Van Morrison: Accentuate The Positive - 2023
Well, eight months down the line, it must be time for another Van Morrison album. So, we get more proof that he has moved on from griping and bellyaching in truly embarrassing fashion about necessary COVID restrictions. As I said on the review of the previous album - thank God for that! The title says he is accentuating the positive and, actually, he does exactly that on a most upbeat, enjoyable offering.
Following on from his double album in March of skiffle covers he has once again mined deep down to the seams of his early musical influences. This time it is rock and roll, sometimes with a rockabilly edge. The musical nature of these tracks would seem to be a natural progression from skiffle, Van's choices of which were indeed more rock and roll than classic skiffle. It is notable, however, that this album is some thirty minutes shorter than its predecessor.
As with those said choices, this current crop - it's large - nineteen tracks of them - is pretty eclectic, as you would expect from Van. Yes, there is Shakin' All Over, Blueberry Hill, Lucille and Shake, Rattle And Roll but many of the choices are distinctively from the deep cut vaults. It is because of that variety that the album is a most appealing and highly listenable one. Many of these songs are actually new to me - Flip, Flop And Fly, Sea Of Heartbreak, Problems and I Want A Roof Over My Head in particular. In that respect it reminds me a lot of Elvis Costello's Kojak Variety album (in its double CD format).
As you would expect, Morrison has the finest quality musicians in his employ and they deliver the finest quality of music throughout. You might think old Van doing You Are My Sunshine may be a bit run of the mill, but in fact the song comes across with a refreshing, jazzy vitality and it possesses a great guitar/organ passage that makes it almost sound like a new song. I love it. Van's vocal enthusiasm doesn't let up, does it? A similar ebullience is applied to the Everly Brothers' When Will I Be Loved. Check out that saxophone. This is how Van does things. Also, just how prolific is The Man in the studio? The older he gets, the more so.
It is one of those albums that doesn't require track-by-track analysis of the mind I would write for an album of new studio originals. It is one of those "vibe" albums. One that you can put on while you're doing something else, or reading. It sounds great, it has a fine flow to it. Nothing more, nothing less. It is not a technologically-enhanced mash-up of a long-lost, previously rejected, unremarkable demo tape, it is vivacious music played by proper musicians. Just listen to Van and Taj Mahal rippin' it up on Shake, Rattle And Roll. More power to all those involved.
Oh, and I love the cover.
