Van Morrison - Too Long in Exile
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Free Music Notes for Too Long in Exile
Free Music Review: a true overlooked gem
Hit: 5 Stars
How does one filter through a catalog like Van's. Hopefully based on reviews by Van's fans. This album has so many exceptional moments that I actually find myself playing it more than ANY other of Morrison's recordings. It is a record for the fans though. If you have a few extra bucks , snatch it up at these insanely low prices...you won't regret it.Free Music Review: Well worth finding
Hit: 4 Stars
This 1993 album from Van Morrison is a great mix of Blues, Jazz and R&B influences. The man himself is in great vocal form throughout the album.
There are a few weak tracks, noteably the duet with John Lee Hooker on Gloria which just doesn't work. I love JLH but his singing on this just seems completely out of place. So it would have been better with 2 or 3 songs less. However that aside its a fine collection of songs with Van Morrison demonstrating his musicianship (Guitar, Alto Sax and Harmonica), song-writing, and his ability to put his own stamp on other peoples songs as well.
The supporting band includes Georgie Fame on Hammond Organ and backing vocals. Hopefully this will get another release in due course, but in the meantime if you like Van the Man this is well worth hunting out.
Free Music Review: A very personal album, and one of Van's best.
Hit: 5 Stars
I heartily agree with all the other reviewers who believe this is one of Van Morrison's best efforts. This seems to be a result of several different factors coming together, including the duet with John Lee Hooker on the old 'Them' hit, 'Gloria'; his rendition of Sonny Boy Williamson's 'Good Morning Little Schoolgirl', and the early cuts such as 'Too Long in Exile' and 'Big Time Operators', which seem highly autobiographical. Van's vocal stylings are not distinctly better than on other albums, but there may just be a tad more soulfulness on these songs reflecting his own life. There are very few 'pop' figures for which I have any interest in reading their biographies, but the Morrisons, Jim and Van, seem to have more than typically interesting lives. This is better than the later 'The Healing Game' and clearly better than 'Wavelength', both of which I have recently reviewed.Free Music Review: One of many neglected albums by Mr. Van Morrison...
Hit: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite Van albums. This one is really good and terribly underrated. Most of Van's 90's work is unjustly ignored, but he's been very consistent throughout his career and has put out an amazing amount of quality work. This album has a very cool, mellow, jazz feel to it, even though it's more than that. The title track is one of Van's best songs, with a great vocal and really uplifting. The next song, Big Time Operators, has a killer blues riff (played by Van himself), but some may not like the lyrics, as it's one of Van's "I hate the music business songs". It's still very good, and it's the only song on the album that complains about the music business. His cover of Lonely Avenue is wonderful. I like Til We Get the Healing Done, but it's too closely reminiscent of ...And the Healing Has Begun, a far superior song from the Into the Music album. I like the new version of Gloria (even though some don't), and I love the ending of the album with 3 songs intertwining (I'll Take Care of You/Instrumental/Tell Me What you Want). This is one of my favorite Van albums, and one I revisit quite a lot.Free Music Review: One Of Van's Best
Hit: 5 Stars
In some of my other reviews of Van Morrison recordings, Too Long In Exile has served as a point of comparison, but for some reason I never got around to reviewing the CD itself.I bought this on cassette way back when it was issued but hadn't listened to it for years until I recently bought it on CD. When I shoved it in the CD player, it brought forth a flood of memories.
When originally released, the big selling point was a couple of duets Van did with his long time idol John Lee Hooker. I am going to go against the general positive commentary on the results of their collaboration. I think both songs they did together pollute and dilute the CD both musically and in spirit. Gloria was lame and commercial in the original and the insertion of Hooker into the remake made it worse. Wasted Years is in fact a waste of vinyl.
It is the strength of most of the other material which makes Too Long In Exile one of Van's best despite the aforementioned duets. Highlights are Big-Time Operators, his rant against those who tried to cheat him in the music business; a heartfelt version of the 50s classic Lonely Avenue; Van's surrender to love on Ball and Chain; an excellent bluesy rendition of Good Morning Little Schoolgirl; the jazzy vocal expression on Lonesome Road and Moody's Mood For Love; and the soulful I'll Take Care of You which segues with a dreamy instrumental interlude into the finale.
There are not enough superlatives in the lexicon to describe how good this CD is when you disregard the Morrison/Hooker duets. Too Long In Exile sets the bar high and indeed Morrison will not issue another CD of this quality for 10 years until the issue of Down the Road.
If you are an old fan of Van Morrison who has somehow missed this, don't miss it for another day. If you are new to Morrison's music and are reading this out of curiosity, why not start with this? Neither of you will be disappointed!