Listening to the initial offering from Van Morrison’s I had this overwhelming sense of impending doom. It just hit me that it was over man, this was the bottom, singing circles round Michael Buble on a good second tier van track, this is not a good idea. It is a commercial maelstrom of meh. And the thought of an entire album of some singer trying to keep up… it can’t be good for ya.
But looking at the song listing, you gotta think maybe van is loss leading?
“Some Peace of Mind” with Bobby Womack
“Lord, If I Ever Needed Someone” with Mavis Staples
“Higher Than The World” with George Benson
“Wild Honey” with Joss Stone
“Whatever Happened to P.J. Proby” with P.J. Proby
“Carrying a Torch” with Clare Teal
“The Eternal Kansas City” with Gregory Porter
“Streets Of Arklow” with Mick Hucknall
“These Are The Days” with Natalie Cole
“Get On With The Show” with Georgie Fame
“Rough God Goes Riding” with Shana Morrison
“Fire in the Belly” with Steve Winwood
“Born To Sing” with Chris Farlowe
“Irish Heartbeat” with Mark Knopfler
“Real Real Gone” with Michael Bublé
“How Can A Poor Boy” with Taj Mahal
I thought let’s pass on the Knopfler track but then noticed which song it was and Knopfler channelling the Chieftains might be excellent but even if it isn’t, surely a Bobby Womack duet alone is worth the price of admission, plus Mavis Staples, Gregory Porter, Georgie Fame, Taj Mahal… these are good singers, these are guys we can imagine giving Van a little bit of competition.
Plus the song choices? “Born To Sing” “Rough God Goes Riding”, “These Are The Days”… there is no “Moondance” here, this is the heart of the Morrison oeuvre being given a dusting over and rethinking. It could be major and I can’t wait.