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"…Let Your Soul And Spirit Fly…Into The Mystic…"
First things
first – the reissued album "Moondance" by VAN MORRISON is presented in two versions. The other is a 'Deluxe Edition 4CD/1BLU RAY' set in a book that has
received derision for its packaging faults.
This review is for the October 2013
'Expanded Edition' 2CD version of "Moondance" in a three-way foldout card digipak on Warner
Brothers R2 536561 (Barcode 081227963842).
I love the way this reissue looks, feels and sounds. Here are the fantabulous
details…
1. And It Stoned
Me [Side 1]
2. Moondance
3. Crazy Love
4. Caravan
5. Into The
Mystic
6. Come Running
[Side 2]
7. These Dreams
Of You
8. Brand New Day
9. Everyone
10. Glad Tidings
Disc 1 has the
10-track album "Moondance" in 2013 remastered form (38:56 minutes). The original
self-produced vinyl LP was released March 1970 on Warner
Brothers WS 1835 in the USA and UK.
1. Caravan (Take
4)
2. Nobody Knows
You When You’re Done And Out (Outtake)
3. Into The
Mystic (Take 11)
4. Brand New Day
(Take 3)
5. Glad Tidings
(Alternate Version)
6. Come Running
(Take 2)
7. Crazy Love
(Mono Mix)
8. These Dreams
Of You (Alternate Version)
9. Moondance
(Take 22)
10. I Shall Sing
(Take 7)
11. I’ve Been
Working (Early Version, Take 5)
Disc 2 (52:12
minutes) is an 11-track Bonus CD with Sessions, Alternates & Outtakes. The
three-way card digipak houses CD1 in the left flap with pictures of the master
tape boxes beneath – the 24-page sepia-effect booklet sits in a centred lip
pouch with a photo of Van out walking amongst Autumn trees and Disc 2 is on the
right – again with tapes boxes beneath the see-through tray. The booklet also
features Janet Planet’s original notes, a new essay by Alan Light, photo
outtakes from the cover session and notes on the recording and master tapes. But then you get to the real meat and
potatoes – the huge overhaul in sound...
The original
tape engineer ELLIOT SCHEINER has been recalled for the remaster and he gives 3
pages of warm and detailed explanation. The album was recorded in Mono in two
gulps - September and November 1969 - and then mastered into Stereo on the
latest equipment of the day - an 8-track. There is faintly detectable hiss on
some of the songs inherent to the original tapes - but the clarity on his
vocals and the individual instruments is now truly fantastic – warm, sweet and
allowed to breath. I don’t detect any compression here - nor is it over trebled
for effect – it’s just beautifully handled and allowed to simply be.
While "And
It Stoned Me" is a good sonic opener – the remaster really kicks in with
"Moondance" and "Crazy Love" where John Kleinberg’s bass
and Jeff Labes’ Piano are suddenly alive - while the fabulous threesome of
backing singers Emily Houston, Judy Clay and Jackie Verdell add so much Soul to
these renditions. Then you're hit with "Caravan" and everyone's Soul
igniter – "Into The Mystic". And wow is the only appropriate
response. Like so many fans I've waited too long to hear these joyous songs
sound this good. And when he launches into that abandoned vocal during
"Into The Mystic" ("…I Wanna Rock Your Gypsy Soul…Just Like Way
Back In The Days Of Old…") – I'm blubbing like a teenager confronted by
Ryan Gosling….
I hadn't
expected the bonus to be so brilliant. It hits you on many fronts - the
intimacy - sound engineers talking in the takes - classics in beautiful
full-studio sound quality. Take 3 of "Brand New Day" is shockingly
gorgeous and he may have lost something in the final translation. As if to
reinforce that Take 2 of "Come Running" is even better – the band and
song fresh – a truly lovely outtake (I'll re-play this cut more than the album
version). Even the finger-clicked in "Crazy Love" which is Mono is
lovely (possibly the mix used for the 7" single B-side to "Come
Running"). The only one that sounds slightly off is the out-of-whack piano
and vocal to Take 22 of "Moondance" – a jazz-based rock track he
seemed to struggle with feel-wise.
Listening to
Take 11 of "Into The Mystic" is as spine-tingling as the finished
track and while the Jimmie Cox cover version "Nobody Knows You When You’re
Down And Out" is a bit of a let down – the new song "I Shall
Sing" is properly fabulous stuff and only hammers home the huge
contribution the horn section of Jack Schroer (Alto and Tenor Sax) and Collin
Tilton (Trombone and Flute) made to the album. In fact it sounds like The
Mavericks only 30 years before their time. The last entry is a genuinely
unexpected high - the band fully rocking it out on Take 5 of "I've Been
Working" which goes a little Beefheart in its quirky guitar parts. Its ten-plus
minutes is cooking ("I've been working for Jesse James…") and ends
Disc 2 with a feeling that you’ve been treated to something very special
indeed. In fact in some respects I prefer the single disc of alternate versions
and outtakes rather than the overload of the 5-disc version that for me
actually spoils the magic of the original album.
In truth Van
Morrison fans have been waiting more than 40 years to hear one of their
favourite albums sound this good and finally be presented with a degree of
packaging dignity its always deserved at least in the 2-disc version). The only
real mystery is why it wasn’t combined with a series of releases – one of which
would be the masterpiece that preceded it – "Astral Weeks"? But
that's another man's licensing headache.
"Switch on
your electric light" Van sings on "Caravan". Well after all this
time - "Moondance" is burning brighter than ever. Don't hesitate -
buy this beautiful reissue...
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