Well I wasn't expecting a new Van Morrison record, were you? I read nothing about this. It just appeared, 20 blues covers on a record called "Someone Tried To Sell Me A Bridge." If I didn't love his last, "Remembering Now" as much as I did, I might have just laughed this one off. But I'm glad I didn't
It's not great, by any stretch of the imagination. The problem is, it feels like very little thought went into making it. It's mostly cookie-cutter arrangements with little variation from tempo and style. But, when it does change things up a bit, it's solid Van, like slowing down Fats Domino's "Ain't That A Shame," for example. That's pretty damn good.
Elvin Bishop guests on a number of tracks, but really doesn't make any of them better, though I could listen to "(I'm Gonna) Play The Honky Tonks" by anybody, and this version is solid.
Taj Mahal is featured on a few tracks, as well as Buddy Guy, and most of those work, as well. I think the album would play much better if it was half the length, something I seem to be saying a lot these days.
"Someone Tried To Sell Me A Bridge" isn't essential. It's harmless and it has its moments. But it also swings and misses a bunch, and I blame that on the production. Ten less songs and some balls, and this album might have been a winner.
12 comments:
Van's albums have been too long for the past 15-20 years. There's almost always some stellar stuff included, but they're way too long (IMO) for a complete listening experience.
As for Van singing the blues, I loved 'Too Long in Exile' and liked 'Roll With the Punches', so I'll give it a go.
I've followed Van forever. His recent output has been more quantity than quality, with an exception for Remembering Now. He's always been more R&B than B. I'm looking forward to being underwhelmed by this one. Probably later today unless I have to listen to the new Lucinda twice.
Oh yea, and it's a stupid title.
Thanks for covering this. Either Van or Dylan is my favorite artist ever - despite how confounding Van can be musically in recent decades.
I just listened to "Remembering Now" (Van's album last year) twice yesterday and there's a lot to like there. I'm less interested in this, I think because somebody has to do something really different with the blues to get me interested - unless I'm hearing it live at JazzFest of course (I've seen both Buddy Guy and Taj Mahal there - and Van himself - and loved it).
But I do like that slow cover of Ain't That A Shame.
Haha
I saw Van at JF too, and I thought it was terrible. His disinterested, dont-give-a-shit live persona conflicted massively with the spirit of JF and the tempos of the songs were slow and sluggish. We left his set early and went to see Kermit Ruffins & the Barbeque Swingers and had a mighty festive time. Glad to hear you loved it, though.
Which one, Troy? The time I saw Van at JF was 2010 and I thought it was amazing ... he played "Fair Play" which knocked me right over, and "Ballerina" and other great stuff.
But, I know his performances can be divisive to many!
That would have been 2007. We didn't go in 2010. I looked up the setlist and apparently we missed 'Real Real Gone', 'And The Healing Has Begun', and 'Help Me' at the end of the set. Bummer, but I still stand by the decision to close the day with Kermit. Glad to hear that 2010 was so good. 'Ballerina' would have been a goosebump moment for sure.
I agree the performances can be divisive. I saw Van play 3 nights at the Civic Opera House in Chicago in the early 90s and they were amazing shows, especially nights 1 and 3. Most of the shows I've seen since then have not come close to the level of those 3. Maybe I got spoiled.
Is the title because blues songs don't generally feature a bridge...? Then it would be wickedly funny!
As I always do, I'll give this a go and hopefully won't be too disappointed. (Now there's some slack I don't usually give to Dylan these days). Only saw The Man once, back in the mid-70s in a University gymnasium (seating was provided by the floor). Small combo including the great underrecorded Ralph Wash on guitar. Van was a little stiff for about 3 numbers, and then just exploded! Played guitar, sax and harmonica and sang up a fucking storm. Still on my top 10 shows ever...
The few songs I've heard so far are good, I should have time for the entire album while I'm snowed in.
RIP Uncle Floyd, he had a great, very funny TV show! It was like a sequel to Soupy Sales. A lot of good bands were on it, too. I saw Marshall Crenshaw once- his vocals were the only live part of the song, the drummer didn't have any sticks, but still went through the motions! Drum-sync?
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