Keep It Simple
by: Van Morrison
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On April 1st, Lost Highway will proudly release Keep It Simple, the new album from Van Morrison. Keep It Simple is Morrison's first album of new material since 2005, and the first in several years in which he composed all 11 songs specifically for one album.
In the interim the legendary artist had a year that may be unprecedented for any living artist, having released three separate collections of his hits, with the latest, Still On Top entering the UK charts at #2 and selling platinum, proving the ongoing appetite for his unrivalled work.
His music has always incorporated the widely varied influences he heard and absorbed since his childhood days on the streets of Belfast- long before the bands of his youth and his initial breakthrough with the band he started early on- called "Them."
On Keep It Simple, Morrison honors all those varied influences -Ulster-Scots Celtic, Jazz, Folk, Blues, Country, Soul and Gospel - and an added surprise of a mighty Ukelele -most times melding them all together at once creating his unmistakable signature sound.
In some of these songs Morrison addresses the propaganda of the myth perpetrating rock music world. There is a definite theme that recurs throughout the album, especially in the title track.
In keeping with that idea, Keep It Simple does not boast the big horns or expected string arrangements of some of Morrison's previous work. What it does feature are gorgeous songs rich with emotion, depth and beauty.
Album Description:
In keeping with the album title, Keep It Simple does not boast the big horns or string arrangements of some of Morrison's previous work. What it does feature are 11 gorgeous songs rich with emotion, depth and beauty.'I felt I had something to say with these songs.' says Van Morrison. He explains his approach with the track 'Entrainment' by saying 'when you connect with the music - Entrainment is really what I'm getting at in the music. It's kind of when you're in the present moment.You're herewith no past or future.' 11 tracks.
Amazon.com:
Those familiar with Van Morrison's ever mercurial muse could hardly have been surprised when he turned up on the artistically centered, avant-country label Lost Highway to pay tribute to a era-spanning slate of country icons on the Nashville imprint's `06 collection,Pay the Devil. But while the ensuing years were dominated by several rich anthologies of Morrison's work, he's returned here to masterfully show his love of country was no passing fancy. As the title suggests, Morrison's self-produced approach to the genre is both musically and emotionally elemental, a no frills approach that fits him like a well-worn pair of Tony Llamas. Indeed, even as he's addressing matters of musical style and substance in an unusually introspective way on "That's Entertainment" and "Soul," the veteran's singing here is so natural and deceptively effortless as to disguise how forcefully Morrison has immersed himself in the country mold - or, more to the point, remade it lovingly in his own image, also marking the first time in several years he's penned all the songs on one of his albums. Whether offering a little tutelage about the vagaries of fate on "School of Hard Knocks," taking W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" as the starting point for the slow-burning, Hammond B3-seeped country blues lament "Don't Go to Nightclubs Anymore," or preaching the backroads Zen gospel of the title track and Banjo-seasoned elegy "Song of Home," Morrison's warm, world-weary voice connects with themes that are as familiar as sunshine - and every bit as fundamentally complicated. --Jerry McCulley
On April 1st, Lost Highway will proudly release Keep It Simple, the new album from Van Morrison. Keep It Simple is Morrison's first album of new material since 2005, and the first in several years in which he composed all 11 songs specifically for one album.
In the interim the legendary artist had a year that may be unprecedented for any living artist, having released three separate collections of his hits, with the latest, Still On Top entering the UK charts at #2 and selling platinum, proving the ongoing appetite for his unrivalled work.
His music has always incorporated the widely varied influences he heard and absorbed since his childhood days on the streets of Belfast- long before the bands of his youth and his initial breakthrough with the band he started early on- called "Them."
On Keep It Simple, Morrison honors all those varied influences -Ulster-Scots Celtic, Jazz, Folk, Blues, Country, Soul and Gospel - and an added surprise of a mighty Ukelele -most times melding them all together at once creating his unmistakable signature sound.
In some of these songs Morrison addresses the propaganda of the myth perpetrating rock music world. There is a definite theme that recurs throughout the album, especially in the title track.
In keeping with that idea, Keep It Simple does not boast the big horns or expected string arrangements of some of Morrison's previous work. What it does feature are gorgeous songs rich with emotion, depth and beauty.
Album Description:
In keeping with the album title, Keep It Simple does not boast the big horns or string arrangements of some of Morrison's previous work. What it does feature are 11 gorgeous songs rich with emotion, depth and beauty.'I felt I had something to say with these songs.' says Van Morrison. He explains his approach with the track 'Entrainment' by saying 'when you connect with the music - Entrainment is really what I'm getting at in the music. It's kind of when you're in the present moment.You're herewith no past or future.' 11 tracks.
Amazon.com:
Those familiar with Van Morrison's ever mercurial muse could hardly have been surprised when he turned up on the artistically centered, avant-country label Lost Highway to pay tribute to a era-spanning slate of country icons on the Nashville imprint's `06 collection,Pay the Devil. But while the ensuing years were dominated by several rich anthologies of Morrison's work, he's returned here to masterfully show his love of country was no passing fancy. As the title suggests, Morrison's self-produced approach to the genre is both musically and emotionally elemental, a no frills approach that fits him like a well-worn pair of Tony Llamas. Indeed, even as he's addressing matters of musical style and substance in an unusually introspective way on "That's Entertainment" and "Soul," the veteran's singing here is so natural and deceptively effortless as to disguise how forcefully Morrison has immersed himself in the country mold - or, more to the point, remade it lovingly in his own image, also marking the first time in several years he's penned all the songs on one of his albums. Whether offering a little tutelage about the vagaries of fate on "School of Hard Knocks," taking W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" as the starting point for the slow-burning, Hammond B3-seeped country blues lament "Don't Go to Nightclubs Anymore," or preaching the backroads Zen gospel of the title track and Banjo-seasoned elegy "Song of Home," Morrison's warm, world-weary voice connects with themes that are as familiar as sunshine - and every bit as fundamentally complicated. --Jerry McCulley
Disc 1:
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- So-o-o-o good.
This music is so very good, though one might not realize it at first. It's truth at a vibrational level, like all good Irish music, blues, and ... Van Morrison, providing me with some healing actualization and uplift. (All I'm drinkin' is a smoothie.)
Rating: - Absolute for fans!
For long time Van Morrison fans, this work shows how much versatility he has as well as where his roots are.He has talked in interviews about his fathers record collection that included Delta Blues, Jazz and regional music of days gone by.All this can be found and enjoyed in this work and the title song is a great reminder of how we should keep things.Van Morrison, I love each and every track!!! Bravo!
Rating: 
- van continues his 90's snooze fest
Reading the other reviews I'm left thinking I just don't get it, i guess. If this was the first artist by an unknown van, would anybody be intrigued by it? It's very hard to continue at the top in any field for a long time, but all Van needs to do is put out fewer records - do like Jackson Browne does and release a cd say every 4 or 5 years. As it is every release has 1 or 2 great songs; save 'em up instead of continuing his album a year rate which leads to such mediocrity.
Rating: - 4 1/2 stars. Still the man
Though played by a full band, and one sometimes augumented by organ, sax or various other instruments, the songs on "Keep it Simple" nevertheless sound both lean and restrained, settled in a smoky, soulful groove.
This is in no small part due to the excellent, uncluttered production...no wall of sound here, and I mean that as a compliment.
"Song of Home" is updated Irish folk, melodic and beautiful, all acoustic instruments except for the stylish but warm organ, expertly played ... Read More
Rating: - first time
This is the first Van Morrison album where I enjoyed every song. The last three cuts really move my soul.
- So-o-o-o good.This music is so very good, though one might not realize it at first. It's truth at a vibrational level, like all good Irish music, blues, and ... Van Morrison, providing me with some healing actualization and uplift. (All I'm drinkin' is a smoothie.)
- Absolute for fans!For long time Van Morrison fans, this work shows how much versatility he has as well as where his roots are.He has talked in interviews about his fathers record collection that included Delta Blues, Jazz and regional music of days gone by.All this can be found and enjoyed in this work and the title song is a great reminder of how we should keep things.Van Morrison, I love each and every track!!! Bravo!
- van continues his 90's snooze festReading the other reviews I'm left thinking I just don't get it, i guess. If this was the first artist by an unknown van, would anybody be intrigued by it? It's very hard to continue at the top in any field for a long time, but all Van needs to do is put out fewer records - do like Jackson Browne does and release a cd say every 4 or 5 years. As it is every release has 1 or 2 great songs; save 'em up instead of continuing his album a year rate which leads to such mediocrity.
- 4 1/2 stars. Still the manThough played by a full band, and one sometimes augumented by organ, sax or various other instruments, the songs on "Keep it Simple" nevertheless sound both lean and restrained, settled in a smoky, soulful groove.
This is in no small part due to the excellent, uncluttered production...no wall of sound here, and I mean that as a compliment.
"Song of Home" is updated Irish folk, melodic and beautiful, all acoustic instruments except for the stylish but warm organ, expertly played ... Read More
- first time This is the first Van Morrison album where I enjoyed every song. The last three cuts really move my soul.
