Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 56-60 of 64
 vAN IS IN TOP FORM April 29, 2008
Susan Gionet (San Diego, CA)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've been a huge fan since Van was with Them. I saw him on his Pay The Devil tour. This is classic Van Morrison, no excuses...some of his best work. The cover portrait is lean and mean; an apt description of this CD.
 From an Van the Man Fan May 31, 2008
Valley Dude (ADKs, NY USA)
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
While this is a solid presentation of straight-ahead blues and R&B, it lacks the creative and emotional flair of Van's greatest work, which has been mostly lacking since the mid 90's.
Soul of Talent June 17, 2008
Ronald A. Trussell
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Once again Van Morrison proves why his longevity in the music biz is well deserved. With his distinctive voice and lush musicianship, this new effort ranks right up there with his classics ("Moondance", "Poetic Champions Compose", etc.). Highly recommended.
 any van morrison album is good September 24, 2008
N-Chap (Texas)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As a long time Van Morrison fan, I have nearly everything he has ever recorded. The songwriting is not up to that of his best work but that is a very high standard to achieve. This is a spare sound that he apparently intentionally achieves. It gives plenty of room to appreciate his voice and the way he and only very few others can interpret a song. I enjoy the album but would rank it in the middle to maybe lower third of his work. That still ranks it as better than just about anything else out there. Probably the album is one that will grow on you but, if you are not expecting songs that keep it REAL simple, you will be disappointed.
Best and Most 'Van' album since Healing Game April 1, 2008
SwimnTim (Chicago Il)
0 out of 6 found this review helpful
I enjoy all Van releases but none more than this since Healing Game..I think primarily because it's consistent (doesn't jump from jump-blues to 40's crooner standards to Van stuff, like Magic Time, and Whats Wrong w/Picture did....And,he's not completely covering another genre (Pay the Devil).. And there's no relatively lightweight pop like Back on Top.....
Keep it Simple is consistent in terms of musical form, and in terms of Van's trademark soulful delivery.
I'm more about feel than lyrical content, but it does have some awkward wording at times ('soul...its not about the color of your skin'), ugh!, I know what he means but, man!).
Of all forms and muses that inform Vans work, his legacy and trademark genious are those songs that
flow out of the Astral Weeks template.
He's for the most part abandoned it since Ancient Highway, unfortunately, (as he said he would,btw), but at times he draws on that feel as he does on Entrainment,Behind the Ritual, and the great live rendition of Little Village....and its still always a slice of heaven!
No more jumping over lots of tunes on a Van release....this is sweet Van listening through and through!
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