Im going with some obvious choices. All are 5/5 albums to me. 1. Astral Weeks. It inhabits its own unique universe. One of the greatest albums of all time. 2. Moondance. Ten classic tracks, more accessible, more traditional in terms of song structure. 3. Veedon Fleece. Although very Irish, it transcends this too. A masterwork. 4. Common One. This time, curiously English but also as transcendent in its own way as Veedon Fleece. 5. No Guru. Astonishingly uplifting music for the soul. I've come to the conclusion that Van is the greatest artist of popular music. I have him ahead of Bob Dylan by a whisker. I find delight in all his albums, even his later ones which have divided some due to some silly politics etc. I regard him as a musical genius. The best of his generation.
In no particular order: Astral Weeks Moondance Beautiful Vision No Guru, No Method, No Teacher Veedon Fleece or Saint Dominic's Preview or Common One Overall I’m a big fan of his 1980s stuff. The spiritual stuff. It’s when I really got into Van and it got me through some tough times in college. I love his references to literature. It got me to explore so much stuff.
I know and like all his albums up to 1988's Irish heartbeat (only exception is Poetic Champions Compose ) , haven't really heard much that came after with the exception of the Friday night in San Francisco cd, which I like, too. Favourites are Tupelo honey, Veedon Fleece and Into the music
In chronological order, since I don't feel like ranking them: Astral Weeks His Band and the Street Choir Moondance Tupelo Honey Saint Dominic's Preview I would extend that list with everything up through Veedon Fleece for a complete list of Van's prime.
In no particular order: Astral Weeks. Moondance. St Dominics Preview. Wavelength. Hard Nose the Highway.
Such a tough choice - but I will go with: Astral Weeks, Moondance, St Dominic's Preview, Veedon Fleece and Common One
Driving back from work yesterday, I had my phone on shuffle. The Waterboys song, The Soul Singer came on. It’s a cracking track which Mike Scott insists is about a composite of various musicians but which seems to be mostly-down to the ‘who’s that masked man?’ line-about Van. It’s a great song, but it’s not particularly complimentary, presenting him as a washed-up curmudgeon with an august past. A few tracks later, my phone threw up Van’s Once In A Blue Moon. It’s a lesser known track from an album which isn’t particularly celebrated and which probably hails from the period Mike was referring to and it just blew the Waterboys out of the, well, water. I’d argue Van hasn’t produced a consistently good album since Keep It Simple, but no one should write him off entirely.
I don’t think that song slags off Van. Interesting point about Keep It Simple certainly some good songs on there. I have always loved End Of The Land.
It's Too Late to Stop Now [Warner Bros., 1974] Moondance [Warner Bros., 1970] His Band and Street Choir [Warner Bros., 1970] Into the Music [Warner Bros., 1979] Too Long in Exile [Polydor, 1993]
Was stopping at 1988 was just happenstance? I know that sometimes life goes on for no particular reason we don't keep up with some artists, but in this case, you missed a very fertile period for Van (in my opinion). His next 5 studio records are a very solid chapter of his discography. Those would be a treat for an earlier era fan to go back and discover for the first time. 1989 Enlightenment 1991 Hymns to the Silence 1993 Too Long In Exile 1995 Days Like This 1997 The Healing Game
I think Keep Me Singing is a much better album than Keep It Simple...better songs and better arrangements...probably his last album i really like
I’m pleased to see how Veedon Fleece is now seen as one of his great albums by many: 1) Veedon Fleece 2) Astral Weeks 3) St Dominic’s Preview 4) It’s Too Late to Stop Now 5) Tupelo Honey I was chatting about VM to a friend the other. He used to work for a charity training people to raise funds door to door in Cardiff. VM had a house there for some years (apparently, he’d turn up at the King’s Hotel in Newport’s blues jam night fairly often). My friend said that he told each new recruit assigned to his area in no uncertain terms that they weren’t to knock on Number xx in xxxxxxxxx Street .
The Prophet Speaks Three Chords & the Truth Latest Record Project, Volume 1 What's It Gonna Take? Moving On Skiffle Accentuate the Positive said nobody, ever.
For some reason my cutoff point for most artists that started their careers in the 60's seems to be 1975 , so Van is a bit of exception , he did well in the 80's, I think I might have heard parts of Hymns to the silence but at the time I guess it did not leave enough impression to keep it . A friend of mine is a big Van Morrison fan and the only time I listen to him is when she comes for a visit, on my own I would probably choose Tupelo Honey which is an all-time favourite or Hard nose the highway
Enlightenment, Days Like This and The Healing game are all terrific albums. Hymns To The Silence as a double album which covers a vast amount of ground has a few tracks that aren’t in my wheelhouse but also contains some of his greatest songs. Too Long In Exile has never really worked for me and I can’t put my finger on why particularly. Back On Top at the end of the decade is a very good record as well.
Having only ever owned Astral Weeks, Moondance, Tupelo Honey, It's Too Late To Stop Now and the Best of, this month I've been working my way through all his albums and buying the ones I like. I'm astonished to discover that I'm up to 1982 and the only one I wasn't too bothered about so far is Wavelength. I've bought all of the others, not including his debut album. The quality rate is extraordinary. Astral Weeks-Veedon Fleece, particularly, is one hell of a run.
Astral Weeks being of another planet, here's mine: Into the Music Common One No Guru No Method No Teacher Hymns to the Silence It's Too Late to Stop Now
