Moondance

This album carries its romanticism further into the world than most love albums do, where they fear to find such things in walks in the autumn rain. Simple love songs annoy me because of how rarely they muster a courage and urgency; they sound designed and caped off, like pastiche, reprisal, and tribute fatten a movie. Van instead is a lunatic in love, stumbling into funk and samba, hip-hop and RAK, every song injeradicatingly alive, the same pace and the same vibrancy, only from different angles. His acoustic riffs are simple and original, full of warm, comforting texture. Jazz and blues infuse each set. It sounds like birds in hot pursuit of Van as he reels in discovery of something to believe in. Every song is soft and sweet and sincere and tender and never maudlin as though patterened by doubt. His rural indie guitars feel so right with the piano, as if the thing itself lifts the album. Trumpets pinpoint the strongest feelings, while the gently tinted drums have the pace. All this texture is occasionally further elaborated into samba, organ, harp, choir. All these rhythms settle seemingly into the whole. The music slows often, moodily, Van’s voice gets the space here. This album is very strong.

VAN MORRISON - MOONDANCE

RATING - 9.3/10

FAVORITE TRACKS - And It Stoned Me, Into The Mystic, Everyone

GENRE - Rock, Jazz, Soul music, Rhythm and blues, Pop music, Folk rock, Country rock