"Veedon Fleece" (CD review)

...Van Morrison, released 1974.

Expect a lot more Van Morrison reviews along the way...

I fell in love with this man's music at the age of 10.
My class teacher, Mrs Edwards, who was a strong mentoring presence in my early years, encouraged my songwriting endeavours, and whose house had a cave in its basement (into the heart of Mt Eden), gave me a lift home one time, and had Van's live album "Too Late to Stop Now" playing in her cassette player.
I was struck by the vocal and emotional intensity of the man, not to mention the deft string arrangements of many of the songs (the live album has long been regarded as a milestone in live performance recordings)...in the encores you can almost hear the sweat dripping!

So when Veedon Fleece was released I rushed out and bought the vinyl long-player from Peaches Record Store in Durham Lane, and subsequently thrashed it.
My parents survived (that's what they're paid for!).

The musicians are largely the same band as played on the live album.

Like that other touchstone of truly great pop music, Bob Dylan, Van is often "at the mercy of" his backing musicians - he usually picks the right people to play, and mostly has a superb lieutenant who I am sure makes most of the more detailed musical decisions. In this adventure I'm picking it was Jeff Labes (credited for string and wind arrangements), who does a superb job.

It's Van's voice which is the showcased instrument here, however. And what a rich offering there is for us on this album.

We are treated to blues/gospel stylings (Cul De Sac, Comfort You - a gorgeous love song), an entirely falsetto performance (Who Was That Masked Man), gruff grumbling (Bulbs - the "single") and the inimitable improvisational space travel to be found on the lengthily titled You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push The River.

YDPNPBYDPTR clocks in at just under 9 minutes - with strings(and only 2 chords)!
Lois loves Van also, but this song is an example of what she calls "noodly" music (hmm...Irish noodles taste pretty good, then!).
For me it is one of those magic times where Van gets into the whole vibe of the music and gives himself to the greater spiritual vibe of the song - transcendental.
Of course, I have no idea what the song is ABOUT, but it evokes many emotions.
I am sure that he would never perform a song the same way twice (and all the live albums are evidence of this).

For those who like their music a bit more tightly structured, there are the evocative Linden Arden Stole the Highlights and the brooding Streets of Arklow - Van takes us into a pastoral Irish world - green fields, castles, rolling hills and a wild wind blowing.

This album was followed by A Period of Transition, a New Orleans influenced collaboration with Dr John (aka Mac Rabenak), and then a return to mainstream pop sensibilities and success (Wavelength) - neither of which capture the intimacy and personal beauty of this album to the same degree (though both cracking albums in their own way).

Listen to this with the one you love, as the fire crackles in the hearth and the storm blows a full force gale outside (another Bailey's, anyone?).

10/10.