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PICK UP THE PIECES - 1974
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"…You Don’t Push The River…"
"Veedon Fleece" was part of the 2nd wave of Van Morrison remastered reissues to hit the shops in the summer of 2008 (see full list below). And with gorgeous Remastered Audio and two unreleased bonus tracks - represented a great way to acquire this long-forgotten Van classic album from the early Seventies anew. Here are punches you don’t pull and the rivers you need to push…
Released Monday 30 June 2008 in the UK and 1 July 2008 in the USA - "Veedon Fleece" by VAN MORRISON on Polydor/Exile 5308761 (Barcode 600753087619) boasts an upgraded booklet, a new 96k/24 Bit Remaster and 2 Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks (Alternate Takes of 2 prominent album tracks - 56:36 minutes):
1. Fair Play [Side 1]
2. Linden Arden Stole The Highlights
3. Who Was That Masked Man
4. Streets Of Arklow
5. You Don’t Pull No Punches, But You Don’t Push The River
6. Bulbs [Side 2]
7. Cul De Sac
8. Comfort You
9. Come Here My Love
10 Country Fair
Tracks 1 to 10 make up the vinyl album “Veedon Fleece” - originally released October 1974 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 2805 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56058
BONUS TRACKS (Previously Unreleased):
11. Twilight Zone (Alternate Take)
12. Cul De Sac (Alternate Take)
The band consisted of:
RALPH WALSH and JOHN TROPEA on Guitars
JEFF LABES and JAMES TRUMBO on Keyboards
JACK SCHROER on Soprano Sax
JIM RITHERMEL on Flute and Recorder
NATHAN RUBIN and TERRY ADAMS on Strings
DAVID HAYES and JOE MACHO on Bass
DAHOUD SHAAR and ALLEN SWARTZBURG on Drums and Percussion
Labes, Shaar, Schroer, Hayes and Nathan Rubin were all part of "The Caledonia Soul Orchestra" who toured with Van and produced the dynamite "It's Too Late To Stop Now" live double released in March of 1974. Tight and complimentary to his style, they knew what Van wanted when he went in to record "Veedon Fleece". The album is a slight return to the style of "Astral Weeks" song-writing - not verse/chorus - but more soulful meandering workouts heavy on the mystical lyrics and falsetto vocals. This style is particularly evident on the fabulous "You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push The River" which ended Side 1 of the album - an 8-minute strummer that gets its hooks into you and doesn't leave. The chipper "Bulbs" was issued as 7" single on both sides of the pond ("Cul De Sac" its B-side in the US, "Who Was That Masked Man?" in the UK).
Originally released on vinyl as a single sleeve album with a green insert for the session details, that same bland green is used on the booklet and inlay beneath the see-through tray - hardly original, nor exciting. There's no new interview, no photos, no singles pictured, no history of the record and its place in his catalogue - zip. The lyrics to "Twilight Zone" are reproduced though…
Also, the liner notes don't mention where or when the tapes were 96k/24 bit remastered (probably by Tim Young who did the first batch). Still, the sound is hugely improved over the initial CD releases - even if there's very audible hiss on almost all of the tracks.
The two bonus tracks are a mixed bag. As you've probably noticed, "Twilight Zone" wasn't on the original LP; it first appeared as an outtake from the "Veedon Fleece" sessions on the 2CD 1996 set "The Philosopher's Stone". The version on PS runs to 8:24 minutes and is presented on that set in superb sound quality; this take is shorter at 5:51 minutes and different - unfortunately it's also a lot more hissy and not as good as the PS version. "Cul De Sac" fares far better - it's very good - and more than an interesting curio. I'll be playing it again.
Overall, "Veedon Fleece" is a lovely album and a bit of a lost gem in his catalogue - and this remastered re-issue is recommended despite the slightly disappointing sound quality…
PS:
Like “Tupelo Honey” - 28 other Van Morrison albums were to be re-issued in remastered form throughout 2008 and into early 2009. Each was to contain upgraded booklets, previously unreleased material and all were to be at mid-price. They were to be released in 4 batches as listed below (29 in total) - but famously batch 3 and 4 were cancelled indefinitely. These lists are for info purposes...
January 2008 (7 titles)
Tupelo Honey (1971), It’s Too Late To Stop Now (2 CD Live Set) (1974),
Wavelenght (1978), Into The Music (1979), A Sense Of Wonder (1985),
Avalon Sunset (1989) and Back On Top (1999)
June 2008 (8 titles)
Veedon Fleece (1974), Common One (1980), Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart (1983), Live At The Grand Opera House, Belfast (1984), No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1986), Enlightenment (1990), A Night In San Francisco (2CD Live Set) (1994) and The Healing Game (1997)
September 2008 (7 titles) – CANCELLED
Saint Dominic’s Preview (1972), A Period Of Transition (1977), Beautiful Vision (1982), Poetic Champions Compose (1987), Hymns To The Silence (2CD Studio Set), How Long Has This Been Going On (Live At Ronnie Scott’s) (1995), Tell Me Something – The Songs Of Mose Allison (1996)
January 2009 (8 titles) – CANCELLED
Hard Nose The Highway (1973), Irish Heartbeat (with The Chieftains) (1988),
Too Long In Exile (1993), Days Like This (1995), The Story Of Them (2CD Set) (1999), The Skiffle Sessions – Live In Belfast (with Lonnie Donegan & Chris Barber) (2000), Down The Road (2002) and What’s Wrong With This Picture? (2003)
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