Veedon Fleece [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
On this subtle classic, a comparatively somber, subdued Van Morrison emerged from the rubble of the failed marriage that a few years earlier infused his American studio sessions with a conjugal glow and journeyed home to Ireland to revive his Celtic identity. From the pale, hand-colored images on its cover to the quieter, more skeletal arrangements of the music, 1974's Veedon Fleece originally seemed dispiriting to Morrison fans hoping for the R&B ebullience of its predecessors. Yet songs like "Linden Arden Stole the Highlights," "Streets of Arklow," and "Country Fair" anticipate the pastoral Irish lyricism that would bloom again a half decade later on Into the Music, emerging as a cornerstone of Morrison's work from the '80s forward. --Sam Sutherland

Tracks:

Fair Play
Linden Arden Stole The Highlights
Who Was That Masked Man
Streets Of Arklow
You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push The River
Bulbs
Cul De Sac
Comfort You
Come Here My Love
Country Fair

Amazon.com

On this subtle classic, a comparatively somber, subdued Van Morrison emerged from the rubble of the failed marriage that a few years earlier infused his American studio sessions with a conjugal glow and journeyed home to Ireland to revive his Celtic identity. From the pale, hand-colored images on its cover to the quieter, more skeletal arrangements of the music, 1974's Veedon Fleece originally seemed dispiriting to Morrison fans hoping for the R&B ebullience of its predecessors. Yet songs like "Linden Arden Stole the Highlights," "Streets of Arklow," and "Country Fair" anticipate the pastoral Irish lyricism that would bloom again a half decade later on Into the Music, emerging as a cornerstone of Morrison's work from the '80s forward. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

an early 70's treasure........2007-02-13

after "astral weeks," this is my favorite van morrison album. simply one of the very greatest recordings of the early 70's, this is a gentle and stunning work of music. you don't need me to go through this tune by tune, each song is a majestic piece in its own right. the whole thing works as an organic wonder of sounds. don't miss this masterpiece.

Van gets dark.......2007-01-13

I own a few of Van Morrison's classic 60's/70's recordings, and this one surprised me since it's so much darker than any of his other, generally upbeat Irish soul albums. On first listen, it really floated by me--the music is mellow, the accompaniment is subtle and not in-your-face, and there aren't many upbeat numbers. Once I started actually listening, though, Veedon Fleece became one of my very favorite Van Morrison albums.

The album starts off gently enough with "Fair Play," which plays off Van's jazzy side, with lounge piano and a relaxed vocal. It's mellow, in a major key, and easy to relax to. Things stay similar on the second track, which builds to an emotive crescendo as the song wears on. Van gets more soulful, singing in a sweet falsetto on "Who Was that Masked Man?" Things really get dark on "The Streets of Arklow." I don't think I'd ever really heard Van get so brooding or mysterious (except maybe on Astral Weeks), and the Irish folk background music makes for a pastorally forboding feeling. This just continues into the album's centerpiece, where the title comes from, "You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push The River." Beginning with a hypnotic and haunting piano line, the song pulses under Van's searching vocal, as he channels something soulful and mystical that's beyond my comprehension (maybe that's why I like it so much).

The rest of the album has some more upbeat and characteristic Van numbers, like the grooving "Bulbs" and soulful "Cul de Sac," but an aura of darkness lurks beneath the surface in a really intangible way, like it's gone to soon return. "Country Fair" closes the album on a mellow, flute-inflected folk note, keeping the spell of mystery intact.

There are Van Morrison albums that are more versatile, like Moondance, that I can play to fit almost any situation or mood, but Veedon Fleece has a certain magic and mystery that makes it all the more special when the time is right to let the music wash over me. Hopefully it comes back into print soon--it's a classic, if often overlooked album.

Van's "Blood On The Tracks"..........2006-11-07

This is my favorite Van Morrison album without question. Every time I hear the opening strains of "Fair Play" it takes me to another place. I find it stunning that this album caused such a disruption of Van Morrison's career after it was released and alienated so many of his fans. True, this album doesn't contain any R&B stompers, but it shouldn't be seen as anything less than an amazing group of songs. "Veedon Fleece" has a reputation for being a somber and depressing album, but the second half of the disc is actually much more upbeat than the first. I read that Van Morrison had returned to Ireland for the first time in years and after his divorce from then wife Janet Planet, and the effect it had on his music is evident, particularly in the instrumentation on songs like "Streets of Arklow". Although Van sounds dispirited at times the music is actually very relaxing. This album is always one that I can slip on late at night and feel right at home with. Highly recommended.

You cannot get better than this.......2006-10-12

I completely agree with the reviewer Johnny Bacardi that this is an amazing work of art and like Johnny, is, along with Layla, my all-time favorite album. There is no album I've ever encountered that has more of an ability to transport me to wherever the music wants to take me. It is music as art, music as meditation, music as prayer, music as transcendent revelation. And unbelievably, ecstatically enjoyable. Go get it, now.

Right up there with Astral Weeks and Moondance.......2006-08-25

This is one of the best albums Van Morrison ever recorded. I rank it right up there in the top 3. For whatever reason (probably because there are no "hits" on it) it has remained somewhat unknown, and in my opinion, underrated and underappreciated. If you love Astral Weeks, and the slower, more soulful music by Van Morrison, then this one's for you.