Van Morrison is on fire at the moment, there is something in the urgency that his recordings possess that suggest an artist both in tune with the sounds that feed his soul and assured at his own strengths as a performer. A legend who flips a middle finger to categorization, his sound has always been a roots-based seed feeding from the heart of R&B, Soul, Jazz, Folk, Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll which, when watered into full bloom, delivers instantly identifiable Van Morrison sound thanks to that deep, stirring voice. There are times on this album when he fuses all those inspirations, all that rolling and tumbling heartbeat of the mid twentieth century Western music culture explosion, in the most breath-taking fashion. ‘Money From America’ is one such example, with its wild mercury organ funk, pressure cooker blues guitar hooks and glass raising bar room testifying, this is impossible not to get swept up by. ‘Nervous Breakdown’ has a classic feel with its minute long build up and Van the bandleader toasting the arrival of each instrument. Same too with ‘Not Seeking Approval,’ which has some of the most sultry, soulful licks Van has ever committed to round wax. But then he tells us in that same song “they say my name is muck” and that fact too is hard to argue against, Van is making this beautifully matured music to a chorus of indifference in some quarters thanks to the uncompromising, often controversial opinions he has been putting out since 2020.

Right from the opening track ‘Dangerous’ he is pounding his fist reiterating that he has been asking for evidence for over a year. So clearly, this raises immediately the issue of Van’s well covered forthright opinions about Covid, vaccinations and the recurring lockdown measures we all endured. Now personally speaking, I took the governments data on face value, got myself fully vaccinated and complied with all lockdown regulations. However, if Van has a more suspicious position on all this, got himself wound up in frustration by events and is now using that anger to fire up his music making I can live with that. I do not need to agree with everything he says and am not ashamed to say that there are times on this record where his protestations strike a chord. On ‘What’s It Gonna Take?’ he sings “government doesn’t represent us at all” and in a time where striking working classes are portrayed as greedy by the Downing Street elite I cannot argue against Van’s statement. Van is nailing his colours to the mast and flying the flag for not sitting on the fence, no bad thing in my opinion and trying to paint him as a lunatic conspiracy theorist is way too reductive. He just sounds hungry, determined to still live life to the full and I admire that do not give a crap attitude. Furthermore, is this really such a different Van to the one championed in the past?

Also, a track like ‘Can’t Go On This Way,’ which vents exasperation at the cabin fever induced by extended lockdown periods, surely just put into song a feeling that millions were going through. OK so Van runs the risk of sounding like an over pampered star unaware of his own good fortune, but he is just reflecting a feeling many experienced. If it is in his nature to throw suspicion around and question people when he feels boxed in like this, so what? That is who he is, that is the person responsible for a good deal more classic albums than the average artist can boast in a career and he does what he does with all imperfections and character failings part of the package. In fact, it is when a performer starts ironing out the less refined, palatable aspects of their being, creates with a thought to what the public might approve of rather than honestly articulating, that they start to lose it. I may not find myself in a mutual agreement society if I were sat down with Van Morrison, but I dare say the same would apply to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell or anyone I have held in high esteem for decades. The only thing that should matter is that Van Morrison, in 2022, is still making some of the most vital, inspired and focused music of his extensive career and I can say sincerely, ‘What’s It Gonna Take?’ is one of his great albums.

Buy a vinyl copy of the album here: https://www.discogs.com/release/23302058-Van-Morrison-Whats-It-Gonna-Take