Van Morrison - Poetic Champions Compose
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Free Music Notes for Poetic Champions Compose
Free Music Review: SOME OF HIS BEST LATTER-DAY COMPOSITIONS AND PERFORMANCES
Hit: 4 Stars
Van Morrison discs will always retain a professionalism of musicianship and at least one great song. Poetic Champions is one of the latter day Van's best albums because a) he isn't resorting to synthesizers and other "flavor-of-the-week" produciton values that have dated much of his '80s work that would otherwaise be timeless, b) lyrically and musically, he doesn't shy away from sentimentality, but there is a distinct lack of Van's trademark cynicism, and c) it's one of the few examples post-Into theMusic, that Van really does seem to get let the music lead him, rather than the other way around.The album kicks off with the mellow-jazz lounge instrumental (!) "Spanish Steps". It's followed by one of the BEST all-time devotional songs "The Mystery". Other compositions of romance and renewed faith abound: "Queen of the Slipstream", "I Forgot That Love Existed", "Someone Like You". These songs are all excellent and are unabashed love songs, both joyous and joyful. The other great track here is the cover of the traditional "Motherless Children". Van does a wonderful, inspired reading of this song that has been covered from everyone from Blind Willie Johnson to Eric Clapton.
Of Van's post-1980 work, this and Avalon Sunset are absolute must-owns (Hymns to the Silence and The Healing Game are damn good too).
Free Music Review: Excellent CD!
Hit: 4 Stars
Buy it and you'll be pleased if you're a Van Morrison fan.Free Music Review: A superb/eclectic album
Hit: 5 Stars
"Poetic Champions Compose" features songs composed around a theme: the sophisticated and wise ruminations of an experienced musician and a brilliant (blues) musician. I place blues in parentheses because Van Morrison exceeds the scope of a single idiom, but he is still evermuch a musician rooted in the blues, in the deep spiritual longing and seeking that real blues music entails. This album paints the emotional realities of spiritual longing and realization, from doubt and emptiness ("Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child") to romantic love ("Queen of the Slipstream") to ecstatic wonder ("The Mystery"). This musician can vocalize true spiritual dignity and joy without cliché: songs like "I Forgot that Love Existed" and "Did Ye Get Healed" are proof. This is one of the best records out there.Free Music Review: For when you want to melt like the snow!
Hit: 5 Stars
So much of Van the Man's appeal lies in his music's ability to caress the listener and let that person drift off into nirvana. That said, this album might do that better than any other album of his. The mood that is sustained here is breathtaking, as many others have already commented on. What might also separate this from his other releases is the type of sax music that Van plays. I don't think I have ever heard him play so mellow. Combine his sax playing with Neil Drinkwater's sublime piano work on the instrumentals "Spanish Steps" and "Celtic Excavation" and you have a winning combo. Couple that with some of Van's strongest songs ("Queen of the Slipstream," "Someone Like You" and the uplifting "Did Ye Get Healed") and you have the perfect album for falling asleep to, making love to, or reading the paper on a Sunday morning.Free Music Review: van still the man
Hit: 4 Stars
this is a good album, not great, i love van, he rules, better albums are veedon, astral, moondance, avalon, inarticulate etc.etc. he is the best singer ever i love this guy this has some great songs though forgot that love existed, motherless child, it deserves 4 stars i am a serious van a holic