Poll: Van Morrison’s Best Albums Since 1990

Still can’t believe how good Van’s latest album Three Chords and the Truth is. His voice is so strong that it really feels like it’s an album from his glory days of the 70s.

Unfortunately, it is the first album that I have bought of his since Avalon Sunset in 1989, hence the question in the poll.

What have I been missing all these years?

You can vote for a maximum of 3 albums.

 

My favourites

Enlightenment
The Healing Game - 3CD version
Back On Top

I don’t know many of his albums after Back On Top but those I’ve heard sound uninspired to my ears.

 

Hymns to the Silence & Too Long in Exile

 

Just makes me realize how little I know of this period, and I like what I've heard of ot and own lots of the earlier but just ran out of steam.

 

I have the majority of the albums in the poll. I went with:
Enlightenment
Back On Top
Magic Time

For me, I think his last great album was Back On Top.

 

Enlightenment
Days Like This

 

Agree on those choices... although it's so hard not to sneak Hymns in there.

Full disclosure... haven't heard Three Chords yet.

 

you really haven't missed a whole lot.

i am a van morrison fan, and i am also catalog on morrison saying that though, i have to tell you how i honestly feel about his work.

after 'hymns to the silence" morrison's work get quite repetitive. chord progressions, guitar sounds, vocal inflections etc all seem to overlap.

i have used the term 'phoning it in', and i really do feel that way.

 

I own them all, and love this period more than any Van.
Magic Time
Down the Road
Hymns

 

I loved 'Enlightenment' and 'Too Long In Exile' but then I lost touch w/ Van's music. But he's really hit his stride starting with 'Down the Road.' I've loved most everything he's done since... He's put out 6 albums in 4 years... pretty amazing output. I loved 'Three Chords and the Truth' which I documented here: LP Review: Van Morrison’s New, All Originals, ‘Three Chords & The Truth’ – A Laid Back Groove ... He's really in a career renaissance.

 

Van can still bring it. There's a lot to chew on as far as his most recent output is concerned, maybe too much. He's certainly been very active the last few years. The Van album flood tends to dilute his quality a bit though. However if he released an album tomorrow, it's still an automatic purchase.

 

I’m a big fan too, and I agree the majority of the records after the early 90s are simply unnecessary. I haven’t yet heard his latest and I’m missing Roll With The Punches, but all the albums from the last several years sound about the same so I doubt those two are going to change my opinion. Notable exception for me is Born To Sing. It seems to capture a bit of the old magic.

I voted for Enlightenment, Hymns, and Born To Sing. I think Too Long In Exile, The Healing Game and to a lesser extent Days Like These are also worth recommending. There are some highlights scattered about the remaining albums, but you’ve got to wade through a lot of bleah. Back On Top seems to be a popular album, but I don’t care for it.

I’d note that this poll is missing The Skiffle Sessions which is actually kind of fun. And Duets is surprisingly enjoyable to me, but I don’t think I would recommend either of these to anyone but a diehard.

 

1994 release, A Night In San Francisco is one of my favorites.

 

IDK, even the better albums are vaguely unsatisfying to me. I'd agree that 3 Chords is probably the best of his most recent work (the more energetic vocals make the weaker songs work better than they should). But I could condense all these albums into 4 or 5 albums and not miss at all what I left off.

I think Van needs a kick in the ass. He can do just about whatever he wants at this point and he's somewhat complacent imo.

 

Hymns to the Silence is one of my favourite Van albums so that was way ahead of the pack. Enlightenment was an easy second choice. Couldn't decide on the third - could have been a number of albums but went for Back on Top, although How long has this been going on gets a lot of plays here. After Keep it simple I've lost touch with Van's music - things were starting to get a bit formulaic and he was putting albums out at quite a rate. Will see which of these later albums are recommended (I know a couple are often mentioned as being worthwhile).

 

You should hear Three Chords.

It honestly surprised me how much I enjoyed it.

 

Enlightenment
Hymns
Back On Top

runner up: Keep It Simple
Easily his best album of the last ten.

 

BTW

the album with gail lewis "you win again' is putrid o/10 - 1/10....the only van morrison record i ever got rid of.

 

Enlightenment
Healing
Hymns

Great records.

 

I did not expect that my choise is forum favorite!

 

Healing Game
Back On Top
Exile

 

You don’t like the latest? Sounds vintage Van to my ears.

Thanks for all the comments.

 

I have not heard anything past Keep It Simple (although I plan to catch myself up on Van's work over the past decade in the near future). I think Hymns to the Silence is one of my favorite Van albums period, so that one is at the top of my list for this part of his career. I also chose The Healing Game and Back On Top because I think each has mostly very strong material. That said, Enlightenment just missed my cut - it's very good and sort of a prequel to Hymns to the Silence. There are also outstanding songs on many of the other albums that I don't think are as strong overall - songs like "Ancient Highway" from Days Like This and his cover of "Lonely Avenue" from Too Long In Exile that all fans really need to hear.

 

The Healing Game..pure perfection and a desert island disc.

 

Impossible to choose. I own van’s entire catalogue. There are so many listed above that are excellent. I guess if I had to, the one’s listed below I deem essential listening...

Enlightenment
Hymns to the SilencE
The Healing Game
Back on Top
Down the Road
What's Wrong with This Picture?
Keep It Simple
Roll with the PuncheS
Versatile
You're Driving Me Crazy
The Prophet Speaks
Three Chords and the Truth