What does it sound like?:
There are many Vans – there’s acoustic visionary Van, soul Van, pop Van, blues/jazz Van, R&B Van…..this is tuneful, slightly wistful Van, a la “Beautiful Vision”. The production is clean and tastefully arranged, and there’s no grumbling away about Irish stuff without thought to a tune (OK, there’s a Caledonia at one point…). There are melodies aplenty and the band play like a dream. The trouble with streaming rather than having the thing is you don’t always have track details so I don’t know who is playing, but it should be said they do a fine job. There’s the perfectly judged rhythm section, the odd nippy guitar solo which doesn’t overstay its welcome and some splendid Hammond organ and piano. As ever the backing vocals and harmonies are excellent. The Van harmonica gets a good outing (no sniggering at the back, children). This is Van you can play anywhere, any time and it will be appreciated. The overall mood is blue tinged, sometimes in the lyrics, sometimes in out and out blues numbers such as “The pen is mightier than the sword”, the bouncy “Going down to Bangor” or the sole cover version, “Share your love with me”.
What does it all *mean*?
I haven’t kept up with Van since “Days like this” which I couldn’t get on with – the BK interventions drove me nuts. But I love the fairly significant number of his albums I do have – declaring a preference, I particularly favour “Wavelength”, “Beautiful Vision” and “Period of transition”. So this slightly mellow, tuneful and reflective piece suits me fine. I think it means I’m going to be flashing the Twang plastic as I haven’t given the old bugger enough attention recently what with the duet albums etc which don’t hold much appeal – it means in his autumn days he is producing great stuff. This is no technical exercise by a man who can knock this stuff out in his sleep, either. The rueful “Memory Lane” has real impact, causing this reviewer to remove a spot of dust and play it again. Maybe it’s an age thing but give me a slightly introspective song about memories with imagery involving going back to places long forgotten where leaves may indeed be fallin’, and I’m right there. And why not. We are of our time. It’s no more reasonable to expect Van to reproduce “Astral Weeks” than it is to expect Bruce to produce another “Born to Run” or Bob another “Bringing it all back home”. Nice one Van.
Goes well with…
Oh I think a quiet evening with something peaty and a cracking fire would be about perfect.
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
Any Van fan is going to spin it with a sense of, if not excitement (it’s not that kind of album), then a quiet sense of joy and of order being restored. This album can sit easy with the others of this oeuvre the man has produced. I find it hard to imagine anyone who likes a spot of tuneful blues/soul tinged adult pop who wouldn’t enjoy it.
retropath2 says
He seems to be slightly more comfortable with himself, even if only slightly so, apropos the interview with Ian Rankin, and this sounds that way inclined. And your review has probably swayed me. This September seems to be bringing the best out of a lot of the old timers. It’s getting expensive, too
Carl says
I’m so pleased to hear this Twang.
Not because I’m going to buy it, but Mrs P will, as she perversely likes all Van since about the mid 1990s and thinks all releases prior to then are inferior quality (trying to convince her that Veedon Fleece or St Dominic’s Preview are superior holds no sway) and I will find I have to hear it, whether I want to or not.
Twang says
Could be worse Carl.
SteveT says
Don’t entirely disagree with her Carl. Although I like most but not all of the earlier stuff I fervently believe his later releases are unfairly maligned. Irish Heartbeat is brilliant so too Hymns to the Silence, Magic Time, Too long in exile and even Days Like these.
Haven’t bought this yet but am pretty sure I will.
Moose the Mooche says
Sounds like Enlightenment, the last album of his I really loved. I might even try this one.
minibreakfast says
Quite skint now, so will have to stream it or put it on my list for Santa (well, a big beardy bloke, anyway). In the meantime I’ll console myself with the car boot vinly of Tupelo Honey I nabbed early this morning 🙂
Johnny Concheroo says
So THAT was the Burbank Warners label I spotted in your drying rack?
minibreakfast says
*closes blinds*
*hides behind sofa*
Johnny Concheroo says
http://i.imgur.com/NWpLYsk.jpg
Moose the Mooche says
Hoi, that’s my foot! Find your own hiding place!
…Whaddaya mean, what am I doing in your house?
Johnny Concheroo says
Shhhh, she’ll hear us.
Black Type says
Did you all catch him on the Radio 2/Red Button ‘Live In Concert the other night? I was pleasantly surprised at how good his voice was, after thinking it had deteriorated alarmingly over the past few years. Was impressed with most of the new material too, but was disappointed with the arrangement of In The Garden, which was more ‘light supper club’ than the intense, transcendent meditation it should be.
Colin H says
Sir David Attenborough [hushed tones, voiceover]: ‘Here we are … as the sun goes down … at a suburban supper club in the Home Counties … natural home … of the Celtic soul entertainer…’
[brief clip of Celtic soul entertainer] ‘…take me back, take me back, potted herrings, Fusco’s ice cream, jelly roll, jelly roll…’
Attenborough: ‘Here, seemingly unperterbed by nearby humans … drinking expensive yet mediocre beverages … at tables … with baskets full of chicken … the Celtic soul entertainer is nonetheless prickly, stand-offish, unlikely to let anyone get too close…’
[footage of Attenborough creeping onto the stage as Celtic soul entertainer barks at microphone]
Attenborough: ‘The Celtic soul entertainer’s eyesight is apparently poor, permanently hidden behind dark glasses … he focuses all his energy on finding sustenance …’
Celtic soul entertainer: ‘…Paris buns, Paris buns, pasty suppers, drinkin’ wine spo-dee-oh-dee, pies. pies, Fray Bentos pies a la Rimbaut…’
Attenborough: ‘Here, at the overpriced supper club, we see … a curious symbiotic relationship … a gathering of curious humans … fascinated by the strange, guttural yet mesmerising sounds … of the Celtic soul entertainer … allow this unique creature … to access their pies, potted herrings, Paris buns and Fusco’s … ice cream … in case he gets famished … and, seemingly in return, the Celtic soul entertainer delivers what can only … be described as …. a performance … lasting, in every recorded instance, precisely one hour and 15 minutes … at which point the Celtic soul entertainer … looks at his watch … retreats back to the undergrowth … and slinks back into the night … pausing only to collect a large cheque … from the promoter …’
[sound of parping saxophone, light swing, mid-tempo blues on Hammond organ, vision of middle-aged punters nodding heads…]
MC Escher says
Hee hee (nobody says “hee hee” except in the Beano). The comedy trigger word there, as I’m sure you’re aware, is “famished” 🙂
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Even better than usual, Colin!
Vulpes Vulpes says
There’ll be a cold wind in August before I stop buying Van. This new one arrived last week and it’s growing on me daily. Ex-cuse me do you know the way to Kansas City?
*strolls off, Kansas-ward, whistling*
dai says
Nice review. My interest has gone up slightly.
Junior Wells says
Pleased Van is maintaining his strong and extended form in issuing recordings with absolutely shite cover art
There’s gotta be a story there somewhere.
Vulpes Vulpes says
I quite like it.
I figure if trendy acoustic types can get invited to play live on the BBC’s nature programmes at peak time because they have a Stormy Petrel (or something) on the cover of their CD, Van is entitled to put out a gently quaint wood cut of a trilling, er, um, Robin, or a Thrush of some kind, or, er, well, a song bird anyway.
Johnny Concheroo says
Apparently the vinly version of this has a 3D cover artwork (lenticular probably, but you know what I mean)
niallb says
Good review, Twang. The comparison of tone with Beautiful Vision is a great way to set the scene. I wish more reviewers would do this.
I have just about everything Van, and love lots, from different eras. However (dons tin hat) I have never been able to get on with Astral Weeks.
Lodestone of Wrongness says
I reckon that these days every fourth or fifth Van release floats my own particular boat And after repeated listens this week this is one them. Nothing new, nothing special – just Van being Van. Hmmmm, nice….