Van Morrison: What's It Gonna Take? - 2022
Van Morrison albums, for many years now, have appeared around every year to eighteen months. After the moan-fest that was Latest Record Project, Vol. 1 - do I need another fifteen songs from the now seemingly terminally irascible old man griping on and on? My answer is a firm no.
As with the previous album, it is possible to guess what the songs are like, lyrically, by a mere cursory glance at the titles - Fighting Back Is The New Normal?; Fodder For the Masses; Can't Go On This Way; Sometimes It's Just Blah Blah Blah; Money From America; Not Seeking Approval; I Ain't No Celebrity. Got the picture? Course you have. Van doesn't like people telling him what to do and he stubbornly and, I have to say ignorantly, feels it is his duty to make a stand, as if he is some sort of brave revolutionary. He is not. He is a reactionary, entitled old covidiot whose music I love dearly, but, dear oh dear, how much more of this do we have to suffer? This is a turgid release, much worse in terms of ignorant griping than its predecessor, incredibly.
Morrison literally never lets up - song after bloody song. I guess the answer is not to listen to it, but, as usual, it is immaculately and attractively delivered, musically, and even vocally, despite the self-righteous, self-pitying bile that is being spewed out at times. What a shame that it has come to this, because Morrison is in my top ten favourite artists of all time, but I am beginning to simply just shake my head in sad disbelief at him these days. Sorry if you expected a bit of blind faith from me - you're not going to get it. The bloke has become a copper-bottomed fool.
Regarding some of the tracks, Pretending is a winsome, brass-enhanced soulful number that, although it is a griping, cynical song is relatively tolerable, largely due to its sumptuous sound and general ambience. It acts as a leitmotif for the whole album. Musically it is eminently listenable, lyrically it is despicable.
Nervous Breakdown is a really catchy number which sees Morrison introducing the instruments at the beginning, before a funky, Hammond-organ groove kicks in. It is actually pretty irresistible and the only track here that doesn't find him complaining (until the end, that is, by which time he can't help himself. The jazzy groove of Fear And Self-Loathing In Las Vegas and Stage Name are ok too, in that the vibe is less caustic, although dissatisfaction is never far away.
For example, Dangerous is an easy-going piece of Van-funk but sonically it is nothing new and lyrically Van tries to justify some of the tosh he has come out with, claiming he "must have been getting close to the truth" and that "he was just asking for the evidence". Give it a rest eh, you tiresome old covidiot.
The way I deal with this guff is just forget about the lyrics and enjoy the music, which is, as always, good stuff. However, this time it is proving too much to take. What's It Gonna Take? is mightily enjoyable, musically, but it is another cantankerous rant, as is the totally nauseating, ignorantly misguided Damage And Recovery. As Lou Reed said - "do we really need another self-righteous singer". No we don't. You know, I can't be bothered to analyse this much more. That's what I have been reduced to - if I carry on moaning, I'll end up like Morrison. Enough.
