Van Morrison - Accentuate The Positive
(Exile, 2023)
When Van Morrison is not exhibiting some level of curmudgeonly schizoaffective angst, as was evidenced by the rare subpar recordings Latest Record Project, Volume 1 (Exile, 2021) and What’s It Gonna Take? (Exile, 2022), he is providing stream-of-consciousness masterpieces like Astral Weeks (Warner Bros., 1968), Tupelo Honey (Warner Bros., 1971), and Magic Time (Geffen, 2005) or codifying the genres where he excels like How Long Has This Been Going On (Verve, 1995), Pay The Devil (Lost Highway, 2005), and Moving on Skiffle (Exile, 2023).
Morrison continues in this latter vein on Accentuate The Positive, where he addresses everything from swing to rock ‘n’ roll in his welcome combination of expert arrangements, performances, and easy enthusiasm. He proves that he belongs in the company of Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, and Prince, all master craftsmen seamlessly able to wear any popular music genre as a coat, thereby taking unique possession of it.
Morrison conjures a collection of 19 songs covering the spectrum of American music, arranging them in taut and precise three-minute quanta of musical perfection. Morrison’s approach to each song is what most moves him. Thus he dispenses musical flavor to his repertoire with the casual genus Lord Byron throwing off the rhymes that would become Don Juan or Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. Morrison enjoyed himself recording this album, apparent in the relaxed casualness he purloins “You Are My Sunshine” from Ray Charles and “Flip, Flop, and Fly” from Big Joe Turner.
Morrison is also the educator, reminding listeners that The Who were not the originators of “Shakin’ All Over” (Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, 1959) nor the Band the first to record “Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes” (Chuck Willis, 1958). Morrison codifies the jump blues of Louis Jordan’s “I Want A Roof Over My Head” and the swing-era mirth of the Everly Brothers’ “Problems” (Morrison also shows from where “When Will I Be Loved”).
No patristic rock and roll figure is safe from Morrison, nor need be. The singer-shamen drives Chuck Berry’s “Bye Bye Johnny” with a sledgehammer and Antoine “Fats” Domino’s “Blueberry Hill” in a cherry red Cadillac convertible. The miracle that is Van Morrison manifests in the obvious joy he expressed making this recording.