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Keep It Simple
Participated by Van Morrison
Studio : Lost Highway
by Lost Highway
Release Date : 2008-04-01
Publisher : Lost Highway
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
EAN : 0602517630789
UPC : 602517630789
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 63 reviews)
List Price : $13.98
Our Price : $5.75
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Marketadvisory.com |
On April 1st, Lost Highway will proudly release Keep It Simple, the new album from Van Morrison. Keep It Simple is Morrison's first album of new material since 2005, and the first in several years in which he composed all 11 songs specifically for one album.
In the interim the legendary artist had a year that may be unprecedented for any living artist, having released three separate collections of his hits, with the latest, Still On Top entering the UK charts at #2 and selling platinum, proving the ongoing appetite for his unrivalled work.
His music has always incorporated the widely varied influences he heard and absorbed since his childhood days on the streets of Belfast- long before the bands of his youth and his initial breakthrough with the band he started early on- called "Them."
On Keep It Simple, Morrison honors all those varied influences - Ulster-Scots Celtic, Jazz, Folk, Blues, Country, Soul and Gospel - and an added surprise of a mighty Ukelele -most times melding them all together at once creating his unmistakable signature sound.
In some of these songs Morrison addresses the propaganda of the myth perpetrating rock music world. There is a definite theme that recurs throughout the album, especially in the title track.
In keeping with that idea, Keep It Simple does not boast the big horns or expected string arrangements of some of Morrison's previous work. What it does feature are gorgeous songs rich with emotion, depth and beauty. |
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Marketadvisory.com |
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Those familiar with Van Morrison’s ever mercurial muse could hardly have been surprised when he turned up on the artistically centered, avant-country label Lost Highway to pay tribute to a era-spanning slate of country icons on the Nashville imprint's ‘06 collection, Pay the Devil. But while the ensuing years were dominated by several rich anthologies of Morrison’s work, he’s returned here to masterfully show his love of country was no passing fancy. As the title suggests, Morrison’s self-produced approach to the genre is both musically and emotionally elemental, a no frills approach that fits him like a well-worn pair of Tony Llamas. Indeed, even as he’s addressing matters of musical style and substance in an unusually introspective way on "That’s Entertainment" and "Soul," the veteran’s singing here is so natural and deceptively effortless as to disguise how forcefully Morrison has immersed himself in the country mold – or, more to the point, remade it lovingly in his own image, also marking the first time in several years he’s penned all the songs on one of his albums. Whether offering a little tutelage about the vagaries of fate on "School of Hard Knocks," taking W.C. Handy’s "St. Louis Blues" as the starting point for the slow-burning, Hammond B3-seeped country blues lament "Don’t Go to Nightclubs Anymore," or preaching the backroads Zen gospel of the title track and Banjo-seasoned elegy "Song of Home," Morrison’s warm, world-weary voice connects with themes that are as familiar as sunshine – and every bit as fundamentally complicated. --Jerry McCulley |
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Van Morrison - Keep It Simple |
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Excellent CD. I don't think he will ever put out something as great as "Into the Mystic", etc., but this is really a good CD. |
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any van morrison album is good |
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As a long time Van Morrison fan, I have nearly everything he has ever recorded. The songwriting is not up to that of his best work but that is a very high standard to achieve. This is a spare sound that he apparently intentionally achieves. It gives plenty of room to appreciate his voice and the way he and only very few others can interpret a song. I enjoy the album but would rank it in the middle to maybe lower third of his work. That still ranks it as better than just about anything else out there. Probably the album is one that will grow on you but, if you are not expecting songs that keep it REAL simple, you will be disappointed. |
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A Pleasant Surprise |
Van Morrison has certainly evolved musically in the 41 years since "Brown Eyed Girl" first hit the charts. The "Simple" premise of Morrison's latest offering is quite ironic. Van Morrison composed and sang all eleven tracks, as well as instrumentally performing the saxophone, harmonica and ukulele. His trademark horn section is noticeably missing from the album, but the extra space is filled with a strong set of backup singers.
As Van Morrison's first album in three years, Keep It Simple was a very pleasant surprise. Morrison has held strong to his authentic American Folk, Blues and Jazz influences even at this stage of his career. His vocal performance is still very strong, as are his lyrics and compositions.
When the bluesy intro of "How Can A Poor Boy" opened the album, I was immediately intrigued. Bringing the Blues with a strong Gospel influence, it puts the listener into the Church of Morrison, with the man himself preaching from the pulpit. "School of Hard Knocks" may surprise the listeners as Morrison isn't necessarily associated with "Hard Knocks," but the tracks is one of the album standouts.
Unfortunately, many musicians tend to degrade musically as they progress in age, but this certainly isn't the case with Van Morrison's Keep It Simple. The album feels as if it could have been released in several different decades, and still hold it's appeal. After all, an album has to be solid if it has a song called "That is Entrainment..."
Keep It Simple is a much better album than I had expected from the 62 year-old Van Morrison. His expressive vocals are still intact after many years of performing, and it comes through loud and clear on the album. He closes with "Behind the Ritual," where he reveals that "behind the ritual you'll find the spiritual." Van Morrison has undoubtedly transcended his fifty year ritual and found the spirit of music on Keep It Simple. |
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Simply Van!! |
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Really, Van Morrison may age, but he just doesn't get old! Classic Van style on these tunes and his voice is strong. He's still got it! I love music, just about any type, but my husband is a "classic rock" kind of guy. I bought this CD for him (mostly), and I have to wrench it from his hand so I can listen once in a while! If you are a Van fan, you must have this. |
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Great Sounds From A Classic Artist |
I looked forward to buying this CD as soon as I heard about the release date, but then I began reading some of the reviews on CDNow when the recording first became available.
Van's music has been an inspiration since the 60's, and I am glad I finally ignored the negative reviews and bought this one. I guess I don't know why some feel this is somehow less than acceptable. Fans have done this with Bob Dylan since he picked up an electric guitar. There is always something that they object to when an artist chooses to be creative.
Van's artistry and muse are intact, and if you really are a fan of his music, you will love this CD, because that was my reaction. It is like every record, tape and CD I ever purchased and played that he created. His sound will always be unique, and I hope he continues to inspire real fans for a long time. |
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