This came onto my MP3 player this weekend for the first time in a while and still sounded amazing. I was surprised I hadn’t posted it already.
I still remember hearing it for the first time and the opening leaving me utterly speechless. The opening line must be one of my all time favourites, full of mysticism and longing just like the album to which is gives it’s name.
If I ventured in the slipstream, between the viaducts of your dream…
/RjK
Between one thing and another the past couple of weeks have been rather stressful. As a result I have found myself gravitating to more mellow music. This meandering, dreamy number from Van Morrison, taken from 1972’s Saint Domoinic’s Preview, did just the trick today.
Saint Dominic’s Preview:
/RjK
Van Morrison is a masterful live performer. This is taken from his 1994 live album A night in San Francisco and might be my favourite live track (although it’s a toss up with Rave on John Donne).
Van in his heyday:
/RjK
Classic track from Irish band The Waterboys. Its taken from the 1988 album of the same name and features some very vivid imagery and solid violin.
/RjK
I saw Irish singer Liza Flume support Linnea Olsson at The Workmans Club a few weeks ago.
I enjoyed the simplicity of her music. As here, there was very little instrumentation or frills of any kind. She used looping created a infectious sound that I found rather hypnotic.
Liza Flume:
/RjK
*Artist #646
Little Green Cars are a five-piece band from Dublin. I know very little about them but intend to find out more. I came across them on a review of the SXSW Festival in Austin, TX on the excellent Dublin-based Nialler9 blog.
Little Green Cars:
/RjK
*Artist #645
This was a track from last year by Irish band Le Galaxie that I rather liked but didn’t quite get around to posting.
Le Galaxie:
/RjK
*Artist #638
This feels like the right song to post today. Happy St.Patrick’s Day to one and all.
/RjK
*Artist #629
Van Morrison – Domino
I have probably waxed lyrical enough about the regard I have for Van’s music. Suffice to say, I think he’s got some game.
I had forgotten how good this sounds until it came on my MP3 player as I was walking home from work last night. From the jangly (not sure this is the correct technical term) intro to the horns and relentless energy throughout it is both a great pop song and a throwback to Fats Domino and all the great 50’s and 60’s Rhythm and Blues.
There are also several very tasty live versions (which are well worth checking out on YouTube where available). Not least the one on the seminal It’s too late to stop now which is both a personal favourite album and a guiding maxim.
/RjK
Van Morrison – It’s all in the game / You know what they’re writing about
I have been meaning to post Van for a while. Firstly I am a self confessed devotee of his music but also because I nearly saw him play in Dublin a few weeks ago before inclement weather intervened (why even bother with gigs in parks in Ireland?).
This pair of tracks closes out the 1979 album Into the music. They aren’t his most iconic work but I have listened to them relentlessly over the past few months. I think they are classic Van; starting with a spacey, meandering cover of an obscure 50’s tune then building and building to a crashing, heartfelt crescendo (see about 6:30 onwards).
Meet me down by the pylons...
/RjK