The Great Al***s

Reacting to the posts on this thread. I bought Astral Weeks and Moondance (under £9 for both) and I'm very glad I did; great albums, why did I hesitate so long before listening to Van Morrison?

So thanks to all who put me right on these albums.

Rotf

If you want to follow these up at a later date I'd recommend St Domininc's Preview and Into The Music. Both encapsulate him at his peak.

His more recent offerings could understandably lead to hesitation as, to my mind, alot of the sparkle and magic has faded.

Peter

As for Led Zepp, well, again, I'm biased. I don't know of any rock band who came close to what those four guys achieved and I would be happy to include II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy (one of the most underrated albums of all time!) and Physical Grafitti in my list of great albums.

Peter

here's one yet to be identified as the greatest album of all time:

L7, bricks are heavy

also: the chantays, pipeline; bach, suites for solo cello, janos starker; dylan, good as i been to you; tallis, lamentations of jeremiah, hilliard ensemble; arvo part, alina; gesualdo, tenebrae responsories for holy saturday, tallis scholars; the soul of o.v. wright, o.v. wright; more real folk blues, muddy waters; schnittke, concerto grosso no. 1.

that's it for tonight. i also like all the records mentioned by everyone else. hail to captain beefheart!!

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
why did I hesitate so long before listening to Van Morrison?

Because you were to busy listening to ISB I imagine. Second St. Dominic's Preview, the title track, Jackie Wilson Said, Redwood Tree and Almost Independence Day may possibly be his finest hour.

Astral weeks, Moondance and St. Dominics are the big three but some of the lesser albums are very good indeed. Get the big three first but don't overlook Tupelo Honey, Band and Street Choir (punchy r&b) Hard Nose The Highway, Veedon Fleece and Into The Music.

Northpole is correct, anything after Beautiful Vision can be a bit patchy and veer towards easy listening, but all have, at least, a couple of gems and are worth picking up cheap.

quote:

Originally posted by Malky:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
why did I hesitate so long before listening to Van Morrison?

Because you were to busy listening to ISB I imagine.

- And proud of it - 14 superb albums (well OK 2 absolutely brilliant albums and 12 albums that have some excellent moments).

Thanks Peter and Malky and others for the Van tips.

OK, here's my two recommendations for great albums.

First up is 'The La's' by, er, The La's. The only album they actually released, and even this was disowned by the perfectionist/obsessive group leader, Lee Mavers. The La's play deceptively simple, straightahead rock music, but not headbanging wham-bam Ramones style. Their music is lighter, bouncier, and lyrically more complex. Probably their best-known song is 'There She Goes', nothing like the Velvets song of the same name, but a song about the joys of heroin ('there she goes/coursing through my veins). Despite the jangly guitars and catchy tunes, there's a dark side to The La's music, as can be heard in the words to songs like 'Failure'

'No you can't throw failure over your shoulder
If you don't look after - you gonna look back
No you can't hurry forward...it's holding you back
In the grip of an onset you run for a cover
To hide from your Mother and your sister
Your brother...through you long to tell of
The stone that remains - you can't move a
Muscle - you're wrapped up in chains...so you
Wait in your room - bound to the doom
To talk with the skeleton in the closet...'

No second La's album was released, and Le Mavers went into Syd Barrett-style seclusion, with other band members forming their own bands (most notably John Power with Cast). The band re-formed in 2005, but still no new recordings have been issued. Still, one La's album is worth ten of most other bands' albums, so there you go.

Second up is The Boo Radley's 'Wake Up!' The Boo Radleys issued several albums on Creation Records, featuring noodly experimental music, mixed in with some proper songs, but 'Wake Up!' did away with the faffing about and contained 12 instant classics, including the hit 'Wake Up Boo'. The latter is on the surface a joy-filled song about being young in summer, but as with The La's songs there's some darker emotions lurking:
'But you can't blame me now for the death of summer
But you gotta do what you gotta do
You have to put the death in everything'

The album actually charts the death of a relationship, but finishes on a note of cautious optimism with the song 'Wilder'. In between there's anthemic power pop, soulful ballads, and heavy breathing.

The follow-up to 'Wake Up!' was 'Cmon Kids', a determinedly anti-commercial offering which returned to avante-garde noodling, but the Boo Radley's swansong, the brilliant 'Kingsize' showed that their songwriter, Martin Carr, was still capable of turning out instant classics with ease. Sadly 'Kingsize' sank without trace, and the Boo Radleys then split up.

Boo Radleys trivia: they went to the same school as my brother and five of my nephews.

While we are on the topic of Van;

This is one of the best live albums ever, apparently the tour nearly bankrupted him

It's Too Late to Stop Now.



SJB

quote:

Originally posted by Sloop John B:
While we are on the topic of Van;

It's Too Late to Stop Now.

Y'know, as huge a Van fan as I am, I've never really understood all the fuss about Too Late. It's on my shelf, I'll have to give it another spin.

It's super to see folks enthusing about their great albums - I've now discovered I like Van (and I still like ISB, of course) and it does make me want to give albums another spin that have been on the shelf for a while. There's a lot of music in this thread that I will definitely try to listen to.

BTW - here's another great album.



Well yes, I'm a big Christy Moore and Planxty fan and between them they have produced lots of very good music.

So another of my nominations for one of the great albums is Christy's Ride-On.

From its addictive title track to his superb rendition of of Wish I Was Back Home in Derry this is masterful. Lisdoonvarna is another favourite:

Is this heaven? Is this hell? Who cares, who can tell? Anyone for the last few choc ices now?

City of Chicago, Ride On, Vive La Quinte Brigada, Song of Wandering Aengus, Mcilhatton, Lisdoonvarna, Among the Wicklow Hills, Sonny's Dream, Dying Soldier, El Salvador, Back Home in Derry, Least We Can Do

If you have no Christy Moore in your collection and you are wondering about rectifying that omission then this is as good a place to start as any.

And if you're still having doubts the supporting cast is Donal Lunny and Declan Sinnott - there all doubts surely dispelled.

There are some samples on Christy's site - here - please give Back Home in Derry a listen.

"Manassas" Stephen Stills' finest hour and a classic of its and indeed any time.Rock, blues and country all co-existing in a coherent series of song suites. Originally a double album on Atlantic, and more recently an excellent HDCD re-release on CD.

Another artist who is fairly new, but has made some excellent albums is Kate Rusby - and I'm definitely prepared to nominated her 1997 album: Hourglass as great.



Kate sings her songs and traditional songs and writes tunes to go with traditional lyrics. This is the type of album that shows why folk music is alive and well. There are lots of really great folk albums from which to make a collection and lots of performing artists who we can listen to today. Sadly, Shirley Collins hasn't been able to sing for years, but joyfully we have singers like Kate to listen to today.

All of Kate's albums are worth buying, but if I have to choose one then her first solo effort Hourglass is still my favourite.

Sir Eglamore
As I Roved Out
Jolly Plough Boys
Annan Waters
Stananivy
Jack & Jill
Rose In April
Radio Sweethearts
I Am Stretched On Your Grave
Old Man Time
Drowned Lovers
Bold Riley

There is also a DVD of Kate singing Live From Leeds that I thoroughly recommend. In fact if you want an introduction to Kate then the DVD is ideal. She is absolutely wonderful.

There is only one Hourglass.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve S1:
There is only one Hourglass.

- I think I'll stick with Kate

What an excellent thread we have hear.

I totally agree ROTF on GARBAGE, I thought I was alone by thinking how good of an album it is.

Think ill spin it tonight -

Will have a think about my others and post later.

Peter

This is the most confusing great album it could be Pandemonium Shadow Show or it could be Aerial Ballet, but I've found the cover for Aerial Pandemonium Ballet on which Harry Nilsson took tracks from his first two albums and remixed them, he then deleted the vocal track and added a new vocal. There's a moderately priced CD box-set which I bought which has all three albums. IMO Pandemonium Shadow Show and Aerial Ballet are great albums - Pandemonium Shadow Show is like a less ambitious Sgt Pepper: Macca and John L loved the album too.

Tracks include

Ten Little Indians
1941
Daddy's Song
Good Old Desk
Everybody's Talkin'
Without Her
Together
One
Isolation
Joy

Harry Nilsson at his best - also worth checking out are Nilson Schmilsson, Son Of Schmilsson and the film The Point in which Harry sings a song about a Naim tone-am: Me and my Arrow.

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:
Reacting to the posts on this thread. I bought Astral Weeks and Moondance (under £9 for both) and I'm very glad I did; great albums, why did I hesitate so long before listening to Van Morrison?

So thanks to all who put me right on these albums.

Rotf

Astral Weeks is not one of my favorites, but try "Poetic Champions Compose" it's absolutely brilliant. Other favorites include "Enlightenment" and "Avalon Sunset"

Regards

Gary (formerly known as Gazzer)

Gary

Each of your proposed albums sound brilliant every once in a while. But I wouldn't place them in the top ranks of Van's music. Most other people's, yes but not Van!! I'm not exactly sure about Avalon but certainly with the others you mention, Van's stated aspirations with the music was to induce a spiritual trance-like experience for the listener. Which is fine, but...

The earlier sets that I referred to, Into the Music (my favourite), Moondance and St Dom's Preview had so much energy and life and complete control of the music going for them that, for me anyway, just lifted them up onto that 'Great' category which will earn them the timeless classic label.

Hope you don't disagree too much

Peter

PS - Congrats on the name change!!

Peter

No, I wouldn't disagree with your comments too much. I actually go through spells with Van M when I have different favorite, but with over 20 in my collection there's always something to suit my mood. He's done some real bummers over the years also hasn't he, his recent stuff has not been good, but I still always buy them, just in case!

Gary

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
Gary i am with you on Vans, Poetic Champions Compose.It is my most played Van Morrison cd and IMO his best.If any one wants to get a copy though,Its not easy to get, i had a look last night to see if i could get a remaster ,you cant. The only place on the internet i found it was on Amazon and it was from £35 to £75 for the cd.Regards Munch

You're joking! I must remember to look after my vinyl copy.

Gary

Munch

I've just popped it on the TT - wonderful

Gary

Record Collector doesn't list Poetic Champions Compose, but both Astral Weeks (WS 1768) and Moondance (WS 1835) on Warner Brothers with orange labels are worth £25 each (only £15 if it's got a green label). However, if you've got the single Brown Eyed Girl on London HLZ 10150 then it's £40.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
ROTF hows the carvan is getting much play? munch

Hi munch - yes thank you - excellent renditions of some great songs. Caravan were an exciting group who could really play. I don't think there was any other group that were like them. You know it's Caravan when you hear that organ sound from Dave Sinclair. Pye Hastings' vocals are superb too: there's a totally unique feel to them.

If you like the Canterbury scene then I've some Wilde Flowers recordings that may be of interest: they are not hi-fi, more an historic marker of where Caravan and Soft Machine emerged from.

Or I could do you a psych sampler from those heady times.

ATB Rotf

Death Walks Behind You by Atomic Rooster is one of the great heavy rock albums.



This nicely packaged re-mastered version is a good edition to any album collection.