release and still does not embrace the album, despite many fans doing so. Blowin’ Your Mind (1967) Obviously best known for the lead track “Brown eyed Girl” Van’s solo debut and final album with Bang Records is an inconsistent effort, but one that clearly demonstrates his talent and potential and foreshadows the haunting masterpiece lying in wake (“Astral Weeks”) which would be released 18 months later following a switch to the Warner Brothers label. Album was produced to have a gritty and humble feel, which while aprapo of Van's nature as a person, seems to lack sincerity in it's production. Highlights of the album include a number of relatively poppy numbers and the more unrefined free form compositions like ‘Who drove the Red Sports car” and “T.B Sheets”. On the whole album is good but nothing sensational by Van standards...(continued at end) 1. Brown Eyed Girl – My Beef with this song is only that is what everyone knows Van for, it’s a fine pop song, but Van did not write pop songs. I won’t bother describing the song; you already know how it goes. Personally I like it, but it's the only Van song I'll ever cahnge when it comes on the radio or random play on my ipod or pc. 8\10 2. He Ain’t Give you None – Has a slightly psychedelic nature to it; an avenue Van rarely ventured down. Elements of the freelance style he would fully unveil in Astral Weeks abound, but never fully surfaces. Electric in nature it collides rock with r&b in casual and cool style. More young love and inevitable angst amongst the lyrics which are clever from end to end. As good a song as Brown eyed girl, maybe played 1\1000 the amount of times on FM radio.8\10 3. T.B Sheets – A song so out of place and time it’s unreal. This song is creepy good, from the blistering harmonica fills and interludes to the already grown and grizzled vocals of the barely two decade old phenomenon; it’s a gripping, emotional stumble of a song. Organ, acoustic guitar and percussion layer the song elegantly. It’s hard to place where Van got this one from, it would stick out amongst any of his albums during his first and most prolific decade of music making. Like walking into a bar and instantly becoming the coolest guy there. Daring and devoted a classic amongst many hardcore fans. 9\10 4. Spanish Rose – A Latin style ditty if ever Van had one. A simple and pleasurable song, somewhat predictable but not to the point of distraction. Undeniably catchy although probably equally campy. Nothing to report on lyrically it just progresses the song, the bridge is the songs highlight, it takes the song to the brink of honesty but ultimatley loops back to the refrain. Overall: Rather plain and does not stand out for me. 6.5\10 5. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) - Van's first foray into his eventual blues heavy r&b staple. Featuring, in a capacity rarely seen since, back up vocals proclaiming the 8 bar chorus are used as a backdrop to Van's improvisational stream of feeling build as the song escalates and departs at a grueling pace. 7\10 6. Ro Ro Rosey – Hard driving blues number that’s more in the way and style of the album overall. Vocally driven Chorus and blues harmonica interludes are a nice touch and were clearly isolated as Van's strengths by the albums producer. Still lacks the originality and creativity present throughout a lot of Van’s stuff with Warner. A worthwhile listen most times through, but nothing I seek out. 6.5\10 7. Who drove the Red sports Car – Slowest jazziest\blues number of the album. Pounding piano and crying guitar are the dueling harmony of man and woman.Van's vocals act as mediator with partiality relative to the perspective of the narrative. As gentle a track as the album contains but not without a pounding presence of emotion explding through the vocals and lyrics at just the necessary points. 7\10 8. Midnight Special – Cover track, blues style standard. A creative but not unique take on it with another visit from the back-up vocals which while not of poor quality don't fit the puzzle just right. Deliberate and structured Van gives a great effort that sounds more like a 50 some year old man then a 20 some year old one. His voice is a natural for the blues, but his heart is not limited to one genre. 6.5\10 ...This album takes a while to find it's identity and probably misses the mark when it does, settling for what was working at the time instead of what was working for the artist. Eclectic out of the gate with a lot of quality but no direction, it's at least a compelling mystery. Later it becomes a careless presentation of several above average but unspectacular blues numbers that lack the creativity Van so clearly thrives on. Still it's like a young star athlete playing on a par team. He stands out despite what's going on around him. First Time I Listened to it: 1976 Defining Track(s): Brown eyed Girl for the obvious reasons and T.B Sheets for the not so obvious ones. Line in my head: "I can almost smell your T.B Sheets" Star rating: (1-5) (from my personal catalog) *1\2 How it made me feel today: (1-10): 7 Overall Ranking: TBD Songs from Blowin' Your Mind Brown Eyed Girl Live in London 1973** Next up: Astral Weeks - 1968 Last edited by Son of JayJamJah; 07-15-2008 at 02:29 PM.