Van Morrison - What's Wrong with This Picture?
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Free Music Notes for What's Wrong with This Picture?
Free Music Review: Magnetise the leaves.....
Hit: 5 Stars
I remember watching a TV show with Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot (rock critics from the Chicago Sun Times and Chicago Tribune respectively), and they reviewed this album. They trashed it, essentially calling Van washed up and whiny. What album were they listening to?
I've been on a Van Morrison tear since I got his latest album, Keep It Simple, and absolutely loved it. So I bought the "infamous" Van album, What's Wrong With This Picture?, and I loved this one too. It's positively gorgeous and infectious, with some of the best music of Van's career. It's appropriate that this album was released on the Blue Note label, as it is Van's jazz and swing album. It has one of the best horn sections on any of his albums. It also has one of Van's best organ players, Richard Dunn, shining on many tracks, especially Goldfish Bowl. This album wouldn't have been too out of place in the swing in the 1920's. It really swings. Van doesn't pay tribute to that kind of music, he just does it.
The lyrics are generally good, and there are a number of tracks where Van goes after the music business (Fame, Goldfish Bowl, Get On with the Show, Too Many Myths). One reviewer told Van to "get over yourself, fat boy" about his disdain for the biz, but it isn't that bad. Usually there's one song on the evil music biz, but we have four here. But the other songs especially The Meaning of Loneliness (where Van mentions Albert Camus, and says his last name correctly, which most people don't), the great blues Stop Drinking (which Van's vocal really takes off), and the great title track, where Van actually cracks up and leaves it in. It's kind of awesome to hear Van laugh; most people seem to think that he's humourless. Maybe that's one of those "too many myths" floating around him. I love Goldfish Bowl, despite its angry lyrics, as Van's vocal and Richard Dunn's organ make it a great, great song.
This is yet another great Van album. I'm glad I ignored those critics, who obviously didn't listen to the same album I did.
To quote Van from Goldfish Bowl, "the newspaper barons are the scum of the lowest degree/and they prey on everybody/they prey on you and me". Great one, Van.
Free Music Review: Back to the Roots
Hit: 4 Stars
This album one must belong among the ones leaning most heavily on traditional blues/jazz from Van Morrison. Though most of the songs are Morrison originals his songwriting style is clearly based based on the 12-bar blues style.
Like always Morrison works with the best musicians and the playing and his singing is great. Though this "back to the roots" approach is highly competent, for me the highligts are when he leaves the strict blues-pattern and his own Irish background and writing style shines through.
Songs like "Once in a Blue Moon" and "Little Village" have the qualities to become new Morrison classics - especially "Little Village" is great.
Among the more traditional blues-styled songs I also find "Somerset" and "Too Many Myths" fine. The rest of the album is also quite good, though most of it is too traditional to make me really excited.
Free Music Review: VAN THE MAN STILL STANDING AND SINGING
Hit: 5 Stars
As a music lover and I was around to attend the Woodstock festival. I was always captured by Van Morrison's singing style.In the 80's I turned my interest to more jazz and blues because I was tired of heavy rock riffs ,long solos and men in tight pants . Now in my fifties I have recently picked up Van Morrison again..I cant express with words how I enjoy his music such as WHATS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE, TOO LONG IN EXILE, A NIGHT
IN SAN FRANCISCO. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE is a creative blend of contemporary jazz and blues ,his vocals are strong and the band is top form.Van's music always paints a picture with his lyrics and his phrasing is truly remarkable.I hope to see him live this coming year. I would recomend WHATS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE AS A ALTERNATIVE TO THE MUSIC THATS
OUT THERE NOW.
Free Music Review: You Don't Know what u are talking abaht
Hit: 5 Stars
Stick to reviewing Elvis and books about hairstyles from the 1980's. Van IS still the man, and will always be so. He knows more about music and writing music than any band to come through over the last ten years. Guns and Roses...... rubbishFree Music Review: Get over yourself, fat boy
Hit: 2 Stars
Just who wants to hear Van Morrison complain like an old ninny about the press, or the pitfalls of being a godlike, mythical celebrity trapped by his own legend and fame--and all of it contained in bland rocking-chair Muzak jazz. Three chords and some bad lyrics and right away they come on with a messiah complex. (You fans and your empty lives are partly to blame for all this.) "I just want to sing my songs," he whines. (Who's stopping you?) John Waters once said: if you want to be left alone, pick up a monkey wrench and fix toilets and stay out of show business. Besides, I didn't know Van the Man was all that famous. Does anyone under 50 know who he is? I sure haven't seen any articles in the paper about him lately. Old hippies might still babble about "Into The Mystic" and his performance in "The Last Waltz." I heard him sing "Gloria" on an oldies station the other day and I went straight for Rush Limbaugh. Are the royals in England so desexed these days that the Daily Sun has to write up Van Morrison to this degree of musical paranoia??