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"…All Inhibitions…Throw Them Away…"
Can it really be nearly 40
years since I played this 1978 record to death in a Dublin bedsit? Van
Morrison’s wonderful “Wavelength” has seen three or maybe even four CD variants
- but this 2008 upgrade is absolutely the best version to date. Here are the
Kingdom Halls and Lifetimes…
UK released 28 January 2008 - "Wavelength" by VAN MORRISON on Polydor 5305447 (Barcode 600753054475) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows:
1. Kingdom Hall
2. Checkin’ It Out
3. Natalia
4. Venice U.S.A.
5. Lifetimes
6. Wavelength [Side 2]
7. Santa Fe/Beautiful
Obsession
8. Hungry For Your Love
9. Take It Where You Find It
Tracks 1 to 9 are the vinyl
album "Wavelength" - released October 1978 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS
3212 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56526
BONUS TRACKS:
10. Kingdom Hall
11. Wavelength
Tracks 10 and 11 were
recorded on the 26 November 1978 at the Roxy Theatre in L.A. and are Previously
Unreleased. Both tracks feature the same band as the album sessions with KATIE
KISSOON adding backing vocals to a speeded up “Kingdom Hall”. My heart always
sinks when I see live tracks as bonus material on CDs – they’re usually poorly
recorded, not any better than the original and act as a cheap way of suckering
fans to purchase more of the same. But these live choices are not just apt -
they’re actually quite good – especially when the band let’s rip on
“Wavelength”. The recordings aren’t
exactly audiophile quality, but they are as spirited as the audience’s
response.
The upgraded booklet contains
all the lyrics, and the inner sleeve of the original album with all of its
detailed session lists, but disappointingly there’s no history of where the
album fits in, no new liner notes, nor any photographs. Really could have done better here boys.
But the best bit is the
SOUND. The original analogue master tapes have been 96K/24 Bit digitally
remastered by Tim Young at Metropolis Mastering in London for this 28 January
2008 release – and the sound is warm, full and enlivened. Every instrument
seems to be leaping out of the speakers and the effect is to make you almost
double take on every single track. Stuff appears on each track that you haven’t
heard before. Great!
And this is not a misery-guts
Van album either. From the jaunty opener “Kingdom Hall”, the whole album is
“up”. Speaking of “Kingdom Hall”, it features a wonderful Synth Solo from GARTH
HUDSON of THE BAND (he’s also on the LP finisher “Take It Where You Find It”)
and every one of the nine tracks features the keyboard work of PETER BARDENS
from CAMEL. The punch out of the tender and lovely “Hungry For Your Love” is
fantastic, the Remaster bringing out the rhythm section of PETER VAN HOOKE on
Drums and MICKEY FEAT on Bass – it’s Steely Dan tight, but without ever
swamping the loveliness of the song. And the issue is mid-price too - I picked
up my copy for £6 in Central London.
All in all, a great sounding
re-issue and one I urge fans and the uninitiated to get stuck into pronto.
PS: VAN MORRISON Remasters -
Released and CANCELLED
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),
Wavelength (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)
