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Old 08-18-2008, 10:17 AM   #56 (permalink)
Son of JayJamJah
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Default A Sense of Wonder (1984)

Van made the switch to PolyGram records following the Inarticulate Speech of the Heart album. This concluded a 15 year relationship between Morrison and Warner Bros during which time Van released almost all of his most significant works. At this point Morrison has transformed as a stage presence and performer, he is infinitely more comfortable and accepting of his place on stage and around his fans.




A Sense of Wonder (1984)

Fully inundated in the sounds of thoughts of the majestic, “A Sense of Wonder” is Van’s not so bold foray into a potential new genre which I’d describe as Celtic Rock and Soul. The fires of his quest for spiritual enlightenment and the his return home have begun to cool and he is finding new inspiration in poetry, people and the exploration of one’s self. At times Morrison is searching for what it all means, but at others he gets it just right…

1. Tore Down A La Rimbaud – Opening with a sound that reminds you immediately of “Inarticulate Speech…” The Horns freshen up the sound as the attitude livens itself up. As the song advances it starts to really glide along as Morrison continues his delicate ode to the title idol, French poet Arthur Rimbaud relating to his pain in writers block. Morrison derived the song from one he was writing following his reclusion post Veedon Fleece. 7.5\10

2. Ancient of Days – A little lighter and peppier then the it’s predecessors (previous albums) It’s that sort of stock song that Morrison adds to the albums of this period, not bad, just not good. A song with a concept that was never really fully realized and just gets constructed around a safe and simple melody and progression. Punished for it’s lack of originality slightly. 6.5\10

3. Evening Meditation – Instrumental track that would have fit perfectly with th last album, which is not necessarily a good thing. Still it’s calm, relaxing and somewhat enjoyable; there is a nice melding of Celtic and Oriental influence. Morrison’s humming surprisingly becomes a distraction then a part of the overall sound, one of the songs worst features. Really a decent number but not what I’m looking for following the previous album. 6\10

4. The Master’s Eyes – A sort of updated throwback, easy electric rock and roll guitar meets the distant humming of the flute and sincere vocal performance. Horns grown and fade in the background along with the guitar completing the cavalcade of musical mastery. Sometimes it’s good enough to just have good musicians play a song real well. In this case it works for me, very well. There are so many elements of the sound that made me love Morrison mixed with what he’s doing at the time; it helped me understand better his vision. 8\10

5. What Would I Do – Written by Ray Charles, a somewhat overlooked song in fact, it starts with piano and a faint guitar. Morrison keeps true to the spirit of the song but makes it his own, emphasizing the instrumental only when the vocals are absent and utilizing the back-up singers in ways Ray really thought to. It’s good enough to make you forget it’s a cover; it just does enough to stay interesting all the way. [B] 7\10 [\B]

6. A Sense of Wonder – Side two opens with the title track and a fitting somber mood. There is an optimistic air however as the song begins to build and the background fills with synthesizer and back-up vocals. There is a dramatic pause before the harmonizing lock-step vocals and slightly escalated horns of the chorus; a highlight of the song. Its greatest strength is the depth of the music and the atmosphere it creates. As calm and mystical as the rest of the album fulfilling its charge admirably. 7.5\10

7. Boffyflow and Spike – Starting with a strong bass and drum line the second instrumental track on the album is a fun upbeat Irish-rock jam. The most exuberant instrumental by Morrison to date (at that time) is led by a punchy guitar and the uilleann pipes and the outstanding contrast they create. This number was turned in with the help of emerging Irish rock band Moving Hearts providing the instrumental feel Van had imagined. At three minutes and change it’s the perfect length for this type of song and keeps you interested the whole way through. 8.5\10

8. If You Only Knew – Pure vintage jazz on display here as Van makes his first dip into the Mose Allison well with this jazzy jumper. The vocals of Morrison add so much to the song that Allison could not, this version feels like a cabana caper soundtrack. The furious saxophone growl and psychedelic organ grind are the central spice in a bouquet of sound that does its originator proud. 8\10

9. Let the Slave (Incorporating the Price of Experience) – This is uncharted territory for Morrison, its larger-than-life from the start, an obvious epic by Morrison’s vision, by in a style so hauntingly bright it almost confuses the senses. This was Morrison needing to bring the words to life. This one is Morrison’s love of poetry, the recital of William Blake the makes of the second half of the song is the inspiration for it all. A very bold effort 8.5\10

10. A New Kind of Man – Far too simple and safe to follow the works of this surprisingly strong side two; but it finds it’s footing and proves it’s place amongst the album. A short and sweet horn humming promise to improve and love forever gives this one the happy ending it so clearly was headed for. 7\10


…This is not empty music; the concept of music is Van’s muse. There is still an air of the recent style but this one is moving away from the form of “Inarticulate Speech of the Heart” and side two suggests towards something new and bold yet again. Morrison constantly reinvents his music around who and what are in his life at the time and this album is another example of that. Morrison does not sing of his current or past loves, of friends come and gone but instead of poets and writers and in the words of his musical Inspirations taking from Ray Charles and Mose Allison. It’s a new sound and one that is far from refined, but it’s also a needed change of pace for an artist becoming complacent at times previous.

Defining Track(s): “Let the Slave” is how people judge this album. It’s so unique and so inaccessible that it becomes obviously divisive and defining.
Line in my head: “I call my Love Philosophy”
Christagu’s Take: By marrying R&B usages to Celtic mysticism in an art that honors both and then some, Morrison proved there was more to R&B than even Ray Charles had dreamed. But when inspiration fails him, he's left with uninspired art. At his most automatic, Charles still has R&B. C+

Star rating: (1-5) (from my personal catalog) ***1/2
How it made me feel today: (1-10): 7.5
Overall Ranking: TBD


Next up: No Guru, No Method, No Teacher- 1985
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