Van Morrison
By Mike O’Cull
Bona fide rock music legend Van Morrison sounds as powerful and iconoclastic as ever on his brand-new album Latest Record Project: Volume 1. Released May 7th, 2021 thanks to Exile/BMG, the 28-song set is a compelling and straightforward glimpse into Morrison’s current ideas and artistry and pulls few punches when it comes to getting his messages across. The record was born of Morrison’s frustration and isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The long period of enforced isolation/quarantine sent Morrison into a songwriting frenzy that produced a treasure trove of new material ranging in tone from classic R&B to country to garage rock and packed with lyrics that speak directly about what’s on Morrison’s mind these days. The new album is available in double-CD, deluxe-CD, triple-vinyl, and digital formats and expresses the endless artistic advancement that’s always been Van’s stock in trade.
Van Morrison needs little introduction to anyone who has paid attention to popular music over the last 50 years. He’s a two-time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee who has been turning heads since his mid-60s debut with bare-knuckle garage rockers Them and their definitive version of the timeless anthem “Gloria.” His first solo single was the pop/rock classic “Brown Eyed Girl” in 1967 and Morrison established himself as a major talent with the 1970 release of the album Moondance. Follow-up efforts like Tupelo Honey and Saint Dominic’s Preview cemented Morrison’s stature as one of the finest and most unique singer-songwriters in the game, a position he has held ever since. His intensely soulful vocals are impossible to resist, and he is one of the largest talents Northern Ireland has ever produced.
Van the Man gets right to it and launches the new record with its title track “Latest Record Project.” It’s a gentle R&B tune with just the slightest hint of reggae to it that could only come from an artist like Morrison with a long and epic history. The lyrics are asking someone if they’ve heard his recent music, not just his hits from long ago. Morrison articulates the tension between being better known for what he’s done than what he’s doing now. Morrison is clearly nowhere near being done with songwriting and wants people to hear his contemporary work, not just the same ten songs rock radio has been beating to death since the 70s. It’s an immediate winner and you’ll feel committed to the album as soon as you hear it.
“Where Have All The Rebels Gone” is a tight bit of bar-band rock on the surface but is really a lament of the lack of any real nonconformists in modern music underneath. Morrison rails against Internet tough guys, posturing disguised as passion, and the generally phony mainstream culture we all live in now. He speaks fearlessly, as an artist of his magnitude should, and his opinion is worth hearing. Morrison also takes on the self-help world on “Psychoanalysts’ Ball,” as well as therapy and the New Age movement. It’s a chill song with a lot of vintage Van to it but the lyrics are thoroughly modern and critical of those who keep patients coming back every week for life in search of a cure that never comes. It’s a brave song that may ruffle some feathers but that’s the way greatness goes sometimes.
“A Few Bars Early” is a simmering pot of minor key blues glory that could have been time-travelled right from the late 60s to the present. It’s a little quieter than some of the other tracks on the album but is well worth your listening time. Morrison jumps back into his classic sound on the single “Only A Song.” “It’s only a song, it’s not set in stone” he sings, perhaps in an attempt to downplay the emotional weight his songs carry for some fans. In any case, it’s a big dose of Morrison’s Celtic soul style that has kept us all paying attention for the past few decades. Turn it up and dance.
Van and the band take shots at lockdown living in the upbeat shuffle “Dead Beat Saturday Night.” He’s obviously not enjoying the quarantine lifestyle very much and is sick of being stuck at home with “no choice, no voice.” We all have our feelings about the pandemic, and these are his. Your mileage may vary. Other can’t-miss tracks on this sprawling set include “Double Agent,” “Stop Bitching, Do Something,” and the scathing “Why Are You On Facebook?.” Latest Record Project: Volume 1 is a superb addition to Van Morrison’s body of work and is all the proof of his continued evolution anyone could ever need. This is how the trick is done, folks. Treat yourself to a copy.
Watch “Big Lie”
Order link for Latest Record Project Vol. 1
Van Morrison Online
Enjoyed the review and the video!
Thanks for reviewing the music, accurately and not the hoopla going around. There’s an obvious hit job going on against Sir Morrison now. And although I disagree with some of his covid stances, that doesn’t give ANYONE a right to start labeling him a racist based on nothing but their own twisted views.
Finally an honest, intelligent, and accurate review. I love your phrase “posturing disguised as passion” when describing what Van is calling out in his amazing lyrics.
If you do a review of any Bruce Springsteen albums, make sure to include the phrase “posturing disguised as passion”. That would describe him and his body of work accurately
Fantastic musical production and singing by the Man….unfortunately his paranoic personality disorder he’s displayed for years has gone full on and hangs such an unfortunate dark cloud over the whole project.
Many fantastic artistic releases I can think of have been dark, delivered in a hard core manner but are based within an emotional palpable rational framework that resonate. .
No satire here and little rationality. Much based on pure bullshit…bullshit that truly IS dangerous with over 5million dead. And conspiracy type bullshit that’s elicited hatred and violence.
Great rebellious artists have at least glimmers of silver linings, of resolution to strive toward.
As a fan of AW in 1968 its painful to say Van’s pseudorebel ramblings are not in the least bit compelling unless you’re a conspiracy theorist, and paranoid yourself.
Instead it smacks of someone needing professional attention.
Regardless, I dupe myself into thoroughly enjoying the album.
Musically, vocally best in ages.
I don’t agree with most of Van’s lockdown views, but this is a really good album.
Enjoyed reading your awesome review,Van has so much musical talent that the new generation should learn from and keep it going.I bought two sets of discs,one for me and another for a best friend just to support his continued writing of some damn good projects!