Van Morrison says goodbye to bad moods in ‘Highlight the positivity’

‘Highlighting the positive’

Van Morrison

Exile Productions

rhythm and blues

★★★★

Although Van Morrison never stopped his editorial pace fifty year careerlately we see him more active, if possible. ‘Highlighting the positive’ This is their second album full of new material this year, and their third if we count the collection of unreleased tracks from the album ‘Beyond words: instrumental’. And if ‘Moving on skiffle’, released in March, focused on the mixed-race American genre popular in the UK in the 1950s, the new work expands the framework while still pointing it out. transatlantic music that revives his childhood and youth.

‘Highlight the positive’, like this, an album of covers, alert and fiery, the most dynamic version of the character in all its craftsmanship. The title says it all: it takes us back to a distant and incipient time, to 1944, when Arlen and Mercer signed, among others, this track recorded by Bing Crosby with The Andrew Sisters, and also offers a grateful acknowledgment. message of good hope. ‘Man Van’ softens the image of eternal grumpiness It was made worse by his pandemic production, in which he berated his followers for having a Facebook account or not agreeing with his ‘conspiracy’ thesis. There is a desire here to emphasize the rules of entertainment and the validity of these baptismal resources.

party and romance

Swing, rhythm and blues and early rock and roll They run wild with good food. Morrison is cheerful, playful and romantic on the opening track, Jimmie Davies’ “You are my sunshine.” with acceleration impose party and good humor Louis Jordan’s elegant brass-wrapped rescue in ‘Flip, flop and fly’ and inviting ballroom dancing in ‘I want a roof over my head’. And he’s ready to switch accents: Johnny Kidd & The Pirates’ song ‘Shakin’ all over’ is reborn with a more sinuous and ‘noir’ take than on the 1994 recording ‘A night in San Francisco’.

George Ivan Morrison’s voice also wanders through remarkable territory, rock and roll classics, with its aridity and distinctiveness. There’s the stylish ‘Two Hounds’, originally by Bill Haley (1955), which tightens the hold, and there are scathing attacks on ‘Bye bye Johnny’ (Chuck Berry) and ‘Lucille’ (Little Richard). Taj Mahal’s guitar. That’s not the only guest: a legendary vocalist, Chris FarloweHe shares a microphone on the track “Lonesome train,” whose guitar solo was graced by the now-deceased Jeff Beck.

‘Highlight the positive’ will not go down as a foundational work by Van Morrison: it would be better to hand over its golden pages, e.g. extended reissue of classic ‘Moondance’ this Friday. But it is an album that refreshes the perception of the artist and can serve to trace the historical songbook that brought us here.

Other albums of the week

The Scotsman releases his first LP in seven years Kenny Anderson He approaches the paths he followed on his acclaimed collaborative album with Jon Hopkins (‘Diamond Mine’, 2011) and mixes electronic textures and organic instrumentation in the service of songs of misty beauty, where the near and the unreal, the ordinary and the magical, come together. As a bonus, I want to make a special mention of ‘Drone in B#’ and its bold 36-minute sonic exploration. Rafael Tapounet

Mallorca attracts attention with its new generation sounds; among them is this neighbor from Felanitx, after the famous folk pop of ‘Continent i contingut’ (2021). A thin and ‘minimal’ electronic song. Mediterranean melisma and autotune come together in her voice, floating over piano silhouettes, powerful basslines and samples. Luminous confession book Produced by Ferran Palau and Mr. Chen and allies like Mushkaa and Rita Payés. J.B.