Van Morrison studio albums - what are your favourites?

[Sunhillow]

I've been a Van Morrison-fan all my life, though I don't really care for material recorded after 1990. So I consider myself a "Philospher Stone"-period fan.

Neglecting the Them-period and "Blowin' Your Mind" I consider "Astral Weeks" his real debut, and I still think it's a gigantic masterpiece, yet also a piece of its time. The main problem with "Astral Weeks" though is that it always bothers me how it overshadows all his other splendid output. Hence, I have difficulties enjoying it for the sake of it.

Though "Moondance" is evenly popular, and it contains some great songs, as an album it doesn't really work with me, and the same goes for "Street Choir". "Tupoly Honey" is great though, as is the splendid "Saint Dominic's Preview". These two I consider masterpieces, yet the best was yet to come with "Veedon Fleece", one of Van's neglected masterpieces and one of the best albums of 1974 in my book.

The hard to obtain "Hard Nose The Highway" is a step down, yet still good, and after a lengthy period one can imagine that "A Period Of Transition" was a let-down, and surely his worst effort since. It isn't too shabby either IMO, but the real comeback was "Wavelength" featuring Peter Bardens, a great album, and again wrongfully neglected, as is "Into The Music", another great album. "Common One" finds Van all over the map, with lengthy tracks exploring English literature, and wholly unfashionable for the time. But again - a great album.

The eighties brings Van to new heights with "Beautiful Vision" and "Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart", both albums from the same cloth and both very good. Especially the intrumental bits on both album heightens the pastoral mood of those albums. "A Sense Of Wonder" is uneven, though it still contains some good tracks, but nothing prepairs the world for one the greatest albums of the eighties, the shamefully neglected towering masterpiece "No Guru, No Method, No Teacher". This album ranks among "Astral Weeks" and "Veedon Fleece" as one of Van's most beautiful albums, and it's production is flawless. The only song that feels out of place is closing song 'Ivory Tower'. Follow-up "Poetic Champion Compose" is very good too, yet it's downhill from here.

"Avalon Sunset" and "Enlightment" aren't bad, but by now the magic's a bit gone. "Hymns To The Silence" is again hard to find, and contains to much filler to satisfy, yet there are some gems to be found on that album too. The real magic is to be found on "The Philosopher's Stone", released in 1998, and covering B-sides, left-overs and alternative renditions of some songs, material from 1969 till 1988. It is this album that declares me a Philosopher Stone-period-fan.

So excluding "The Philosopher's Stone" my ranking is as follows:

1-3 No Guru, Veedon, Astral
4-10 Tupelo Honey, St. Dominic, Wavelength, Into, Common, Beautiful, Inarticulate.
11-14 Moondance, Hard Nose, Sense of Wonder, Poetic
15-19 Street Choir, A Period, Avalon, Englightement, Hymns.

[PeterG]

My favourite five in chronological order:

Them - 1965
Moondance - 1970
Saint Dominic's Preview - 1972
Irish Hearbeat with The Chieftains - 1988
Hymns to the Silence - 1991

[JJ88]

I think he barely put a foot wrong for about 20 odd years. He was one of the few artists who came to attention in the 60s not to disgrace himself musically in the 80s- I would argue his best 80s albums are as good as anything he did previously.

'Astral Weeks'- 'Sweet Thing' is the highlight for me, but it's strong right through.
'Moondance'- has one of the best sides of vinyl any album ever had, that is, the first.
'Saint Dominic's Preview'- 'Jackie Wilson Said' was the hit here and the long 'Listen To The Lion' is in that stream-of-consciousness, 'Astral Weeks' style he does so well.
'Veedon Fleece'- if forced to pick one album of his career, I'd go for this. IMHO it's the best album he's made.
'Into The Music'- has some of his most popular songs, 'Bright Side Of The Road' in particular is wonderful
'Common One'- an overlooked masterpiece and the album that really made me a fan. 'Summertime In England' and 'When Heart Is Open' are spellbinding. The critical reaction to this at the time was typical of the 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater' attitude of that punk era IMHO...long songs, let's slag it off.
'Beautiful Vision'- a more concise album than its predecessor but a great one
'No Guru...'- Some view this as a 'return to form' but IMHO he never lost it in the first place (a few lesser albums but no outright turkeys), though it's a great album for sure. 'In The Garden' is the highpoint.
'Hymns To The Silence'- IMHO it is too long but much of this album is really beautiful.

After that I believe there was a decline, though I've not heard every album by any means. 'Back On Top' is one that has stuck with me, though.

[mogrooves]

Them - s/t
Astral Weeks
Moondance
His Band & ......
Tupelo Honey
St. Dominic's Preview

[klothos]

Im not a big fan at all but I do like select songs here and there across his career. I could probably sift through his entire studio catalog and select a CD's worth of songs that personally grab me that I like

I sing "Tupelo Honey" in my cover band

...I also sing "Brown Eyed Girl" but I try not to call it (unless its a request)....Ive been burnt out on playing it for a looooong time and its a typical "bar band" standard song, which I go out of my way to avoid

[Progbear]

I agree with Astral Weeks, St. Dominic’s Preview, Veedon Fleece and Into the Music as the must-haves, but most anything from 1969-1983 is worthy. Hard Nose the Highway and maybe A Period of Transition are the only real dogs in that part of his discography.

...I also sing "Brown Eyed Girl" but I try not to call it (unless its a request)....Ive been burnt out on playing it for a looooong time and its a typical "bar band" standard song, which I go out of my way to avoid

I do love Van, but man, do I hate “Brown Eyed Girl.” Maybe it’s the saturation overplay talking, but I’d be quite pleased if I never had to hear that song again. I’m pretty sure Van would agree, but then, he tends to slag off his entire Bang period, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think there were some gems there (“T.B. Sheets,” obviously, for one).

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"'Thin Thighs For Your Man.' But I don't *like* men with thin thighs" --Daria

N.P.:“Tryptique II”-Setna/Guérison

[progeezer]

Them - s/t
Astral Weeks


Everything else

[Trane]

Asral Weeks is definitely THE Van album, but almost as good is St Dom's Preview

If you want to me to round out the top five, Them, Moondance and Hard Nose The Highway (two fabulous tracks, but the rest is very average) in no particular order...

The rest??? Meeeeehhhh!!!!... No thanks

[FrippWire]

I'm a big fan of his Common One/Beautiful Vision/Inarticulate Speech of the Heart period. I absolutely loved it when Mark Isham was in his band.

[Oreb]

1. Into the Music
2. St. Dominic's Preview
3. Veedon Fleece
4. Astral Weeks
5. Moondance
6. It's Too Late to Stop Now
7. Common One
8. Poetic Champions Compose

[spacefreak]

Astral Weeks
Saint Dominic's Preview
Moondance
Tupelo Honey
‎It's Too Late To Stop Now
Common One
Hard Nose The Highway
Veedon Fleece
Into The Music
His Band And The Street Choir
Irish Heartbeat

[davis]

No particular order:

Hymns to the Silence
Avalon
Irish Heartbeat
Moondance

I haven't heard all of his albums and haven't listened to him in at least 10 years.

[wideopenears]

; excluding "The Philosopher's Stone" my ranking is as follows:

1-3 No Guru, Veedon, Astral
4-10 Tupelo Honey, St. Dominic, Wavelength, Into, Common, Beautiful, Inarticulate.
11-14 Moondance, Hard Nose, Sense of Wonder, Poetic
15-19 Street Choir, A Period, Avalon, Englightement, Hymns.

Huge Fan of Granpa Van, myself, and I rate them pretty much as do you, with the exception of Street Choir abouve Moondance..and maybe Poetic Champions above both.

I agree that No Guru, in particular, is a stunning album, a masterpiece that is so under-rated it's criminal. Still gives me goosebumps. And Poetic Champions, a great album as well.

Moondance is great, but you know.....over-exposure. Veedon is my second favorite studio release, slightly inching out Astral Weeks, as well.

Great stuff.

[Progbear]

I'm a big fan of his Common One/Beautiful Vision/Inarticulate Speech of the Heart period. I absolutely loved it when Mark Isham was in his band.

Probably his most underrated period, sort of his very personal, very Celtic version of new age music...which as a genre hadn’t really been invented yet.

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"Parece cosa de maligno. Los pianos no estallan por casualidad." --Gabriel Garcia Marquez

N.P.:“November the Third”-Supply, Demand & Curve

[JJ88]

Yes, that was a strong period for Van Morrison. 'Inarticulate Speech...' which I didn't mention earlier, I think has a few too many instrumentals...but I like 'September Night' a great deal. 'Higher Than The World' is something of a lost gem, it doesn't appear on compilations as far as I can see.

The only 80s album I find a bit average is 'A Sense Of Wonder'...but it's certainly no 'dodgy 80s' release of the kind that most of his peers have. I admire that he really never went overboard with the 'new' technology and just stuck to his guns.

[Progbear]

One of the local FM stations used to play “Rave On, John Donne” and I always thought it was a weird song, like Van’s attempt at doing a Laurie Anderson type of thing, or something. Weird, but cool.

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"Parece cosa de maligno. Los pianos no estallan por casualidad." --Gabriel Garcia Marquez

N.P.:“Boxes Paradise (incl. Short Flights)”-Sensations’ Fix

[Oreb]

Given the talent involved I think Irish Heartbeat is a missed opportunity. Only the version of 'My Lagan Love' really takes off IMO. But it really takes off: stunning.

[hippypants]

Sunhillow--I'd pretty much agree with your assessment, but I never cared much for Astral Weeks for whatever reason. It just seemed same-y all the way thru and never grabbed me. I do enjoy Band and Street Choir, and the rest as you have already pointed out. St. Dominic, Tupelo Honey, and that period is my favorite period of his. A lot of his albums around that period I didn't pick up. However did get No Guru, Avalon Sunset, which I thought were great.

[Sunhillow]

I think he barely put a foot wrong for about 20 odd years.
'Common One'- an overlooked masterpiece and the album that really made me a fan. 'Summertime In England' and 'When Heart Is Open' are spellbinding. The critical reaction to this at the time was typical of the 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater' attitude of that punk era IMHO...long songs, let's slag it off.
.

I agree, and some journalists are still influenced by this attitude. Luckily most of it has died out by now.

Asral Weeks is definitely THE Van album, but almost as good is St Dom's Preview

If you want to me to round out the top five, Them, Moondance and Hard Nose The Highway (two fabulous tracks, but the rest is very average) in no particular order...

The rest??? Meeeeehhhh!!!!... No thanks

Trane, knowing your taste a bit, I really really think you should revisit some of the albums I and all other mentioned in this thread. No way on earth you of all people could say 'meh' to Veedon Fleece and No Guru for instance.

I'm a big fan of his Common One/Beautiful Vision/Inarticulate Speech of the Heart period. I absolutely loved it when Mark Isham was in his band.

Glad to hear some credit for this period.

I agree that No Guru, in particular, is a stunning album, a masterpiece that is so under-rated it's criminal.

Hear hear.

Sunhillow--I'd pretty much agree with your assessment, but I never cared much for Astral Weeks for whatever reason. It just seemed same-y all the way thru and never grabbed me. I do enjoy Band and Street Choir, and the rest as you have already pointed out. St. Dominic, Tupelo Honey, and that period is my favorite period of his. A lot of his albums around that period I didn't pick up. However did get No Guru, Avalon Sunset, which I thought were great.

I'd say go for Veedon Fleece, and try maybe Wavelength and the string from Common to Speech mentioned above.

[Trane]

Funny, I just heard an interviewwhere Van says that Moondance could've been easily sung by Frank Sinatra... And he's right, I could hear Sinatra singing that tune...

Probably his most underrated period, sort of his very personal, very Celtic version of new age music...which as a genre hadn’t really been invented yet.

Funny, coz I recently borrowed one of his most recent album (Keep It Simple) and I thought that the man simply never changed style since Moondance...

Is this eary 80's period very different from the usual Van soundscapes???

EDIT: after checking these out, I'll definitely try Common One with the much longer tracks...

Trane, knowing your taste a bit, I really really think you should revisit some of the albums I and all other mentioned in this thread. No way on earth you of all people could say 'meh' to Veedon Fleece and No Guru for instance.

Well to be honest, I tried a few times Veedon and Tupelo, and I simply don't get into them.... Even Hard Nose, if it wasn't for Autumn Song and Snow in SA, this album would slip of the shell of my indifference..; I also doubt that 80's albums would do anything for me, given my dislike of 80's production values...
So unless Van's songwriting and style dramatically changed , it's a lost cause for the hopeless sod I am...

What I like in Van's early albums are generally the longer pieces where Van's band has a good go at it, so that's why Astral ans St Dom are my top albums from him

NB: if Common One pleases me (which is likely, since given its release date, it won't sound to 80's-ish), I'll give No Guru a shot... but they're 8 years apart... and not in the good direction.

[Sunhillow]

Do not worry, Trane. Common One was highly unfashionable when released, and the production of No Guru harks back to Astral. The only two victims of 80s production are Beautiful and Speech, though both are done flawless.

[JJ88]

IMHO a few songs on 'Common One' are amongst the furthest a musician deemed to be 'rock' has gone from rock. For instance 'When Heart Is Open' is a 15 minute long track that has an atmosphere equivalent to something like 'In A Silent Way', rather than anything in rock I can think of. That was at a time when music was at a much edgier stage- punk/New Wave was still around plus the NWOBHM was emerging too- so it didn't 'fit' that template at all. For me, though, I found it a quite extraordinary album- actually it was with albums like that, I took a much keener interest in jazz than I had previously.

The two 80s albums that followed are much more conventional- all short songs, even having a catchy (and good) hit single with 'Cleaning Windows'. Although 'Rave On John Donne' follows on to some degree from what we hear on 'Summertime In England'.

'Hard Nose The Highway' was one album which I never really warmed to and haven't listened to for years, though it did have a classic in 'Warm Love'. 'A Period Of Transition' is also not that great IMHO, but I liked a few things like 'The Eternal Kansas City' and 'It Fills You Up'. Those are the only two albums in about twenty odd years of output that I find lesser (though not bad) works. That's quite something, really.

[Adm.Kirk]

Don't overlook his material post-1990. There is some great stuff there. Hymns to the Silence is one of his best as is The Healing Game. The only one I would say to really avoid is his country album. Magic Time and Keep it Simple are nice as well.

Bill

[Scrotum Scissor]

Astral Weeks
Saint Dominic's Preview
Moondance
Tupelo Honey
Veedon Fleece
His Band And The Street Choir

These are mine.

[Oreb]

'When Heart Is Open' is a 15 minute long track that has an atmosphere equivalent to something like 'In A Silent Way', rather than anything in rock I can think of.

From memory it in fact rips off the theme from 'In a Silent Way' completely (and beautifully, although it's ironic that Van - who whines so incessantly about 'copycats' - didn't give Joe Zawinul any credit on the album).