“Moondance” by Van Morrison - album review

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TJR says

Van’s third LP arrived in January 1970; Eschewing the freeform, often long-drawn nature of the songs on the preceding “Astral Weeks”, Van opted for a fresh approach; more direct songs with more conventional structure, less folky more bluesy. Speaking in regards to this new accessible approach Morrison stated: “I make albums primarily to sell them and if I get too far out a lot of people can't relate to it. I had to forget about the artistic thing because it didn't make sense on a practical level. One has to live.” To my ears, the end results were pretty much the same in any case: soulful and extremely classy. I notice Jelly Roll is back – twice!! Following on from the use on the debut album’s “He Ain't Give You None” (I done more for you, than your daddy has ever done, gave ya my jelly roll, and he ain't give ya none) it appears again here on the two best tracks. On the classic opener “And It Stoned Me” Van sings: “And it stoned me to my soul, stoned me just like jelly roll”. The supreme “Into The Mystic” is memorable in many ways, not least for Collin Tilton's tenor saxophone imitating a foghorn blowing, and, again Van serves: “ I just wanna rock, Just wanna rock! Your jellyroll soul” The man’s obsessed! Above and beyond all of this Jelly Roll tomfoolery, Van’s got a trademark thing going on, for sure. Prose, melody and arrangements are all key elements of his sound and vision – he certainly knows how to use those studios and musicians. I think it’s fair to say that he’s already a master craftsman at the age of just 24.

The Jukebox Rebel
24–Jun–2007

Tracklist
A1 [04:30] 9.1.png Van Morrison - And It Stoned Me (George Ivan Morrison) Blues Rock / Soul Rock
A2 [04:35] 7.6.png Van Morrison - Moondance (George Ivan Morrison) Jazz
A3 [02:34] 6.5.png Van Morrison - Crazy Love (George Ivan Morrison) Soul Ballad
A4 [04:57] 6.9.png Van Morrison - Caravan (George Ivan Morrison) Folk Rock / Americana
A5 [03:25] 9.9.png Van Morrison - Into The Mystic (George Ivan Morrison) Soul
B1 [02:30] 6.4.png Van Morrison - Come Running (George Ivan Morrison) Blues Rock / Soul Rock
B2 [03:50] 7.0.png Van Morrison - These Dreams Of You (George Ivan Morrison) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B3 [05:09] 6.9.png Van Morrison - Brand New Day (George Ivan Morrison) Soul Ballad
B4 [03:31] 7.8.png Van Morrison - Everyone (George Ivan Morrison) Pop
B5 [03:42] 7.6.png Van Morrison - Glad Tidings (George Ivan Morrison) Pop

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