Van Morrison - Inarticulate Speech of the Heart

More beautiful music from Van the Man!

Beautiful & poetic. Perhaps not Van's best, but this one has a lingering, haunting quality. If you're in to Van's late 70s/1980s spiritual-side (IMHO his best work), it's a must! Pleasing sounds, striking lyrics. February 13, 2008

underappreciated gem by a rock n roll legend

60's icon van morrison has a devoted "cult" following but is deserving of much more. most people know him by "Gloria" -- an early hit by his band Them -- and perhaps by "Moondance," a makeout classic.

the truth is that this prickly, deeply spiritual irish performer has been releasing great albums for 5 decades, a record that can be matched by very few of his peers.

this album, which per above is not well known, is a very accessible, beautiful distillation of van's spiritual side. "rave on" and "higher than the world" are so transporting that they transcend music.


October 18, 2007

I love Van...but this isn't my favorite.

I think Van is sleepwalking through this one a little bit, but Van sleepwalking is better than almost anyone else at full effort. Several other reviews say they find it spiritual...if that is what you are looking for, I think "No Guru, No Method, No Teacher" is better. April 9, 2007

So beautiful and haunting

You can start to hear a flatness in Van's voice--a strain that afflicted him for several albums--but this is a masterpiece of restraint and release. It's a genuine stand-out in a career filled with many 5-star albums. December 28, 2005

Couldn't connect to this one

I was a Van Morrison fan back in the late 60s and early 70s. This was my first foray back to his music in 30 years, based on the album reviews, I expected to find the strong songwriter with the great voice, perhaps gone in some new direction. I didn't find that.

So I should start with some encouraging words for others who might want to explore this. Listen to the samples! I didn't. At best, this is an album of mood music, something to play in the background. It has some pleasant melodies, some artistic aspirations, and Van Morrison's voice has lost none of its appeal. Other reviewers find spirituality in his music, perhaps you will too.

That having been said, this really isn't quite as good as I rate it. I listened to this album off an on for weeks before deciding I wasn't going to get it. There is a great deal of repetition within songs and so no musical development. If the songs were spiritual, I would expect to go on a journey, not around in circles. The music has so little punch that it almost seems designed for anonymity. The potential exception is Irish Heartbeat, but it is spoiled by a very poor mix, as if it is chained down to be as mediocre as the rest of the album. His voice needs to stand out!

But I will come back some day and pick another one, he hasn't lost this fan yet. May 6, 2005

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