Van Morrison: No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1986)

Some argue that this record is the best thing that Van Morrison released in the 1980s. That may well be true. It's a solid record.

Van Morrison: A Sense of Wonder (1984)

This isn't a bad later Morrison record. I'm not crazy about it, however. What I will say is that I detest the album cover. I mean, really? It's just awful.

Van Morrison: Live at the Opera House Belfast (1984)

Live Van. What could be better? This is one of the few Van Morrison records that I own on vinyl, but not on CD.  In my opinion, this is a very well-chosen set list, covering some great tunes, but leaving out Brown Eyed Girl and Moondance, which doesn't bother me at all.

Van Morrison: Inarticulate Speech of the Heart (1983)

More than just an album title, “inarticulate speech of the heart” is an evocative, breathtaking description of the humble act of prayer. It captures in a simple phrase that desperate expression of pain and need, as well as the floundering over words inadequate to communicate one’s joy over a new love or a gorgeous country sunrise. [source]

That's an interesting, and accurate, description. This is a pretty amazing record, though it's a low key and mellow affair.

I dealt with a fairly battered copy of this LP for years, until I saw a near mint copy for about $6 somewhere. I brought it home and dumped my old, beaten up copy.

Van Morrison: Beautiful Vision (1982)

I have no idea why Allmusic awarded this record only three stars. Beautiful Vision remains one of my favourite Van Morrison records. I'm not sure why this is the case. The music just always connected with me. Frankly, I would argue that Cleaning Windows is in Van's top five or six songs of all time. It's such a joyous piece of music. I could do without the spiritualism that runs through the record, but whatever. It must have made him happy.

Van Morrison: Common One (1980)

For some reason lost to me, many critics hated this record. On the other hand, Van Morrison called it one of his favorite Van Morrison records. To be honest, the first time I heard it, I was ambivalent. But, the record grew on me, especially when I accepted its jazzy and laid-back sound. Wikipedia's summary of critical reception upon release is illuminating:

The album was generally not well-received upon release and some of the reviews were scathing and merciless. Graham Locke reviewed it in NME calling it "colossally smug and cosmically dull; an interminable, vacuous and drearily egotistical stab at spirituality". Dave McCullough wrote in Sounds: "For the fan, as I am myself, it's not even possible to romanticize and say that Morrison has lost his way temporarily, so stern and so acute is his departure." Rolling Stone critic Tom Carson named "Satisfied" as the record's only "masterpiece", in which "the simplicity that Morrison is striving for arrive as something natural and effortless, as a gift of grace". Clinton Heylin contends that Morrison was bruised by the reaction and "would not attempt anything quite so ambitious again." In 1982, Lester Bangs argued for a reassessment, saying, "Van was making holy music even though he thought he was, and us rock critics had made our usual mistake of paying too much attention to the lyrics."

American critics voted it the 27th best album of 1980 in The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop poll. In an accompanying essay, poll supervisor Robert Christgau wrote, "As somebody who considers Moondance an apotheosis and has never gotten Astral Weeks, I think this is his worst since Hard Nose the Highway – sententious, torpid, abandoned by God. I know lots of Astral Weeks fans who agree. But Morrison has a direct line to certain souls, and they still hear him talkin'." In retrospect, he deemed "Satisfied" and "Summer in England" to be the record's highlights. AllMusic later wrote, "No wonder the rock critics of the time didn't get it; this is music outside the pop mainstream, and even Morrison's own earlier musical territory. But it retains its trancelike power to this day." In 2009, Erik Hage said "the dominant critical reaction represented it as prohibitive, sententious, and inaccessible, when in fact it is filled with much melody and beauty." [source]

It's not my favourite Van record by any means, but I still enjoy it very much, especially in certain moods. It's far better than most critics would suggest. I even bought a copy on CD years ago.

Van Morrison: Into the Music (1979)

Erik Hage commented that after the favourable commercial reception of Wavelength, Morrison was inspired to "return to something deeper, to once again take up the quest for music, that was spontaneous, meditative, and transcendent—music that satisfied the other side of his artistic nature." Morrison was quoted on his opinion of the album, "Into the Music was about the first album where I felt, I'm starting here...the Wavelength thing, I didn't really feel that was me." (1988) "That's when I got back into it. That's why I called it Into the Music." (1984) [source]

I think the critics were right about this one. Into the Music is a really fine record. But, on the negative side, I have to say that while I absolutely love the sound and feel of Full Force Gale, the lyrics make me crazy:

Like a full force gale
I was lifted up again
I was lifted up again by the lord

It goes on and on in much the same way, and I think it's stupid. Though, the sound of the song is fabulous.

Van Morrison: Wavelength (1978)

Oh, they were swingin'
Down at Kingdom Hall

It's well known that Van's mother was a practicing Jehovah's Witness, and one can hear all about that in Kingdom Hall:

Good body music
Brings you right here
Free flowin' motion now
When we're shakin' it out on the floor
Good rockin' music
Down in your shoes
And when we dance like this
Like we've never been dancin' before

I had decidedly mixed feelings about that song, until I realized that perhaps it was ironic? I prefer that explanation.

I've always really liked this record, even is Lester Bangs didn't. I don't like the cover.

Van Morrison: This is Where I Came in (1977)

This is yet another Van Morrison compilation. It was first released in the UK on vinyl, and then subsequently on CD in a number of markets but with the title Brown Eyed Girl. This was another effort by Bang records to further exploit the early work of Van Morrison.

According to Discogs, the only other vinyl pressing was a 2xLP release from 2012 in Europe. That release, however, was also entitled Brown Eyed Girl and it also had more tracks. It seems to me that all of the other releases should be aggregated under the title Brown Eyed Girl and this release -- This is Where I Came in -- should be left on its own, because it is quite different in title and tracks. But, that's just me talking.

This is Where I Came In contains previously-released tracks. It's cool to have, but possibly unnecessary, if you have the other LPs. I don't think that this is a rare record, but some yahoo on Discogs is trying to sell a copy for $80 Canadian. That's even higher than the $30 copy I once saw on Amazon.

Van Morrison: A Period of Transition (1977)

The period of transition took two and a half years. I think I agree with some of the critical assessments, for once. This record is pleasant, not boring any any means, but it is not something that really grabbed me. It just is. I don't hate it and I don't love it. In my humble opinion, he got back on track with Wavelength, though some critics hated that one too.

Van Morrison: Veedon Fleece (1974)

Just what is Veedon Fleece?

Morrison explained the title with: "I haven't a clue about what the title means. It's actually a person's name. I have a whole set of characters in my head that I'm trying to fit into things. Veedon Fleece is one of them and I just suddenly started singing it in one of these songs, It's like a stream of consciousness thing." Morrison once told a fan when questioned about the meaning, "It doesn't mean anything, I made it up myself." [source]

So, with that, we can move along. I love this record. It's understated, spare, calm, mystical, and misunderstood upon its release.