Poll: Van Morrison’s Best Albums Since 1990

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Ricky Lampoon, May 28, 2020.

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  1. Syscrusher

    Syscrusher Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    Keep It Simple and Three Chords I feel Are by far his two best. I’m surprised more people don’t think so.
     
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  2. MikeP5877

    MikeP5877 V/VIII/MCMLXXVII

    Location:
    OH
    My top 3:

    Enlightenment - Van's first "new" release after I discovered him 30 years ago

    Hymns to the Silence - picks up where Enlightenment left off. I remember being pleasantly surprised when this came out. I had no idea he had a new album, and a double at that. I remember buying The Visit by Loreena McKennitt at the same time.

    Keep it Simple - Aside from The Healing Game (which is a close #4) I find most of his work from Too Long In Exile to Magic Time to be on the underwhelming side. This one really stood out for me, especially the last song "Behind the Ritual"

     
  3. Ricky Lampoon

    Ricky Lampoon Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Switzerland
    Great song. First time I’ve heard that one. Thanks for posting.
     
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  4. Rockford & Roll

    Rockford & Roll Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midway, KY
    I've got Enlightenment, Hymns To The Silence and Keep Me Singing. You are dead-on regarding Three Chords & The Truth. I see it as a companion piece to Keep Me Singing.

    I own most of those listed and they all have a few tracks to recommend - second tier for me would be: Days Like This, Back On Top, Down The Road, What's Wrong With This Picture, Keep It Simple, Born To Sing: No Plan B.
    The Healing Game can be terrific in spots but I have an aversion to the background vocals on a lot of it.
    His recent foray into jazz and blues has been terrific as well.
     
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  5. Jem

    Jem Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lathbury
    The three I picked were Days Like This ( cut the two covers), The Healing Game (one of Van’s finest) and Back On Top. Enlightenment was very close to nudging Days out. Post 2000 Van has a tendency to include too many songs on his albums. Down The Road is a case in point there. Magic Time is a lovely album.

    In fact it is easier to pick the ones that don’t work for me which are Too Long In Exile and WWWTP. The recent albums which are half covers don’t appeal. But the last two written by Van Morrison (mainly) albums Keep Me Singing and Three Chords are very good and very lovely.

    Hymns has a number of my favourite songs on it but they are spread across both records.
     
  6. Enlightenment
    Too Long In Exile
    Days Like This

    In fact I could perfectly live without anything else. Though not on the list, the 2 live albums A Night In San Francisco and Astral Weeks Live At The Hollywood Bowl are also recommended.
     
  7. Ricky Lampoon

    Ricky Lampoon Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Switzerland
    Not heard the Astral Weeks at the Hollywood Bowl before, so listening now on YouTube.
    He seems to be in great voice. There’s nothing like Van when he gets lost in his music - it’s a meditation for the soul.
    He even seems to smile at one point in the film. But maybe it was just wind .....

     
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  8. Rockford & Roll

    Rockford & Roll Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midway, KY
    I was shocked at how good the live Astral Weeks is. Heavy rotation at our house.
     
  9. Jem

    Jem Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lathbury
    This fantastic. I prefer it to the studio album.
     
  10. croquetlawns

    croquetlawns Forum Resident

    Location:
    Scotland
    Wow, 22 studio albums in 30 - he's still going well for his age! The Healing Game is the best album in the list, and the recent 3 CD version is superb. Hymns is also a rare thing - a decent double studio album.
     
  11. Roland Stone

    Roland Stone Offending Member

    I play HYMNS TO THE SILENCE as much as any Van Morrison I own.
     
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  12. musicaner

    musicaner Forum Resident

    Enlightenment
    3 Chords
    and best of all, Back on Top
     
  13. Ricky Lampoon

    Ricky Lampoon Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Switzerland
    Catching up with The Van:

    Thanks for all your comments; I’ve ordered Astral Weeks, Live at the Hollywood Bowl and a deluxe 3CD edition of The Healing Game.
     
  14. PhilBorder

    PhilBorder Senior Member

    Location:
    Sheboygan, WI
    Meanwhile, we await Philosophers Stone Vol II, as well as expanded editions announced years ago....
     
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  15. Jem

    Jem Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lathbury
    Would love those deluxe editions. Particularly Beautiful Vision and NGNMNT.
     
  16. clayton

    clayton Senior Member

    Location:
    minneapolis mn
    Hymns to the Silence
    The Healing Game
    Back on Top
     
  17. gckcrispy

    gckcrispy Forum Resident

    "Magic Time" is my favorite from this era. The one-two punch of "Stranded" and "Celtic New Year" is the strongest start to any of his records in decades, and I love most of the rest of it as well.

    "What's Wrong with This Picture?" would probably be No. 2.
     
  18. Jem

    Jem Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lathbury
    How did you get on with them and have you picked any others up?
     
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  19. Ricky Lampoon

    Ricky Lampoon Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Switzerland
    I’m really pleased with the 2 that I bought. They are both great albums.

    The extra discs with The Healing Game are of a really high standard, which you don’t get so often with these type of packages. Collaborations with the like of John Lee Hooker, Carl Perkins and Lonnie Donegan - great stuff.

    The Astral Weeks live album surprised me at how good it is. Great musicians and a passionate Van - what could be better? And an album that Van professes to dislike, but what does he know, eh?

    Haven’t picked any others up so far.
     
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  20. Musicisthebest

    Musicisthebest Exiled Yorkshireman

    Location:
    Manchester, UK
    Not only that but CD1 of The Healing Game has better Dynamic Range than the original.
     
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