Duets: Reworking the Catalogue
Van Morrison
(RCA Records)
Three stars
The duets format can be a lazy option, a predictable romp that simply dusts off familiar old songs. Not so with Van Morrison's new collection, which skips his obvious hits, such as Moondance and Brown-Eyed Girl, in favour of overlooked, sometimes eccentric, tracks from memorable minor albums such as The Healing Game and A Period of Transition. The result is a warm, refreshing look at the breadth of Morrison's poetic compositions, with its devotion to American rhythm and blues. The choice of collaborators is revealing: Mavis Staples, with her golden voice and long family history; jazz singer Gregory Porter (who finally makes some of the mumbled lyrics to the exuberant The Eternal Kansas City intelligible); and Taj Mahal, who seems to nail How Can a Poor Boy on the very first take. Some of the songs might send fans back to the original albums, particularly Streets of Arklow, a cut from Morrison's brilliant, Irish-tinged Veedon Fleece, presented here in tandem with Mick Hucknall. There's plenty to hear on this release, and there's even more hidden away in Morrison's impressive archives.
