Three Chords and the Truth

by Van Morrison

Overview

Over the past four years, Van Morrison has recorded no less than six albums. Most have been populated with excellent covers of blues, soul, and jazz standards with a smattering of original numbers woven in between. Three Chords and the Truth (titled after Harlan Howard's famous description of country music), is his first collection of all-new original material since 2016's Keep Me Singing. Morrison penned 14 of the 15 songs here. In addition to his road band, he recruited old friend, acoustic jazz guitarist Jay Berliner (who played on Astral Weeks) for some of the sessions. The album's sound is warm, punchy, and immediate, despite being cut in five studios. Opener "March Winds in February" boasts a punchy upright bassline, bubbling B-3 organ, brushed snares, and traded lead guitar lines between Berliner's acoustic and Dave Keary's electric. It crisscrosses Celtic R&B, gospel, and jazz; it's timeless Morrison. "Fame Will Eat the Soul" is a raw-sounding duet with the Righteous Brothers' Bill Medley, who out-growls the singer. "Dark Night of the Soul" references the metaphorical spirituality and hypnotic musicality that informed his records between 1980's Common One and 1991's Hymns to the Silence. "In Search of Grace" and "Read Between the Lines," with their bumping, jazzy calypso B-3s, find Morrison digging deep into the memorial previous with grooving authority. The cultural indictment in "Nobody in Charge" is fueled by the same vamp that drove "These Dreams of You" so many years ago. When Morrison takes on the jazz-blues in "You Don't Understand," he's supported by a meaty upright bass and a brooding organ. His singing wields the tension and authority of an apocalyptic gospel singer, and the tune purposely contains a direct harmonic nod to Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man." We hear Celtic Soul Brother No. 1 on "Does Love Conquer All," and the skiffle and rockabilly devotee delivering the choogling boogie of "Early Days." Morrison co-wrote the tender balladic waltz "If We Wait for Mountains" with fellow OBE honoree, lyricist Don Black. The title track is an excellent example of fingerpopping, hard-swinging R&B. "Bags Under My Eyes" is a humorous take on the perils of the road, delivered as a honky tonk waltz. "Days Gone By" completely reimagines -- lyrically and musically -- "Auld Lang Syne" by using bits of the original melody in a modern paean to acceptance and aspiration. Given Three Chords and the Truth's 70-minute run time, there's a lot to digest, but it's worth it. Morrison is in excellent voice throughout; his energy is kinetic and his songwriting -- even when he's complaining -- is fresh, humorous, soulful, and insightful. A natural companion to Keep Me Singing, this is Morrison at his best. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	10/25/2019
Label:	Caroline
UPC:	0602508016639

Tracks

1. March Winds in February
2. Fame Will Eat the Soul
3. Dark Night of the Soul
4. In Search of Grace
5. Nobody in Charge
6. You Don¿¿¿t Understand
7. Read Between the Lines
8. Does Love Conquer All?
9. Early Days
10. If We Wait for Mountains
11. Up on Broadway
12. Three Chords and the Truth
13. Bags Under My Eyes
14. Days Gone By

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Van Morrison   Primary Artist,Vocals,Saxophone,Spoken Word,Guitar (Rhythm),Piano (Electric),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Bill Medley   Vocals
John Allair   Organ (Hammond)
Dave Keary   Bouzouki,Guitar (Electric)
Jay Berliner   Guitar (Acoustic)
Colin Griffin   Drums
Pete Hurley   Bass
Jeremy Brown   Bass
Richard Dunn   Organ (Hammond)
Teena Lyle   Piano,Percussion,Vibraphone
Bobby Ruggiero   Drums
Stuart McIlroy   Piano
David Hayes   Bass
Paul Moran   Organ

Technical Credits

Van Morrison   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Enda Walsh   Engineer
Jim Stern   Mixing,Engineer,Mastering
Luis Pacheco   Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Justin Helton   Design
Ben McAuley   Engineer
Jesse Snider   Assistant Engineer
Jack Mills   Mixing Assistant
Don Black   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Kenny Evans   Assistant Mastering Engineer