Van Morrison - Album by Album discussion - PART THREE

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by DJ WILBUR, Feb 29, 2008.

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  1. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    First Happy St. Patty's day. It's not easy being green, after downing too many pints.:cheers:

    I pretty much agree with everything DJ Wilbur wrote with the exception of Carrickfergus. To my ear Van fills it with a great sense of meloncholy and longing. While some of this album is workman-like the highlights of Raglan Road and She Moved Through the Fair border on the sublime. Like victorian popular music, Irish music can venture into the maudlin at times. Van and the Cheiftans manage to give this album the right tone, so that it conveys deep emotion but never crosses that line into the morose.

    I am not well versed in traditional Irish music, but there is a local Pub run by Irish expats where they serve Guinness on tap. Often when I stop in some patrons are playing penny whistle, fiddle and concertina, on those occasions the music sounds just right. When I'm in the mood spinning this disc is like a trip to that Pub. :thumbsup:
     
  2. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    :hide: Carrickfergus rules :righton: .....:angel:

    :winkgrin: Actually today, i heard it for the first time on vinyl! and now i like it more....hahaha....

    a very generous forum member in this very thread sent me a MINT copy of Irish Heartbeat on vinyl which I saved for listening to today and it sounds tres tres Vantastic. I think the analogue delivery is well suited to this album's instrumentation. I expect to play and play and play it all day today, flippping sides....

    according to Wiki...The album was recorded on dates from September to December 1987 and in January 1988. The Chieftains and Van Morrison had met years before at the Edinburgh rock festival. They joined up with Van in Belfast during his No Guru tour and afterwards, Morrison and Paddy Moloney discussed recording an album together during a walk. They each had a list of songs and reached a consensus to cover two of Morrison's previously released tracks (the title track was one) and the rest from traditional songs. In October 1987 they performed together at Balmoral Studio in Belfast.The concert was broadcast on St. Patrick's Day in 1988.[2]. The album reached number 18 in the UK album charts.
    i'd sure like to hear that radio concert broadcast. Has anyone heard it?
     
  3. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    regarding the sequencing on vinyl....She Moved Through The Fair is the end of side one, as it always sounded like an "ending" kind of song to me and it works very well closing out side one and giving a bit of a break before side two.

    does no one have this record? kinda quiet regarding this one.
     
  4. curbach

    curbach Some guy on the internet

    Location:
    The ATX
    I never got around to picking this one up. My experience with Van's other genre albums has not encouraged me to go out of my way to acquire it. However, I've always wanted to believe a collaboration with the Chieftans would be good, so the positive comments here will likely spur me to action ;)
     
  5. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    I first heard this on vinyl and I still prefer that format. I only recently acquired the CD, when my brother gave it to me after noticing the hole in the Van section of my "CD library."

    I guess maybe this is a bit too much of a genre album for some. Or they are out celebrating the day and will take time to post later.:agree:
     
  6. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    ha, thats why I started the thread yesterday to catch the reveler's before they went off and reveled away....oh well, its a monday, a work day and a holiday for many....
     
  7. gohill

    gohill Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow, UK
    Thanks for the St Patrick's day greeting Tom but i'm from Glasgow which is in Scotland so i am not exactly Irish though many of my family are:) Time to "go back, go way way back" ...to school for some geography lessons!!:winkgrin: I'll let you off this time but only because you are a fellow Gene Clark fan.:righton:

    There was a Van Morrison/Chieftans concert that was broadcast on BBC television from their tour in the UK. I have it on an old videotape in my cupboard but my VCR is long packed away and my labelling of my VHS tapes was not exactly great back in the day so i could have difficulty finding it. It was really good though from memory. I do really like this album it was an inspired collaboration.
     
  8. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    Oops, my mistake. Sorry. I apologize. I must've been a wee bit tipsy after my glass of Smithwicks. My dad's family were Scots so I'm feeling a little embarrassed right now.
     
  9. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    is that Smithwicks hangover preventing you from posting thoughts on your Irish Heartbeat?
     
  10. gohill

    gohill Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow, UK
    Thats ok, its just an hour on the boat over to Ireland.... at least you didn't think i was English!. I am sure being a Canadian you get mistaken for being an American from time to time. Or are you an American living in Canada?
     
  11. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    Ah, t'was only the one wee glass of ale, my son. I was trying to come up with an explanation for me pitiful ignorance. Bye and bye ye will be a-hearin' me thoughts on this one.
     
  12. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    I'm just an absent-minded Canadian with Scottish/English roots. There's no other excuse, I'm afraid. Unfortunately, I can't blame the Americans for this blunder.;)
     
  13. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    blame it on Canada!
     
  14. elborak

    elborak Forum Resident

    I think one of the reasons Irish Heartbeat works so well (and indeed it does :thumbsup:) is that Van has genuine respect for the other musicians, something that's certainly not always a given for The Man (although this was less of a problem in '88 than it was to become later).

    These aren't Van's "throwaway" studio musicians, they are true collaborators. And it makes a difference.
     
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  15. laughingboy

    laughingboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bucks, UK
    I always enjoyed this record, but I haven't listened to it for ages. I suppose, because of the heavily 'traditional' flavour of the album, I seldom feel in the mood to choose it.

    Well, this is fun! Some of the singing (on Star of the County Down, for example) is an opportunity to hear what Van would sound like in a pub singing with his mates. He is clearly having a riot, and just belting it out.

    So, it comes as a real disappointment when you get to hear that his mates aren't as good as him: when the feller from the Chieftans sings on My Match It Is Made, I go to sleep - but that may just be because my Gaelic is lacking.

    It is a great way to spend an hour on St Patrick's Day.
     
  16. laughingboy

    laughingboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bucks, UK
    Also, it is good to have 'And she moved through the Fair' restored in my affections after the sullying rendered by that gutless version by Simple Minds.:winkgrin:
     
  17. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    From Hinton's Celtic Crossroads, in reference to Van's performance [in a shamrock-green shirt, no less]with the Chieftains for a BBC TV St. Patrick's Day special:

    Kevin Conneff (of the Chieftains, on recording the album with Van):
     
  18. curbach

    curbach Some guy on the internet

    Location:
    The ATX
    For your St. Patty's Day amusement, here is a letter-to-the-editor that appeared in this morning's Austin American Statesman (assume any type-os are mine from transcribing):

    "I have seen about a thousand concerts, but the Van Morrison show Tuesday at Austin Music Hall was the worst abuse a performer has ever done to an audience in my presence.

    "Right after he took the stage at 7pm, the bar closed--upon instruction from Morrison. Needless to say, the crowd was not happy.

    "At 8:30 he abruptly left the stage and the lights came on. I asked the usher what was happening and she said Morrison was scheduled to play until 10 but cut the show short.

    "After paying $150 for the cheapest seats, I believe all the attendees should have received a full show from Morrison with the bars open. It is my wish that the Austin City Council ban him from ever playing Austin again until he plays a full show for the ticket holders at the Austin Music Hall."

    I guess I was one of the more satisfied customers :laugh: :cheers:
     
  19. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    oh man, thats amazing, its in the paper....wow. :cheers:
     
  20. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

  21. butch

    butch Senior Member

    Location:
    ny
    He sounds like he's gone to some of the shows I've been to too!A genius in lyric and song but live!???He's either on or off life,BUT when he's off...he's really off!
     
  22. Sneaky Pete

    Sneaky Pete Flat the 5 and That’s No Jive

    Location:
    NYC USA
    Van is known for starting on time, and I don't mind if they stop the audience from getting plastered, but the show length and song selection is a travesty. With the amounts he charges for tickets he should deliver a good long show, with encores.

    I have been holding off and spending my concert money on smaller venues with jazz acts or newer artists. They appreciate the support and I get more bang for my buck.

    Last "star" concert I attended was Cream at Madison Square Garden. I went to the second night and the show was great, but not worth the $250.00 per seat to be in the rafters.
     
  23. drewslo

    drewslo Forum Resident

    "Irish Heartbeat" completes one of the best Van trilogies of his career:

    No Guru, Poetic Champions, Irish Heartbheat

    These albums take three different paths to a beautiful place.

    Van's vocal performances are very moving on "Irish Heartbeat". They come from somewhere deep, a distant memory that haunts him.

    In particular:
    Ragland Road
    She Moved Through The Fair
    Carrickfergus
    Lagan Love

    There's a stillness in the air when these songs conclude. Van's vocals also frequently become wails and moans...simple words would limit his expression.
     
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  24. mrbillswildride

    mrbillswildride Internet Asylum Escapee 2010, 2012, 2014


    Great insights!!!

    Meet Me In The Indian Summer @6 manana... :righton:
     
  25. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid Thread Starter

    nicely put, thanks for joining in on the thread drew...
     
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