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Van Morrison: ‘His Band and the Street Choir’ (Expanded edition 2015)
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What does it sound like?
Rhino have remastered and reissued this classic from Van, with five extra tracks (track list in the comments). His fourth album, It was originally issued after ‘Moondance’ and takes a much looser and more relaxed direction.
The whole album is very much soul-influenced, with seemingly a lot of inspiration from Curtis Mayfield and James Brown especially on ‘I’ve Been Working’. Furthermore, some of it is more up-tempo and rock and roll and jazz inflected, which I am less fond of than the slower-tempo tracks. The backing singers are more prominent here than previously, with mixed effects. I’m also not a huge fan of the more conspicuous horn section but both of these quibbles are my personal preferences. I understand why people like the more upbeat , kind-of singalong tracks like ‘Call Me Up in Dreamland’; they’re just not really to my taste as much as the others. (Having said that, ‘Virgo Clowns’ is wonderful, especially the acoustic guitars duet. It’s just joyous: ’Let your laughter fill the room’.)
For me the standout is ‘I’ll Be Your Lover, Too’ which is a straightforward love song. (Regarding tempo and feel, it could easily fit on ‘Astral Weeks’.) The alternate version is better; a bit rawer but still very soulful. It’s very simple lyrically, as is most of the album which for me is both a good and a bad thing (much less, if any, of the mysticism of ‘Astral Weeks’, for example.)
‘Street Choir’ ends the original album beautifully, and then we have the extra tracks. The alternative takes I preferred– unsurprisingly, they seemed more alive, and even looser than the rest of the album. They have more of a demo feel, an echo-y quality. I can see why Van originally wanted it to be an a capella album; the more stripped-down versions are (obviously) much less ‘produced’ and I can imagine further unvarnished versions.
Hearing the talking between songs is rather nice. On ‘Gypsy Queen Take 3’ you get the false starts, and Van complains about someone messing up [can’t do the accent]: ’Yer man’s like, spacers, he’s up in a spacecraft or sumthin… floating around somewhere,’ which amused me. The falsetto on this track and elsewhere is used to great effect.
And the ‘How was that?’ after ‘I’ll be Your Lover, Too’; yes, Van, that was all right. (Was that on the original?) The inclusion of ad libs on the main album made it more alive and ‘real’ somehow although I’ve never heard the 1970 version so these may not be new additions.
Overall, I’m very happy to have heard this; I must have played it about 30 times since I got it, and I would probably have overlooked it.
Amazon link
Goes well with: Play after ‘Blowin’ Your Mind!’, ‘Astral Weeks’ and ‘Moondance’- interesting to see the changes and progression.
Might suit people who like: ‘Blowin’ Your Mind!,’ ‘Astral Weeks’, ‘Moondance’, any Van, really. Those who are Van completists. I read that Van wasn’t happy with various aspects of the album, but it really is very good, and made more interesting I think by the additional tracks.
What does it all mean?
Van fans will be delighted with the remastering and the extra tracks. Kaftan klaxon! Really terrible cover art: Van as faux hippie.
Re the cover of the album, it’s nice to see that despite the kaftan Van remains true to himself and glowers menacingly at the would-be purchaser…
He really was not happy about that kaftan. Bless.
Sorry, tried 5 times to post this the normal way; wouldn’t post in either Chrome or Firefox.
Track listing:
“Domino”
“Crazy Face”
“Give Me a Kiss (Just One Sweet Kiss)”
“I’ve Been Working”
“Call Me Up in Dreamland”
“I’ll Be Your Lover, Too”
“Blue Money”
“Virgo Clowns”
“Gypsy Queen”
“Sweet Jannie”
“If I Ever Needed Someone”
“Street Choir”
Extra tracks:
Call Me Up in Dreamland- Take 10
Give Me a Kiss: Take 3
Gypsy Queen- Take 3
I’ve Been Waiting- Alternate version
I’ll be Your Love Too- Alternate version
Not an album Bargepole knows very well – hadn’t heard it for many years until recently. Wouldn’t call it a neglected classic or one of the highpoints of his career, but it does have its moments and this is an occasion where the alternate takes really do add something that was maybe lacking in the original versions.
Yes, I really did like the alternate takes and I think fans will be interested in them. One is a bit more punched -up (‘I’ve Been Working’) and the others are more stripped down/raw so of interest, I think.
I actually prefer it to Tupelo Honey, which has a little too much of a country influence for my taste.
Yeah; this is a very banal thing to say, but it’s a very enjoyable album- you can stick it on a listen right through and there isn’t a duff track. Some are more or less to my taste, but all good, and interesting.
one of the few Van albums pre-hat that I don’t have but really like it. Such a great voice back then
thanks for the review – really looking forward to getting it.
Good review, I love this album. Had it on a 2 fer cassette with the more vaunted Tupelo Honey , but I preferred this one. It’s a glorious album for quiet, autumn days like now (turn everything else off) and finds Van at the height of his domestic bliss and it is somewhat contagious.
Yes to both the above comments: his voice is really powerful and varied in tone on this. It does also seem like a happier album (songs about Janet Planet, I presume).
Love this album, always have, and the extra tracks are a real bonus – not always the case. Also – this really does sound better than the other versions.
It’s less focussed than AW and Moondance, less cohesive, and this casting around for a style affected a lot of his later releases (not counting the live) until he mellowed into the sublime groove of Veedon Fleece – all his albums after that have a unified sound and feel to them, although differing from each other. This “patchwork” period threw up some of his greatest songs, as well as his slightest.
Still and all – what would we give for a collection of songs like this today?
… for “a lot” read “four”.