Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
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Free Music Notes for Tupelo Honey
Free Music Review: She's as Sweet as Tupelo Honey
Hit: 5 Stars
In the time since I first encountered his work Van Morrison has slowly but surely ascended the ladders of my musical tastes, emerging as one of my all-time favourite artists - not an outcome I expected when I first heard the magnificent Moondance (I ought to have known better). To my ears that masterpiece remains Van's finest, but after twelve purchases and extensive additional listening I've never met a Morrison I didn't like, to coin a phrase. And Tupelo Honey is no exception. Far from it.
Van Morrison is a kind of magician; in his music he creates an enchanting blend of soul, blues, country, jazz, folk, pop, R&B, Celtic, and rock & roll for something totally unique and wonderful - "Caledonian Soul" as I he calls it. On Tupelo Honey the country side of his musical personality comes more to the fore, as many of the tunes have a distinctly western flavour to them, with a loping beat and solid, twangy rhythm section. A few, like the bracing closer Moonshine Whiskey, are even directly bluegrass-inspired. But Van doesn't allow himself to be pigeonholed with ease, as the contrasted R&B ebullience of Wild Night (a deserving hit single) demonstrates, or the basic blues of When That Evening Sun Goes Down.
The songwriting itself is not as uniformly astonishing as some of Van Morrison's outings, but it does the trick. The Man's mystical fusion of styles and influences is reflected in his poetic lyrics, soaring high on his one-of-a-kind voice. He focuses primarily on home, love, and family, shying mostly away from the mysticism and philosophy of albums like Astral Weeks or Avalon Sunset. Understandably; Tupelo Honey came at the height of Van the Man's domestic bliss of the early 70s, when his home life was at its solidest and happiest. It wouldn't last, but it did make some mighty fine music. So much so that it's hard to pinpoint a single highlight; but the glorious title track may take the claim - a gospel-tinged ode to Van's beautiful wife of the time, it's as sincere and as passionate a love song as you're likely to hear. Production-wise the country/folk element is predominant, though the indelible imprint of R&B and soul remain with characteristic support from the horn section.
Granted, Tupelo Honey isn't Moondance or Into the Music - but short of the former and maybe His Band & Street Choir it may be Van's most joyous. And with its verve, vitality, and songwriting soul it's still more classic than many an album accorded the same status, i.e. a Van Morrison essential.
Free Music Review: weak sauce
Hit: 3 Stars
Van has many good songs and albums, and this is not one of them, even though many people really like it. The opening track "wild night" is outstanding, and I like the second song, but from there on it gets really weak and petty. "tupelo honey" is pure schmaltz (no, thats Not a compliment) and gets very boring and tedious. The other songs are just annoying, because they lack the power that Van Morrison songs usually have. I would recommend that you get Moondance, which is a wonderful cd and his best overall work, and his Best Of vol 1 cd instead of this. There isn't anything particularly memorable about Tupelo Honey, and I have a hard time saying that because I really enjoy a lot of Van Morrison music.Free Music Review: It's a keeper
Hit: 4 Stars
I have all of Van's early stuff. This would probably be number three on my list. Astral Weeks being first and moondance coming in a close second. The FM stations beat to death the title track so I will comment on the others. Moonshine Whiskey is one tune that really flies. It is as close to the other two albums as you can get. The rest of the album is very good, a lot of people rave about "you're my Woman but I don't feel what they feel on that one. I'll take Ballarnia any day! So, lastly, I would say get this if you already own and like the other two. Free Music Review: Straight to your heart like a cannonball...
Hit: 5 Stars
Usually, when people talk about the greatness of Irishman George Ivan Morrison, they mention his two supposedly greatest moments, 1968's "Astral Weeks" and "Moondance" from 1970.
Yet, as great as those two records are, they are not as immediately accessible, or indeed as flawless, as this fabulous blend of folk, soul, country and jazz. The melodies are instantly memorable, the arrangements are wonderful...I've known (of) Van Morrison for 15 years, but only relatively recently have I gotten around to actually buying some of his albums, and of all his late 60s-early 70s releases, this is my favorite.
It's not as bluesy or as jazz-flavoured as some of his later material, drawing more on the Irish and Scottish folk traditions. But first and foremost, this is Van Morrison, and that means you can forget all about classifying "Tupelo Honey" as a rock record, a country record, a folk album or a jazz album, or any other thing known to man. It's a little of everything, and - unlike many such hybrids - it works. Every time.
Lovely piano playing, subte use of horn arrangements, flute and sax (and never too much of either), and Morrison himself is in great voice.
There is really not a single weak moment on this wonderful album. It goes from one triumph to the next, from the opening R&B-influenced "Wild Nights" over the lovely ballads "You're My Woman" and the classic title track, to the boggie-woogie of "When That Evening Sun Goes Down" and the swinging, folkish "Moonshine Whiskey", the entire record is nothing but highlights.
Free Music Review: Real "Classic" Rock
Hit: 4 Stars
Tupelo Honey is just a great album. It's a shame that such simplistic rock like Van Morrison's is now seen as classic or God-Forbid Oldies. Tupelo Honey is a great rock album. Just guitars, piano, bass, drums and vocals. No synth's, no special effects or production wizardry. Just a great songwriter plying his trade. You are my Woman is a wonderful love song, while Moonshine Whiskey is a fun Summer song. Wild Nights is the song most people will be familiar with, and unlike other Van Morrison songs, Moondance or Brown Eyed Girl, it hasn't been driven into the ground by Classic Rock radio stations. If you like good 70's acoustic based rock, then you should definately own Tupelo Honey.