Moondance |
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Released: February 27, 1970 Charted: March 14, 1970 Peak: 29 US, 32 UK, 46 CN, 20 AU, 13 DF Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.1 UK Genre: folk rock/blue-eyed soul |
Tracks:Song Title [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts.
All songs written by Van Morrison. Total Running Time: 38:14 |
Rating:4.559 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings)
Awards:(Click on award to learn more). |
Following Astral Weeks“Van Morrison had high expectations to live up to after” RV “the dreamy acoustic sound of Astral Weeks” TL and its “celestial poetry” RV made him “a cult hero.” RD The “Irish musician didn’t disappoint;” RV he responded by serving up “the brilliant,” AM “light, soulful, and jazzy Moondance.” AM It “is every bit as much a classic as its predecessor” AM yet the two albums “are so distinct they almost sound as if they’ve come from different artists.” EKMore Commerical“Moondance is more firmly focused” PR and a “far more accessible follow-up.” EK It was Morrison’s first platinum album, reaching the top 30 on the U.S. Billboard charts. However, it is “no less essential than its somewhat rambling predecessor.” PRMore Emphasis on R&BAny “debates about the authenticity of blue-eyed soul ring hollow when one listens to Van the Man.” VB On Moondance, he offers more “succinct shots of rock and jazz and healthy doses of R&B.” JM He “put more emphasis on the orchestrations of his bluesy melodies” RV by building “his arrangements around a powerful horn section.” TL“The songs are more tightly structured, less improvisatory.” RD Morrison veered “more toward the punchy, old-school R&B he loved than Astral’s jazzy meanderings.” TL “Ireland’s finest R&B acolyte” VB said, “That was the type of band I dig…Two horns and a rhythm section.” 500 MysticismMoondance “retains the previous album’s deeply spiritual thrust but transcends its bleak, cathartic intensity to instead explore themes of renewal and redemption.” AM He continues to swing “back and forth between the mystical and the earthy. It happens musically, and…lyrically…He’s a dewy-eyed romantic and a cranky curmudgeon—sometimes within the same song.” EKHe “move[s] away from the folk template and stream-of-consciousness lyrics into a more rock-driven arena with sharper storytelling and touches of Americana.” JM Moondance “married mysticism and mojo into a collection of sexual rebirth and redemption.” VB Themes“Morrison took that soul-band lineup and blended it with jazz, blues, poetry, and vivid memories of his Irish childhood.” 500 He “sings about fishing, swimming, rain and drinking, but his voice gives it an epic feel.” RV “Moondance showcases Van Morrison as a masterly songwriter and charismatic vocalist.” RD His “singing got more aggressive” TL as he delivered “a more precise blast of R&B energy, but he still wails himself into another consciousness in places.” EKWoodstockMoondance is “a product of Van’s residency in Woodstock and betrays the influence of his neighbours, The Band.” PR Morrison “was living in Woodstock’s rural paradise when he wrote many of these songs, although he left the area following the influx of people after the celebrated festival. Some of the musicians he assembled for the album remained with him for several years, including guitarist John Platania, horn player Jack Schroer, and Jeff Labes on keyboards.” RDOverall ImpactThe album’s “tasteful blend of Celtic folk, blues, jazz, and soul underscores one of the most expressive voices in modern music and enriches a strong set of songs that are pervaded by compassion and optimism.” PRThe SongsHere are thoughts on the individual songs from the album.“And It Stoned Me”
“Caravan”
“Moondance”
“Into the Mystic” The song has “such elemental beauty and grace” AM that it could be considered his “greatest ballad” RV and “arguably the quintessential Morrison moment.” AM It is “a hauntingly sublime work that evokes feelings of extreme longing. When he finishes with the line, ‘It’s too late to stop now,’ music-lovers couldn’t agree more.” RV “Moondance seems to have it all.” JM
Other Songs
Notes:A 2013 deluxe edition expanded the album to a four-box set with three discs of session recordings. |
Resources and Related Links:
Other Related DMDB Pages:First posted 2/28/2012; last updated 11/24/2024. |
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