Review: Van Morrison, Three Chords & The Truth.

Three Chords & The Truth is the fifth album Van Morrison has released since the excellent Keep Me Singing in 2016 and in many ways those two albums are  companions. Even the tasteful artwork on the sleeve is the work of the same person. Van’s previous four albums have been ‘genre’ type albums of jazz and blues explorations, collaborations and cover versions which haven’t always been to the taste of some fans. I think most fans will enjoy this collection of new songs all written by Van. One song is co-written with Don Black who also wrote the lyrics to a song on Keep Me Singing. Let’s have a look at the songs.

The opening track March Winds in February features American musicians who Van has worked with in the past John Allair, Jay Berliner, David Hayes and Bobby Ruggerio, plus Dave Keary and Teena Lyle from Van’s regular touring band. The song is a sketch of a moment in time which is a device Van has used before in such songs as Snow In Anselmo or more recently Going Down To Monte Carlo. There is no doubt that Van’s voice is still as good as ever. Some other  singers from the 60’s just can’t sing anymore, but Van certainly can. At certain points, such as when he sings the title words his voice is reminiscent of the Period of Transition era. The melody reminds me of Into the Mystery from Poetic Champions. This song is more like into the Mistral which is the cold wind that blows in the south of France in the winter. Van obviously finds the seaside inspirational. He always plays dates in seaside resorts when he can.

The second song Fame Will Eat the Soul features the same band plus Bill Medley who sings a duet with Van. It was recorded in Las Vegas. Bill Medley recorded some of the greatest songs in popular music with the Righteous Brothers, but sadly I don’t feel he adds much to this song. Chris Farlowe would have sounded just as good and probably been easier to hire. I like John Allair’s organ playing but I think it is one of the weaker songs on the album. Dark Night of The Soul is a vast improvement. This song features some of his old friends from South Wales, Start McIlroy, Pete Hurley, Colin Griffin & Richard Dunn. I love the rich sound of the Hammond organ on this song. Dark night of the soul is an expression that Van has used before in his lyrics. Lots of other phrases he has used previously are recycled throughout this album such as ‘Start breaking down’, ‘get off the merry go round’, ‘plans of mice and men’, ‘brand new day’ etc.

Some fans have said that In Search of Grace is one of the weakest songs on the album, but I like it. That shows that everybody’s opinion is subjective and personal and equally valid. Van isn’t referring to an actual person called Grace, he is searching for the spiritual state of grace which has been lost. Grace has appeared in previous songs such as Joyous Sound, Once in A Blue Moon and of course By His Grace. I love the delicate acoustic guitar of Jay Berliner. The song shows Van is still on a spiritual quest which he has been all his life. I’m pleased about that because it was the spiritual nature of Van’s music that drew me into it to begin with. There are a couple of books called In Search Of Grace. I wonder if Van might have been inspired by one of them?  

“Music is spiritual, the music business isn’t”, Van once famously said. That might be why his songs seem to be divided between, music uplifting the spirit, or railing against corrupt operators which is the subject matter of Nobody in Charge. It is a very angry song without being specific about what he is complaining about. There is one line I like though about ‘media implantation rules the day’. That is spot-on as far as I can see. The lazy population being brain-washed by the tax dodging media barons who are telling them how to think because they can’t think for themselves. (I better stop there, or this review will turn into a political rant!) You Don’t Understand is even angrier. Many people have noticed the similarity to Ballad of a Thin Man by Bob Dylan. The band are stripped down to Paul Moran, Jeremy Brown and Bobby Ruggerio. It has a bluesy gothic feel to it which has echoes of St James Infirmary as well. The eerie haunting organ sound of Paul Moran is very effective and reminiscent of Al Kooper. Paranoia strikes deep with human nature not being trusted and people working in the dark and making you a ‘mark’. I wonder if Van wrote it in answer to journalist’s questions as Dylan did? Something is happening here, and you don’t understand, do you Mr Jones?

Read Between the Lines is much lighter and upbeat. The message seems to be about finding out the truth in these days of fake news. For me it is one of the lesser songs here. Does Love Conquer All? Is the question Van asks in the next song and he seems unsure of the answer. If in any doubt keep the enemy out, seems to be the idea. Early Days is a nostalgic fun song about the early days of rock n roll which we first heard live on Monday night. I love the Jerry Lee Lewis style piano playing of Stuart McIlroy and Van’s saxophone playing.

If We Wait for Mountains is Van’s collaboration with lyricist Don Black. Why one of the greatest songwriters in history feels the need for a lyricist at this stage of his career I don’t know. Maybe at the time he met Don Black he was going through a period of writer’s block and searching for inspiration. It is a very sentimental song about appreciating the simple things in life. The kind of song which will be popular with Radio 2 listeners but veering towards easy listening.

Up on Broadway is possibly my favourite song on the album. The Broadway in question is in San Francisco and I feel it is a companion song to In Tiburon from Keep Me Singing with its references to North Beach and City Lights. Van seems to like that area and its association with the Beat Generation. Three Chords and The Truth is a shot of rhythm and blues. It is another song about the early days of rock n roll when his old friend Lonnie Donegan was king. There is great guitar and piano playing here. Bags Under My Eyes is a humorous tongue in cheek fun song about life on the road for a musician. There is some very nice country style guitar and harmonica playing and even a yodel right at the end.

Broadway San Francisco.

Days Gone By is the final track on this album. It reminds me slightly of Behind the Ritual from the Keep It Simple album. Basically, Van has taken Auld Lang Syne and put new lyrics and a new arrangement to it. I’m sure this will get a lot of play on New Year’s Eve. It would be great if Van performs this song live. It has lots of scope for ad libbing and improvising. I get the feeling that a lot of the words were dreamed up spontaneously live in the studio. When I heard the line about ‘Carry my child on my back across the river’ It reminded me of the story of St Christopher. He has sung that part before in live versions of Into the Mystic. Van seems to carry images in his head for years sometimes before they emerge into songs, often religious images such as holy guardian angels for instance.

I think this is a very satisfying album indeed. Certainly, for me it is the best one since Keep Me Singing. A nice addition to Van’s great body of work. It will have its critics no doubt, but I think for a musician aged 74 after a career of nearly 60 years to be able to produce work of this standard is quite remarkable and I’m sure there will be even more great work to come from Mr Van Morrison in the not too distant future.