Van Morrison, What's Wrong with This Picture? (Blue Note, 2003)
What's Wrong with This Picture? is Van Morrison's first release on the venerable jazz label Blue Note, and it finds him in fine form. (Blue Note has been branching out lately, adding artists like Dr. John, Norah Jones, Leo Kottke and Morrison to its more traditional jazz offerings.) On this outing Morrison is, as he says in "Goldfish Bowl," "Singing Jazz Blues & Funk/Baby, that's not Rock & Roll/Folk with a beat/ And just a little bit of Soul."
What can one say about Morrison that hasn't already been said? During a career that has now spanned close to forty years, he has firmly established himself as a powerful singer, talented musician and consummate song craftsman. Many of his most accessible songs are now considered classics and have been covered by hundreds of artists (perhaps tens of thousands if you count every garage or wedding band that ever performed "Gloria" or "Moondance"). Morrison has also created a significant body of more eccentric material, such as "Madame George," "Almost Independence Day," "Linden Arden Stole the Highlights," and the like.
From his early days with Them to the present, "Van the Man" has moved comfortably between perpetuating and extending tradition(s) and writing highly personal, poetic, musical meditations. "The Belfast Cowboy" knows the recipe for a great recording. Start with a few excellent songs that might well become classics, such as "Evening in June," "Somerset," and "Once in a Blue Moon." Add some bluesy, funky romps like "Whining Boy Moan" and "Stop Drinking" (by Lightnin' Hopkins with added lyrics by Morrison). Mix with a few idiosyncratic numbers like "Too Many Myths" and "Meaning of Loneliness." (The latter includes a great example of Morrison's signature literary references: "Well there's Sartre and Camus, Nietzsche and Hesse/ if you dig deep enough/ You gonna end up in distress.") Add a dash of authentic folk flavor, a killer version of "Saint James Infirmary." Stir in a dollop of something with a bit of bite, "Goldfish Bowl" and "Fame." Fill it out with tasty numbers like "What's Wrong with this Picture?," "Little Village," and "Get On with the Show." Heat up the band and let it cook. Bon appetít.
The band is fabulous. One can only hope that they'll tour. If so, I hope you'll join me and order tickets early. It says a lot about the force and clarity of Morrison's musical vision that he has worked with a lot of different musicians over the years, but the ensemble sound of his recordings remains surprisingly consistent and identifiable. That said, certain instruments or musicians stand out on any given outing. What's Wrong With This Picture? has a few new twists. I especially enjoy the use of trumpet, flugelhorn and clarinets. Matt Holland provides the horn expertise. Keith Donald, Acker Bilk, Lee Goodall and Martin Winning handle the various reeds. As always, Morrison makes excellent use of saxophones and tasty strings (The Irish Film Orchestra under the direction of Alan Smale). All of the musicians are marvelous. Whether they actually were or not, it sounds as though the tracks were recorded with all or most of the players performing live rather than built part by part, with the rhythm section recording one day and the horns the next. What's more, different tunes manage to stay inside the overall album sound while simultaneously adding the right stylistic vibe. Take, for example, "Stop Drinking," which has a rockabilly twang thanks to the crisp guitars and honkin' sax break. The trumpet and Hammond organ make sure you remember that "Saint James Infirmary" is in New Orleans.
In short, I've been a Van fan since he was one of Them. What's Wrong with This Picture? Not a damn thing!
