Van Morrison: Magic Time

The release of Astral Weeks was an amazing moment in my life, and I remember hearing Sweet Thing and being moved by its beauty. Magic Time, unfortunately, does not take you back to the days of Saint Dominic’s Preview or Cyprus Avenue, but there are moments when you’ll remember when Van used to rave-on and move you with his poetic lyrics, seemingly flawless music, and his inspiring voice that is as familiar as the smile of an old friend.

Van’s usual recording schedule has him in the studio for only a couple of weeks, during which he punches out a few songs about love and loneliness, and of course, his familiar rants about his distrust for the media and record execs and how “they sold me out.” Van keeps his style of upbeat blues chugging along on “Evening Train,” and then slows it back down with the acoustically reflective “Just Like Greta.” At times, the lyrics are just that, just words on paper. You miss the poetry that flowed and moved so easily with the music in his earlier works.

Throughout the album you’ll hear Van beg for solitude, but then also acknowledge that the musical world has not forgotten the legend that wrote Astral Weeks or the raves he laid down during the Bang Sessions of the late 1960s. On the title track he sings, “Let me go back for awhile\Got to go back a while\To that magic time.” Alas, maybe the question remains: “Can he go back?”

Magic Time blends Van’s standard mix of jazz and blues, with sweetly arranged strings, but he also throws in a touch of swing that is reminiscent of a time gone by when Dean and Frank sang in the smoky clubs of Vegas. One of the most endearing and sincere songs on the album is “The Lion This Time” — this is the one track that made me feel like I was listening to the young singer from Ireland attempting to stake his claim in American music oh so long ago.

Don’t dismiss Morrison’s new material. He’s still on top, let’s just hope he can continue to keep mediocrity at bay for years to come. Fret not; while this album may not be vintage Van, it is still the Van we all love.

The Sights: The Sights

Not only does this three-piece band out of Detroit sound eerily like the Beatles with an alternative twist, but they are also authentically unique with arrangements that blend both garage\organ-based rock with 60’s pop influences. Vocalist Eddie Baranek sounds completely genuine in songs like “Just Got Robbed” and “I’m Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My Song.” The latter conjures images of the band jamming in Vincent Price’s private basement party with Elvira and Jack White staring on in amazement. Whether the tales of Eddie’s life are accurately conveyed in other songs like “Scratch My Name in Sin” or “Baby’s Knocking Me Down” is yet to be seen (or do we care?), but his soulful howlings match the music and complete the necessary elements for a terrifically entertaining album.

In the late spring of 2004, The Sights were noticed by ex-Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, who immediately signed them to his label, Scatchie Records. Although there’s no Pumpkin influence on this disc, it sure helps having a big name lend a hand to a fledgling band that is still relatively unknown but growing in popularity.

With equal amounts of fuzz-heavy 60’s guitar, the timeless Hammond organ, and catchy song writing, on the whole this is a commendable album worthy of the expense to add it to your collection. If you’re looking for something fresh and exciting amidst the world of mundane, radio-driven, single-of-the-week bands, The Sights should fit the bill.

(Joe Hooten is a Western Carolina University graduate and a teacher. He can be contacted at thatbeat@hotmail.com.)