Van Morrison Album by Album Discussion: Part 1 (1968-1977)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by DJ WILBUR, Sep 25, 2007.

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  1. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
  2. pig whisperer

    pig whisperer CD Member

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    What was the B-side for the "Bulbs" single?

    I like it more the second time 'round.
     
  3. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    "Cul de Sac."
     
  4. pig whisperer

    pig whisperer CD Member

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    I thought it was one of the songs from side 1? Were there different B-sides?
     
  5. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    Dunno. I just went to:

    http://www.harbour.sfu.ca/~hayward/van/van.html

    According to this site, these were Van's singles in 1974:

     
  6. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

  7. tfarney

    tfarney Active Member

    Location:
    Charlotte,NC
    I'm not at all sure what happened with me and Veedon Fleece. I never owned it on Vinyl for some reason. Then, when I finally picked it up on cd a few years ago, I don't know, maybe I was just in one of those periods where I wasn't connecting with new music, or just not listening much. Life gets in the way sometimes. I listened to it, concluded that it was very Astral Weeks like, but not as good, and whenever I was in that kind of mood, I just reached for Astral Weeks. I'll bet my disc of Veedon Fleece didn't get played 4 times. Until a couple of weeks ago.

    Thank you DJ Wilbur. Your enthusiasm, your breathless anticipation of an opportunity to express how much you love this album, brought it out of the binder and into the player, onto the hard drive, into the iPod. Now, with a house full of new music, I can't stop listening to it.

    Yes, it is Astral Weeks like, but that's sure not a bad thing. It may even be superior to Astral Weeks. I can't be sure. Get back to me in a few years when I've heard it as many times. This much I know for sure: Van is in fabulous voice throughout. It has to be some of his best singing on record. And the workouts are right up there with the best of them - with the Lion. Veedon Fleece is just one more in a long line of reasons why Van Morrison is one of the best things you can do to your ears. He don't pull no punches. And he don't push the river.

    No.

    Tim
     
  8. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    hahaha, never mind my enthusiasm. You make an incredible case for how good this record is and I bet a few shtv-ites are combing used stores today in search of their own Veedon Fleece. Glad also you love the vocals on this one, some of my faves, including Fair Play. I mean, just compare his vocals on this album to track one of the next album up for discussion.....curious to hear your thoughts on this one next week.....
     
  9. willy

    willy hooga hagga hooga

    You should register that as a .com :wave:
     
  10. Buzzcat

    Buzzcat Bankrupt Radio Lifer

    Location:
    Madtown, WI
    To the best of my booze addled memory, I've listened to Veedon Fleece many times, but, I don't think I've ever really given it the active, dedicated listening that it deserves. And, as of last night, I really realized that as I put on side one and dug into my studying. I realized that in all the times I've listened to it, it was relegated to the background. Not intentionally, that's just the way it worked out. The conversation, or whatever was the focus.

    Well, I'm going to remedy that with a headphone listen tonight methinks. AFTER I'm done studying.
     
  11. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    Uh-oh, methinks William has tipped his hand a little bit with that comment about A Period of Transition. I remember in the "Name your fave Van Morrison moments" thread (which inspired this thread) many people stepped up to declare their appreciation for this album. Let's hope those folks show up next week to give William a A Period of Edification.:D

    But back to the Veedon love-in.:love:
    Anybody think Van topped this album?
     
  12. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    he's come might close for me many times, Common One, No Guru, Poetic, Days Like These to name four of my current faves...
     
  13. MikeP5877

    MikeP5877 V/VIII/MCMLXXVII

    Location:
    OH
    I like it ok, but I don't really hold it in my top 5, or even top 10 Van albums. I love "Streets of Arklow" and "Comfort You". The rest I can take or leave. Not sure why the album doesn't resonate with me. I think I'm just drawn more to his R&B influenced stuff.
     
  14. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    really, that topic could be a thread by itself. The R&B side of Van Morrison. I too love his R&B influenced stuff a great deal, but his more internal musings like Veedon just resonate and I wish I could share it, but dont know how..hahaha....still, the greatness of this artist is how much of him there is to go around for everyone...certainly seems like I'm not going to curry favor with my opinion of the next one....we'll see....gonna listen several times between now and next week.
     
  15. seriousfun

    seriousfun Forum Resident

    Is VF a great starting point for someone not into Van?

    I think not, since its beauty is far more subtle, and its presentation far more mature and constent, to grab someone's attention like much of his other popular music.

    I may have related my story about my three-year relationship with a woman who listened to nothing but Van Morrison. One of the first things she asked was how many Van albums I owned. For her the semi-obsession with Van's music was a journey paralleling much that was happening in her life, and it didn't seem OCD to me at the time (and I have always loved Van since the minute I heard Art Roberts spin Gloria on WLS in Chicago in 1965, saying this was the original, not the cover by the local band...).

    I had never heard VF in its entireity before - it came out just as I left home to study music at Berklee in Boston, and I had neither the time to listen to pop music (bad move?) nor the money to buy new LPs. After years of hearing that this was a great overlooked album, and possibly Van's favorite, she finally set the mood and played it for me. :)

    I don't think that this is AWII, but it does set a consistent mood much better than intervening albums, as great as they all were. Its tone and subject matter isn't brash youth coping with early success, submersion in poetry, and personal doubts, but a deeper yearning (not yet consumated, I think) for the spiritual, and a deeper sense of what it's like to find and lose love. He doesn't directly present clear pictures of actual events here, but paints portraits showing the aspects of these deep feelings and experiences.

    I know some of you don't like or get Redwood Tree from SDP, but I think this is the first VF song. He steps out of himself and tells a story that means much more than his own troubles or that of a boy looking for his lost dog.

    Not to mention that VF is in-tune, in-time, and played with grace that Van seldom got out of his musicians before or since.
     
  16. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    Because of my personal preferences I also love the R&B side of Van (I a play sax as a hobby). I am not crazy about synth sounds, obviously those likes and dislikes influence my appreciation of all music.

    As for VF being a way in for Van newbies, I think it is an idividual thing. I know someone that picked up Common One out of a cut out bin and went on to buy everything in Van's catalog. Common One has been lambasted by many critics, however it is also beloved by many fans. Bottom line if you are open to it and the music speaks to you VF is a great introduction to Van.

    Someone who studied at Berklee will be much more sophisticated musically than the average pop music fan. For you VF was a great place to start.
     
  17. seriousfun

    seriousfun Forum Resident

    Again, I started with Van fifteen years before VF, I just hadn't given it a careful listen until fairly recent times. I'm just looking for opinions on whether this would actually be a great introduction for the uninitiated (IMO no, since it won't grab most listeners as quickly as other recordings).
     
  18. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    Sorry I misunderstood you to mean you were a "casual" Van listener before exposure to VF. Otherwise I still think it is a very individual thing. People all react so differently to music.

    I say great, that helps encourage diversity.
     
  19. portisphish

    portisphish Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pasadena, CA
    I love this album. It is right up there with Astral Weeks as my favorite Van album, and I would be hard pressed to pick one if I had to. I'm glad I don't have to pick.

    I thought I'd compare the two albums from one point of view to perhaps start a discussion. The comparison is based on love. It seems that in AW Van has a mystical or romantic view of love. Almost a utopian view. Love will save. Here's some examples:

    Could you find me?
    Would you kiss-a my eyes?
    To lay me down
    In silence easy
    To be born again


    And I'm beside you
    Beside you
    Oh darlin'
    To never never wonder why at all
    No no no no no
    To never never never wonder why at all
    To never never never wonder why it's gotta be
    It has to be


    And you shall take me strongly
    In your arms again
    And I will not remember
    That I even felt the pain.
    We shall walk and talk
    In gardens all misty and wet with rain
    And I will never, never, never
    Grow so old again.

    In contrast, some of the songs on Veedon portray to me a more realistic view of love. Something that is more real, but also more attainable.

    And I wanna comfort you
    Just let your tears run wild
    Like when you were a child
    I'll do what I can do
    I just wanna comfort you

    Come here my love
    And I will lift my spirits high for you
    I'd like to fly away and spend a day or two
    Just contemplating the fields and leaves and talking about nothing
    Just layin' down in shades of effervescent, effervescent odors
    And shades of time and tide
    And flowing through
    Become enraptured by the sights and sounds in intrigue of nature's beauty
    Come along with me
    And take it all in
    Come here my love

    And as we walked
    Through the streets of Arklow
    In a drenching beauty
    Rolling back 'til the day
    And I saw your eyes
    They was shining, sparkling crystal clear
    And our souls were clean
    And the grass did grow

    Also, what I found interesting and unexpected when I was preparing these thoughts, was how with VF Van seems to be the one offering this "love", while in AW he seems to be the one looking for it.

    Just some thoughts. I hope they're not too far off base from others' understanding of two phenomenal works of art.

    Besides this, Fair Play is one of the most perfectly beautiful songs I've ever heard.
     
  20. tfarney

    tfarney Active Member

    Location:
    Charlotte,NC
    I'm sorry, I can't pick a "best" Van Morrison album, but I would definitely have No Guru and Poetic on the short list along with Astral Weeks, Into The Music and ITLTSN. I don't own Common One, or A Period of Transition, for that matter, so I'll be quiet next week.

    And now, William, you have me listening to and reconsidering Days Like These. It sounds good.

    Tim
     
  21. Baron Von Talbot

    Baron Von Talbot Well-Known Member

    Couldn't say it any better, but that's exactly what i feel. HN was the first VM record i came across and along with Tim Buckley's - Greetings From L.A. it was on one Cassette that i listend to a lot. Of course the Live DoLP ITLTSN is even better ; but that autumn feel from Hard Nose The Highway is something i can relate to very much. AND I LIKE THE COVER best from most VM albums, too. More than AW by 10 miles. Sorry that is a block of Stone to me. Does not move me at all. Utterly boring on top. Overrated piece of modern art for art's sake (i just don't get it)
    Veedon Fleece on the other hand has a nice feel to it - at least on one album Side it takes me to places i never been to before (not that i like it too much there, but that journey is still appreciated) and 'Listen To The Lion' is my favourite, next to Cypress Avenue on the Live album - I like about 2 dozens of VM albums, but most from a later date, so i don't want to interrupt the flow of this fine thread any-more .
     
  22. pig whisperer

    pig whisperer CD Member

    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan
    I stole "Too Long In Exile" back from my bro. I had to hear "Till We Get The Healing Done" again. I am still not crazy about the middle R&B section and the last jazz section, but the first six songs and the closer, "I'll Take Care Of You/Instrumental/Tell Me What You Want," is all good. It's a 51 minute album even with seven songs cut out.
     
  23. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    Guten Abend, Baron! Welcome to our Van thread. :wave: Don't be a stranger.
     
  24. mfp

    mfp Senior Member

    Location:
    Paris, France
    Of course, when Van wrote Astral Weeks, he was 23, barely out of his teens. When he wrote Veedon Fleece he was almost 30.
     
  25. curbach

    curbach Some guy on the internet

    Location:
    The ATX
    And either recently divorced or about to be, I forget the timeline. Jason or I will fill in a few details from Heylin before the week is out. . .

    I'm glad to see a few naysayers on Veedon Fleece. Keeps things interesting. Frankly, I am astonished that anyone who professes to be a Van fan could find VF anything less than a thoroughly compelling listen, but it takes all kinds :)
     
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